Want to apply for Ambition to Grow?
About the Ambition to Grow programme
Is your business seeking to create new employment and grow into new markets?
Through our Ambition to Grow programme, we are seeking applications from local innovative and ambitious micro, small, and medium enterprises with a determination to sell outside Northern Ireland to compete for up to £45,000 in funding to accelerate their business growth.
We’ve designed the programme to help businesses like yours increase employment, innovate processes, and export. Participants will also have the chance to build valuable connections with other like-minded business owners.
The Ambition to Grow programme is closed for applications. We will update this page with details of the next application soon.
How can my business benefit from the Ambition to Grow programme?
Your business could benefit from:
- Up to £30,000 towards new employment within the business
- Up to £10,000 for business development activities related to market, product, or skills development
- £5,000 on the completion of an Export Health Check, Innovate NI Self-Assessment, and participation in two Ambition to Grow workshops.
Who can apply for the Ambition to Grow programme?
Ambition to Grow is open to any business in Northern Ireland that meets the eligibility criteria who:
- Have a suitable product or service for selling outside Northern Ireland
- Have the potential to increase new employment within the business
- Can demonstrate the need for government support
- Have an annual turnover under £2m or sales outside Northern Ireland less than £250,000
You can find the full criteria in our Ambition to Grow | Guidance Notes (PDF).
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the most frequently asked questions about Ambition to Grow, however, more in-depth questions and answers can be found in our Ambition to Grow | FAQs (PDF).
What type of business is Ambition to Grow aimed at?
Ambition to Grow is aimed at businesses that are not currently Invest Northern Ireland clients but have plans to grow sales outside Northern Ireland and with this create new employment.
Is Ambition to Grow suitable for start-up businesses?
To be eligible to apply for Ambition to Grow, businesses need to already be trading and be able to demonstrate they can sustain any new employment created. Businesses at an earlier stage may benefit more from other support options which can be found at nibusinessinfo.co.uk – Business Support Finder.
Is all the grant money paid up front?
No. Payment of the different grant elements is triggered by carrying out or spending money on specific activities.
Do I need to be exporting to be able to apply?
You do not need to currently be exporting to apply but you need to demonstrate how your business plans to increase sales to customers based outside Northern Ireland, and with this create new employment.
When is the closing date to apply?
The closing date to submit your completed via the Invest NI Portal, upon completion of our eligibility checker is Friday 30 January, 12 noon.
Discover more
Hear how the Ambition to Grow programme helped Nomadic Watches grow their business both locally and internationally.
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