Funding

All Businesses require finance to start and grow. At Ludgate we understand that founders may prefer one funding source over another and so it is our mission through our partnerships to bring you an array of financial support from which to choose from. AIB is the main sponsor of Ludgate and a supporter of rural regeneration and business growth/development within our region. Please see: https://aib.ie/business/business-accounts/start-up-account for the full range of financial products on the market through AIB to support your business and grow your idea. Your local AIB branch advisor can talk you through these packages in further detail.

Spark Crowdfunding is an equity crowdfunding platform. Established in early 2018, they help Irish companies raise new funds from a vast pool of private investors. Their mission is to make it as easy as possible for high potential Irish businesses, both start-ups and well-established, to secure funding for growth, in a simple, quick and low-cost manner. Think of equity crowdfunding as a form of Dragons’ Den in which companies pitch to thousands of investors, as opposed to five Dragons. Over the past seven years, equity crowdfunding has exploded in popularity in the UK and the US, as an innovative way for companies to raise new funds. This has resulted in a democratisation of finance as small and medium sized investors may now purchase shares in the types of companies where previously only Private Equity or Venture Capital companies could invest. Irish investors like to invest in Irish companies. Spark Crowdfunding uniquely and proactively connects the two. They do not hold Client Funds, give advice or take any trading risk. Instead, we facilitate introductions between Spark and Businesses seeking investment. Investors pay no fees to invest and companies only pay fees if their campaign is a success. Campaigns typically run from 30 to 40 days.