Local Enterprise Office
Business Expansion Grant
aka LEO Business Expansion Grant, BEG
Match funding for established microenterprises (trading over 18 months) investing in growth, capped at EUR150,000.
Up to EUR150,000 (50:50 cofunded, max EUR15,000 per job)
Last reviewed May 2026
What this scheme funds
The Business Expansion Grant is the follow-on from the Priming Grant. It supports microenterprises that have been trading for more than 18 months and are entering a new growth phase: hiring, launching a new product line, opening a new market, or making a significant capital investment. Eligible costs include salaries for new hires, capital equipment, consultancy, marketing and training. Up to 50% of investment is funded, with a ceiling of EUR15,000 per full-time job created up to a maximum of EUR150,000. Like Priming, it focuses on manufacturing and internationally traded services but other sectors with credible growth plans are considered.
Cofunding
50:50
Application window
Quarterly LEO Evaluation Committee meetings
Who can apply
- •Microenterprise trading more than 18 months
- •Fewer than 10 employees at time of application
- •Demonstrable expansion plan with new job creation
- •Pass the LEO displacement test
How it typically funds software
- •ERP rollout to support new product line
- •HR software as headcount grows past LEO threshold
- •Field service or POS systems for new locations
Software categories this can fund
Related grants
Local Enterprise Office
Priming Grant
Capital and salary support for a new microenterprise in its first 18 months of trading, up to EUR150,000 toward eligible costs.
Local Enterprise Office
Digital for Business
Mentor-led digital transformation programme for businesses with 11-50 employees, with a follow-on grant of up to EUR9,000 (50:50 cofunded) for implementation.