Start a business in Ireland | Fortuna Community

A simple path for people starting from zero: an ordinary business or a social enterprise.

You came with experience and an idea, and then hit the question: where do I begin? Where do I go, what do I register, whom do I ask? We have put the path into nine steps. At each step we show where to find official information.

The nine steps

1. Describe your idea on one page

What problem do you solve, for whom, and who will pay you for it. If the idea is for the community: what benefit will people get and how can you measure it.

2. Choose a form

Self-employed (sole trader), an ordinary company (LTD), a non-profit company (CLG), or a registered charity. These are different things. A CLG is a legal form, a "social enterprise" is a way of working, and charity status is given by a separate regulator. Read the details.

3. Register

Company registration (CRO), tax registration (Revenue), a bank account, bookkeeping, annual filings, data protection (GDPR) and insurance.

4. Understand the taxes

Corporation tax, VAT and payroll tax. Tax relief for charities is possible only after registration with the Charities Regulator and a separate application to Revenue. There is no general VAT exemption for such organisations.

5. Visit your Local Enterprise Office

This is a free first step: a consultation, the "Start Your Own Business" training and tips on support. Financial support is not available to everyone or to every legal form.

6. Test the idea on real people

Find two or three possible clients or partners. Get letters of support, a place to work, specialists. Estimate a budget.

7. Draw a map of money

Sales, sponsorship, donations, grants, loans and help in kind. For each source, check whether you meet the conditions.

8. Run a small pilot

With a budget, contracts, consent from participants, safety measures and clear measures of success. Small and honest is better than big and vague.

9. Grow

When demand is proven, you can ask for funding for staff and equipment, and widen your services and partners.

Where to go next

Where to apply: the organisations that answer questions.
Social enterprise and CLG: the difference between a form, a model and a status.
Vacant housing schemes.
Grants and programmes calendar.

Need help?

Fortuna Business Hub helps you find your bearings: meetings, mentors and introductions to specialists. We are not lawyers or accountants. We show the way and introduce you to people who are. See Business Booster and Expert services.

Do not try to take all nine steps in a week. The first three can be done in an evening, and the rest come as you are ready.