Ireland's company start-up numbers soar to 15-year high

Sectors such as agriculture, IT, and construction saw the largest increases

Dublin accounted for 40% of start-up formations in 2025 while Cork was in second place at just under 10%.

There was an 11% increase in start-up formations recorded in 2025 reaching 26,500 — the highest level in 15 years — with sectors such as agriculture, IT, and construction seeing the largest increases, new data from CRIFVision-Net shows.

In 2024, there were 23,384 start-up formations which at the time was a record high.

According to the company, start-ups in the agriculture sector increased by 38%, while the IT sector saw a 29% increase, and construction saw an 18% increase. Other areas such as wholesale/retail and hospitality saw increases of 9% and 5% respectively.

Dublin accounted for 40%, or 11,450, of all these new companies during the year with Cork being the second highest at 2,552, followed by Galway at 1,145, Kildare at 1,124, and Meath at 1,018.

CRIF Vision-net — a provider of credit risk and compliance data on businesses and individuals — said periods of low unemployment dampen start-up activity, however, “current trends point to a strong and growing appetite for indigenous enterprise”.

This reflects a strategic shift to reduce reliance on global multinationals amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty, global tariff concerns and evolving trade relationships.

CRIFVision-Net managing director Christine Cullen said the start-up numbers in 2025 demonstrate “remarkable resilience and entrepreneurial ambition across Ireland” and “also underscores the importance of supporting established businesses facing rising costs and tighter credit conditions”.

Commercial judgments

While the number of start-up formations recorded during the year was strong, there was also a sharp rise in the number of commercial judgments.

The data shows 1,808 judgments against companies were recorded in 2025, totalling €47.2m. This represents a 67% jump in value and a 29% increase in cases compared to 2024.

The company said this trend indicates that more businesses are struggling to meet payment commitments, forcing creditors to seek legal recourse.

Ms Cullen said the rise in commercial judgements “signals that many existing businesses are under significant financial pressure”.

“More companies are struggling to meet payment obligations, which is increasingly forcing creditors to seek legal recourse. If rising costs, tighter credit conditions and export market volatility persist without adequate support, there is a real risk that today’s start-up momentum will not translate into sustainable long-term growth.” 

Insolvencies

The average age of insolvent firms was 11 years in 2025 which suggests that established businesses, rather than young start-ups, are feeling the most pressure from rising costs and tighter credit.

“Many of these companies have already weathered previous economic shocks, but are now facing a more sustained combination of rising operating costs, higher interest rates and tighter access to credit,” the company said.

“For mature firms with fixed overheads, long-term leases and legacy debt, the ability to adapt quickly is often limited, leaving them more exposed as margins are squeezed and cashflow pressures intensify.” 

A report from earlier this month from professional services firm Deloitte has forecast the number of corporate insolvencies to reach 900 during 2026 amid ongoing cost challenges which are expected to hit small- and medium-sized businesses the hardest.

There were 812 corporate insolvency appointments recorded in 2025.

The forecasted increase in insolvencies this year come as measures, such as the introduction of the pension auto-enrolment as well as the increase to the minimum wage, are expected to add to the cost of doing business.