If you run an ambitious small business or social enterprise in Northern Ireland with plans to sell outside NI, the Ambition to Grow grant is currently open—and local feedback suggests application numbers so far are a little on the low side.
Invest Northern Ireland’s Ambition to Grow programme offers competitive grant packages of up to £45,000 to help non-client micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises scale, hire, and enter new markets.
What Does the Funding Support?
The financial package provides direct support across three core areas:
- New Employment Creation (Up to £30,000): Direct support toward building your team.
- Business Development (Up to £10,000): Grant funding for market, product, or skills development activities.
- Milestone Completion (£5,000): Awarded upon completing an Export Health Check, Innovate NI Self-Assessment, and participating in two programme workshops.
Key Eligibility Criteria
To apply, your business must be currently trading and meet the following baseline requirements:
- Client Status: Must not be a current Invest NI client company and must not have received grant support from Invest NI in the last 5 years (excluding standard emergency or innovation voucher schemes).
- Export Potential: Have a product or tradeable service suitable for selling outside Northern Ireland.
- Turnover: Annual turnover under £2m or sales outside NI currently under £250,000. Although there is no minimum level of turnover stipulated, I would say that you’ll need to be hitting close to £100,000 per annum in order to stand a good chance of being successful with your application.
- Job Creation: Able to commit to creating either a minimum of 3 new full-time roles paying the Real Living Wage or 1 new full-time management role paying at least £35,000/year over the next two years.
(Note: Standard retail, local personal services, hospitality, and primary agriculture are ineligible).
Act Before the Deadline
The application portal closes strictly at 12:00 noon on Thursday, 1st October 2026.
To apply, you must first pass Invest NI’s quick online eligibility checker on their website to unlock the application form. If you are assessing your business plan or need guidance positioning your growth strategy before applying, contact your local council enterprise team or get in touch with us today.