Nearly 15,000 new Irish companies have been set up so far this year – a 13% increase year on year for start-ups.<\/p>\n
It also marks the highest number of start-ups on record, according to credit risk analyst Vision-net by CRIF.<\/p>\n
The company analysed the number of start-ups and insolvencies registered on its database in 2025 and 2026, and analysed its records that date back for 30 years.<\/p>\n
Speaking on RT\u00c9’s Morning Ireland, Vision-net by CRIF Managing Director Christine Cullen commented that it looks like there will be 30,000 new companies by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
“We saw a bit of a bounce there after Covid, but we’ve never seen figures like this before,” said Ms Cullen.<\/p>\n
IT saw the largest growth with an increase of 62% driven by AI, followed by strong gains in motor (31%), manufacturing (26%), and construction (22%).<\/p>\n
June was the busiest month for new company startups in the year so far, with 2,744 new companies registered in the month.<\/p>\n
Across the six months 18 counties saw an increase in start-ups compared to the same period last year.<\/p>\n
Traditional urban hubs like Dublin, Limerick, and Cork were supported by surges in counties like Wicklow (31%) and Kilkenny (26%).<\/p>\n
“It’s very, very positive for not just the urban centres, but also for regional growth, ” commented Ms Cullen.<\/p>\n
“And it just goes to show you how important our infrastructure is for making sure that that spread is right across the country,” she said.<\/p>\n
Despite global economic uncertainty, Ms Cullen said the figures for the first half of 2026 paint a “remarkably resilient picture” of the Irish business landscape.<\/p>\n