Starting a Business in Kilkenny: Company Formation, LEO Grants and Accounting
Kilkenny is a medieval city with a modern creative economy. Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios make it Ireland's animation capital, the council is turning the old Smithwick's brewery into the Abbey Quarter business district, and SETU runs an incubator at St Kieran's College. The county has one council, one Local Enterprise Office at County Hall and the slowest population growth of the counties on this site. This page sets out the facts, with sources, and shows how to register and run the books online from anywhere in Kilkenny.
Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny
LEO Kilkenny is based at Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, and covers the whole county. It is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, closed for lunch from 1pm to 2pm.. Feasibility Grant: up to 50% of eligible costs or 15,000 euro, whichever is less, in the Southern and Eastern region, for businesses with no more than 10 employees (localgov.ie).. Priming Grant: for businesses in their first 18 months, up to 50% of the investment or 80,000 euro, whichever is less, and up to 150,000 euro for exceptional projects with export or Enterprise Ireland potential (localgov.ie).. Business Expansion Grant: after the first 18 months, up to 50% of the investment with the same 80,000 euro standard ceiling and 150,000 euro exceptional ceiling (localgov.ie).. Grow Digital Voucher: 50% of eligible digital costs from 500 euro to 5,000 euro for businesses trading at least six months with 1 to 50 employees that have completed a Digital for Business report. It replaced the Trading Online Voucher, which closed to new applications on 13 December 2024.. Business advice, mentoring, Lean for Micro and Lean for Business, a Sustainability Kickstarter programme and Get Exporting are listed on the LEO Kilkenny site.. LEO Kilkenny also lists the Energy Efficiency Grant of up to 10,000 euro, GradStart, the Market Explorer Grant, research, development and innovation supports, the Food Academy programme, Green for Business, Microfinance Ireland loans, supports for businesses affected by trade tariffs and a Small Business Vacant Premises Scheme.
Register your company online from anywhere in Kilkenny
Company formation with staxo is fully online. Limited Company from €199 and sole trader registration from €49, ex VAT.