Local Enterprise Offices
The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) is your local first stop shop for seeking information and support on starting or growing a business in Ireland. There is an LEO in each local authority area. With 31 dedicated teams across the local authorities in Ireland, LEOs offer you a wide range of experience, skills, and services.
What supports do LEOs provide?
Local Enterprise Offices offer a range of supports and services to help small businesses to blossom and thrive.
These services include:
- Mentoring: LEOs offer a mentoring programme to help small business owners benefit from a seasoned practitioner’s experience. Small business owners paired with mentors get both practical and strategic advice on areas such as business strategy, financial planning, market research or even production planning.
- Training: LEOs provides training opportunities for anybody who is starting a new business or looking to grow their current business. A variety of training courses run throughout the year with two central courses running on an annual basis: the Start Your Own Business Programme (which helps budding entrepreneurs prepare to get a new business off the ground), and the Management Development Programme (which helps small business develop the skills they need to grow further).
- Food sector supports: The food industry brings with it its own challenges and rewards. LEOs have a range of programmes and supports to help at every stage of the food journey.
- Financial supports: LEOs provide a range of financial supports to eligible small businesses to help them develop. Learn more in our Grants and Funding section.
- Events: LEOs run a series of programmes and events each year to promote entrepreneurship across all sectors and regions. These include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards. National Women’s Enterprise Day, the Student Enterprise Programme, and more.
Where can I learn more?
Full details on Local Enterprise Office supports are available at LocalEnterprise.ie.