Business Networks, Spaces and Support Services

Cork City is home to a variety of business organisations which offer collaboration and learning opportunities to help Cork City businesses grow, develop and collaborate. 

Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland is the government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. Enterprise Ireland work in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets. In this way, Enterprise Ireland support sustainable economic growth, regional development and secure employment. 

Cork City Council's Local Enterprise Office

Cork City Council's Local Enterprise Office is a one stop shop for small businesses whose purpose is to help maximise the employment potential of small businesses in the region. 

The Local Enterprise Office runs various online training and mentoring courses which aim to equip small businesses with the necessary skills and information to reach their full potential.

The Local Enterprise Office also provides a wide range of financial supports and grants for start-ups and small businesses which are specifically tailored to help business start-ups in Cork City face the financial challenges in the early years of business.

Business Network & Membership Organisations

Cork Chamber

Cork Chamber is a private non-profit organisation whose mission is to champion, promote and drive a strong vision for Cork as the best place for business. A thriving place driven by a successful, progressive and influential membership. 

Cork Business Association

Cork Business Association Provides a personal one to one advisory and support service to all members, as well as representing their interests by lobbying key stakeholders in Cork City. 

Ibec

Ibec is Ireland’s largest lobby and business representative group whose southwest regional office is located in Cork. Ibec's purpose is to help build a better, sustainable future by influencing, supporting and delivering for business success. Ibec engages with key stakeholders locally through six regional offices and internationally via their Brussels’ office and their networks across the EU, UK, and US. Ibec positions are shaped by a diverse membership, which range from small to large, domestic to multinational and covers a wide range of industry sectors. As well as lobbying, Ibec provides a wide range of professional services and management training to members on all aspects of human resource management, occupational health and safety, employee relations and employment law.

Network Ireland

Network Ireland is a not for profit national organisation for women in business, the professions and the arts, with over eight branches throughout Ireland, formed nationally over 30 years ago in 1983. It encourages women to achieve more satisfying careers and promotes women as worthy contributors to the Irish economy. It liaises with national and international organisations and creates links with Government and State bodies.

Network Ireland Cork Branch, which is one of the most successful branches, organises monthly events for members and guests which help inform, educate, motivate and support our members, both personally and in their businesses. Members can develop and pool their individual skills through interaction with other women in a supportive environment which offers, training, mentoring and an opportunity for women who call on other members with specialist expertise for help. It also provides a forum for established women to develop professional contacts.

Start-Up & Innovation Supports

University College Cork's Ignite Incubator Programme

University College Cork's IGNITE Programme is a comprehensive incubation programme for founders working full-time on their start-up. It includes essential workshops, mentoring, funding and workspace. START-UP LAB is a short evening programme for aspiring founders who want to explore a start-up idea. IDEAS FOR IMPACT is a one day event for anyone seeking a new start-up idea. Ignite also provides one to one advice START-UP CLINICS to answer specific questions from anyone interested in start-ups.

Rubicon Centre

The Rubicon Centre based At MTU campus primary focus is to develop Ireland’s next generation of start-ups, which have the potential to develop and employ more than one person. As an Innovation Centre for entrepreneurs, the Rubicon Centre is there to help, encourage & give support to people who present a unique idea or highlight a market niche. Enterprise Ireland’s funded New Frontiers Programme is hosted here.

Enterprise Ireland's New Frontiers

Enterprise Ireland's New Frontiers helps early-stage entrepreneurs to take the leap, offering a supportive yet challenging environment to help develop your business idea. Delivered on behalf of Enterprise Ireland by the Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities, New Frontiers offers a combination of practical and interactive workshops, personalised mentorship, co-working space, and funding. Enterprise Ireland help you reduce risk and dramatically increase your chances of success.

Cork BIC

Cork BIC is a private-sector led organisation, specifically set up to identify and build knowledge-intensive companies based on promising technology and capable innovative people. It plays a hands-on role in helping entrepreneurs navigate the minefield of raising finance, sorting out business propositions, arranging agreements with shareholders and investors, and, perhaps most important of all, finding customers. It runs the Entrepreneur Experience weekend programme.

Gateway UCC

Gateway UCC offers a supportive and dynamic work environment for knowledge-based start-ups, spin-out, and spin-in companies in the heart of University College Cork. Encompassing c. 1,400 sq. m, including 25 incubation units, ‘wet-lab' space to accommodate biotechnology companies, and hot-desking facilities, Gateway UCC provides a stimulating environment to nurture and explore the feasibility of their business opportunity.

Co-Working Spaces

Benchspace

Benchspace is a creative hub in Cork City. It was established to provide affordable access to workbenches and professional standard machinery to hobbyists, learners, makers and designers.

Benchspace Cork is the first co-making space of its kind in Ireland, the project is inspired by similar successful projects in Holland, the UK and Australia. Such projects have turned post-industrial spaces into seed-beds for a new generation of creators, designers, and techies. Benchspace is in the former Ford factory in Cork which has a tangible heritage as a centre of commerce and production.

Benchspace exists to allow makers turn their passions into their professions. If you want to start your own fine woodworking or craft business then we’d like to help to providing space and equipment at an affordable price. Instead of many individual bills, we charge one fee to cover all of your machine, space, power, waste and workshop insurance costs. Benchspace work's hard to keep this fee as small as possible. You can contact us and see how Benchspace can help you.

Co-Working Office Spaces

Cork City entrepreneurs and small businesses in need of office space can avail of the many Co-working spaces in Cork city. Co-Working spaces allow entrepreneurs and independent professionals access to high tech office spaces where they can become members of a community comprised of like-minded individual’s entrepreneurs, creators, and independent employees.

To find out more about Co-Working spaces in Cork City visit Coworker.com