Starting a Business in Waterford: Company Formation, LEO Grants and Accounting
Waterford is Ireland's oldest city and the business capital of the South East. It has a single merged council, a Local Enterprise Office with desks in the city and in Dungarvan, a new technological university in SETU, and a pharma and medtech base led by Bausch + Lomb and Sanofi. Its commercial rate has risen every year since 2020, so the premises decision matters more here. This page sets out the facts, with sources, and shows how to register and run the books online from anywhere in Waterford.
Local Enterprise Office Waterford
LEO Waterford has two offices: 35 The Mall in Waterford city and the Civic Offices in Dungarvan. Both cover the whole city and county council area.. 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.. Start Your Own Business, Lean for Micro, the Food Starter Programme and Food Academy Starter Programme are listed as training, with mentoring, business advice clinics and export advice.. LEO Waterford also lists the Market Explorer Grant of up to 10,000 euro for first-time exporters, the Energy Efficiency Grant, Green for Business, GradStart, supports for businesses affected by trade tariffs and Microfinance Ireland loans, and it runs three networks: Network Waterford, Taste Waterford and Crystal Valley Tech.
Register your company online from anywhere in Waterford
Company formation with staxo is fully online. Limited Company from €199 and sole trader registration from €49, ex VAT.