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Small business grants worth €10,000 up for grabs from Three Ireland

Grants are made up of €5,000 cash and the remainder in products and solutions from Three

Padraig Sheerin, head of SME, Three Ireland

Thu Jun 27 2024 - 05:00

Now in its fourth year, the Three Grants for Small Businesses awards will see 10 Irish businesses each win a grant worth €10,000, made up of €5,000 in cash and the remainder in products and solutions from Three.

The awards will also include expertise sessions for the top 20 shortlisted applicants, with Three providing guidance across a variety of business-critical areas including sustainability, procurement, technology, social media, marketing, product development and public relations.

“The awards have settled into a rhythm now,” says Padraig Sheerin, head of SME with Three Ireland. “There is a lot of activity from September on when we open for applications and go through the judging process, but in the early part of the year, we spend a lot of time working with the previous year’s winners looking at optimal solutions for them. We have found 30 absolute gems of winners over the past three years.”

Sheerin believes it is important for Three to support the small business community.

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“According to the Small Firms Association, 98 per cent of businesses in Ireland are small businesses,” Sheerin says. “The vast majority of them are microenterprises employing less than 10 people. They form the backbone of the economy and the business landscape in Ireland. They have endured challenges like the global pandemic, war in Europe and Brexit in the space of a just a few years. This has led to additional pressures financially and our grant programme is there to support them.”

Among the 2023 winners was Galway-based Atlantic Scuba Adventures, Europe’s first solar powered dive centre. “It was a passion project for me when I set it up in 2022,” says founder Kirsty Moran. “The reason I set up the business was to offer a unique, tailor-made, sustainable, welcoming and safe facility to make diving more accessible to people who hadn’t done it before. We offer a mix of snorkelling and scuba activity for everyone from the age of six to 60 and older. The dive site is also special. It’s a coral beach made of maёrl. That means the water is crystal clear.”

The business has grown rapidly and now has a team of seven working during the diving season from May to September. “Getting the grant award from Three opened up great opportunities for us,” says Moran. “It’s been a game-changer. One thing for myself was to have a business phone with different SIM in it. That’s made a big difference for me. The cash prize has enabled us to run more events for locals. We have set up a local club with reduced costs.”

Jill Lyons set up Companion Tandems in Cork in response to a family need. “My youngest daughter has Down syndrome,” Lyons explains. “We have always cycled as a family, but she is not able to cycle independently. She always sat on a seat on the back of the bicycle. She is very sociable and was always waving and looking around to say hello to people. As she got bigger that was not safe or practical. I did a lot of research and found some incredible control from the back tandems, but they were very costly and out of our price range.”

Undaunted, Lyons contacted suppliers. “I realised I could buy very good quality preloved bikes to sell into the Irish market. That’s how Companion Tandems started,” she says.

“We have helped so many people with different needs. There are chair bikes for people with mobility challenges, tricycles for one in the back and two in front, bikes for wheelchair users which can accommodate the wheelchair. New bikes can cost €3,000 to €12,000, but preloved bikes are 50 per cent less, sometimes 70 per cent. That’s much more affordable. It’s incredible how cycling can impact on people’s lives and health by allowing them to socialise and get out into the air. It’s not just for people with additional needs. These bikes can benefit young families too.

“The Three grant has been incredible,” Lyons adds. “I got a fabulous new phone and its easing the financial burden of our bills. We have been upgrading our website and the grant has helped us to afford a specialist designer. We have also been trying to develop our brand through demonstration days around the country and the Three grant has been a tremendous help with that.”

Sheerin looks forward to hearing more inspiring stories from 2024 awards applicants. “It’s an absolute privilege to deal with small businesses every day and see the amazing level of talent there,” Sheerin says. “It takes a lot of bravery to start up a business on your own. Applications will open in September for the next programme.”

See 3.ie/grants for more information

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