Skip to content
Accelerator Programme
In partnership with Portal at Trinity College Dublin

The Accelerator Programme

Apply now
DCCI Academy

The Accelerator Programme in partnership with Portal, Trinity College Dublin provides support to SMEs with strong international export potential across areas including growth, development, international market launches, customer engagement, acquisition, and marketing and sales.

This initiative represents a significant opportunity for design and craft SMEs to unlock new growth avenues and support DCCI members to become exporters.

Mary Blanchfield

Interim CEO DCCI


Overview:

 

 

Building on the success of the 2024 Accelerator programme, DCCI is collaborating with Portal at Trinity College Dublin to seek 10 companies, keen to ‘scale up’ to join the Accelerator support programme. Targeting companies from across the Design and Craft sector, with significant international export potential, this initiative aims to harness Ireland’s creative and entrepreneurial energy, propelling participants to new heights in global markets.


Application deadline:

 

The deadline for applications is 6th March 2025. This year the programme will be delivered to ten businesses who are successful in the application process.

 


Craft & Design Sector Ireland:

 

 

The craft and design sector significantly contributes to the growth and global recognition of both the Irish domestic economy and the Irish export economy, A 2022 report from Grant Thornton found:

  • Irish craft and design companies saw a total turnover of €10.3bn, up 115% since the post-crash low of 2012, while the sector contributed €4.5bn to the Irish economy in gross value added in 2022, up from under €3.4bn in 2021.
  • It is the 10th largest employment sector in Ireland with almost 60,000 people directly employed, which is a 10% growth year-on-year.
  • In December 2023, a Central Statistics Office (CSO) publication showed that in 2022, more than *11,300 SMEs exported upwards of €38 billion worth of goods internationally, with micro enterprises exporting over €10 billion of goods.

The Accelerator Programme will provide support to SMEs with strong international export potential across areas including growth, development, international market launches, customer engagement, acquisition, and marketing and sales.

https://www.dcci.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-design-1.jpg

DCCI Academy Logo

Upskill and learn with DCCI Academy

DCCI Academy is a specialised academy for education, training and apprenticeships. We welcome everyone, from design and craft beginners, to established professionals.

 

Learn more