Many SMEs quickly outgrow Ireland’s small domestic market and have to look overseas for growth. But breaking into export markets can be costly and fraught with risk. The good news, however, is that there is a wide range of grants and supports available for start-ups with an eye on trading internationally.
According to Aoife McGinley, head of client services at Bibby Financial Services, a business is ready to trade internationally when growth ambitions begin to outpace the limits of the domestic market, and exporting forms part of a clear strategic plan.
“Readiness is typically reflected in a proven product or service, financial stability, strong cashflow management and a scalable operational model capable of supporting overseas demand,” McGinley points out.
This opportunity is increasingly being recognised by Irish SMEs, with 19 per cent identifying international trade as a key growth opportunity for 2026 in Bibby Financial Services’ recent SME Confidence Tracker. “Exporting offers access to larger customer bases, diversified income streams and potential margin improvement, while reducing reliance on local market conditions and strengthening long-term resilience,” she says.
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Others take a starker view. “It depends on the business model, but some SMEs simply won’t survive unless they are exporting,” says Orla Byrne, assistant professor of entrepreneurship at the UCD School of Business. “If it’s a tech sort of business, for example, in order to achieve any level of growth or return and investment, internationalisation would be part of its start-up, never mind its growth.”
Manus Rooney, senior executive, new exporters, with Enterprise Ireland, agrees with this. “Some businesses are ‘born global’, meaning their market exists primarily overseas rather than in Ireland,” he says. “Other businesses may have outgrown their domestic market, so international markets are the next move.”
It goes without saying that Ireland is a relatively small market, Rooney adds. “Trading internationally opens up bigger markets and more sales potential, and also leaves the business less exposed to shocks in the domestic market.” Furthermore, exporting often pushes businesses to innovate, which inevitably strengthens their overall competitiveness, he notes.
But while exporting may often be an essential step in terms of survival, it also presents significant barriers for SMEs, which can include high upfront costs, limited market knowledge, regulatory and compliance requirements, logistics complexity and longer sales and payment cycles than domestic trade. “In all cases, businesses need to have the ambition and resources to grow internationally and the desire to develop the skills to go on that export journey,” Rooney says.
McGinley points out that cashflow pressure is a major risk, particularly where overseas customers operate on extended payment terms. “The SME Confidence Tracker also showed that 14 per cent of SMEs cite barriers to international trade as their biggest challenge, while one-third say they do not have the cashflow needed to grow.”
External factors such as geopolitical uncertainty add further layers of complexity. For example, McGinley says the vast majority - 79 per cent - of internationally trading SMEs have been impacted by US tariffs, with one in five delaying or cancelling investment as a result. “Currency volatility, late payment, customer insolvency and geopolitical uncertainty can further affect profitability,” she adds. “Reflecting these challenges, 17 per cent of SMEs say establishing new trade agreements with overseas markets is the Government measure they would most like to see to support their growth.”
‘Going to international conferences and trade fairs helps people build contacts overseas, as well as get started on the sales process and understand who their customer is going to be’
— Orla Byrne, UCD School of Business
It is McGinley’s view that SMEs who wish to succeed internationally need co-ordinated support that reduces risk, protects cashflow and builds confidence to invest. “This includes access to flexible working capital, export-specific funding, foreign exchange solutions and protection against late payment and customer insolvency,” she states. “Just as important is practical guidance on regulatory compliance, contracts, shipping terms and market entry.”
State agencies such as Enterprise Ireland play a key role through export-readiness programmes, market research grants and access to overseas networks.
Rooney works with Irish SMEs beginning their export journey every day. “Often the main question is to understand if a business is ready to export, and then the next step is developing a clear action plan and the skills needed to export, in particular understanding what market to start in,” he explains.
The Get Exporting programme, developed in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland, Local Enterprise Offices, and Údarás na Gaeltachta, is designed to support non-exporting companies at every stage of their journey to achieving new export sales, offering one-to-one mentoring, a tailored export plan, peer learning opportunities and early in-market exposure to buyers, channels, and distributors.
For existing exporters looking to expand or break into new markets, Rooney points out that a range of supports is also available in the areas of funding, advice, and market insights.
InterTradeIreland’s Trade Export Growth Pathway is designed to support SMEs in expanding into new cross-border and international markets, with expert mentoring, strategy development, and funding to help accelerate growth.
A plethora of financial supports for SMEs seeking to open new doors is also available. For example, the Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters (TAME) grant provides up to €2,500 towards export research and marketing, including exhibiting at trade fairs, creating marketing material, or developing websites specifically targeting overseas markets. This specific kind of support is crucial, UCD’s Byrne says. “Going to international conferences and trade fairs helps people build contacts overseas, as well as get started on the sales process and understand who their customer is going to be.”
Specialist funders also play a vital role. McGinley explains that Bibby Financial Services supports SMEs through invoice and export finance, helping businesses unlock cash tied up in invoices, fund overseas orders, manage longer payment cycles and mitigate currency risk. “This helps SMEs scale sustainably while navigating global uncertainty.”
