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Eligibility tick box

Eligibility Criteria

Are You Eligible?

To qualify for financial support through Acumen businesses must:

  • Be active in either the manufacturing or tradable services sectors. By tradable services, InterTradeIreland requires the business service to be delivered in the cross-border market, and not just to attract customers from the cross-border market to their service business in the home market. (See list below of ineligible sectors)
  • Be an SME with less than 250 staff and £40m (euro equivalent) turnover, priority will be given to companies employing less than 100 staff or those with turnover of less than £10m (euro equivalent).
  • Be an indigenous business registered in Ireland or Northern Ireland. (Companies from Ireland must hold a valid Tax Clearance Certificate)
  • Have an established trading history and have a proven track record in their home market i.e. Minimum 18-24 months sales history.
  • Demonstrate that business has less than 30% of total sales in the target cross-border market in the last/current financial year.
  • Have a sufficiently unique product or service that does not displace existing products or services in the target market.
  • Demonstrate that new cross-border sales are not achievable without the support of the Acumen programme.
  • Be an SME with the capacity (human, financial & production) to engage in cross-border trade through this programme.
  • Be committed to the development of new cross-border trade opportunities.

Please note that it is desirable to have an established relationship with a mainstream development agency (Invest NI, Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Office, Udaras Na Gaeltachta)

Ineligible Sectors

Businesses involved in the following sectors are not considered eligible for Acumen funding: Wholesale/retail, distribution, tourism, hospitality, primary agriculture, personal services and professional business services.

Acumen funding is provided under the European Commission Regulation on De Minimis Aid or if applicable in accordance with Minimal Financial Assistance as detailed in the UK Subsidy Control Bill. The business must provide InterTradeIreland with details of all other De Minimis aid received in the last 3 years and if applicable the amounts of any subsidies received under Article 364(4) Minimal Financial Assistance of the subsidy control chapter of the TCA in the current and last 2 fiscal years. It should be noted that a false declaration by a business resulting in the De Minimis threshold of €200,000 being exceeded (or £315,000 in the case of Minimal Financial Assistance) could later give rise to the aid being recovered with interest.

To find out how to apply for the Acumen programme click on the link below

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