Enterprise Ireland
Market Discovery Fund
aka MDF
Enterprise Ireland co-funded grant in three tiers - up to EUR35k Springboard, EUR75k Standard or EUR150k Strategic - for SMEs researching and entering new international markets.
EUR35k Springboard / EUR75k Standard / EUR150k Strategic (50:50 cofunded)
Last reviewed May 2026
What this scheme funds
The Market Discovery Fund supports Enterprise Ireland clients planning a credible entry into a new international market. It operates in three tiers: Springboard (up to EUR35,000), Standard (up to EUR75,000) and Strategic (up to EUR150,000), each with a 50% co-funding requirement (33% for repeat applicants). Eligible costs include market research, in-market visits, recruitment of in-market resources, partner identification, regulatory and IP work, marketing collateral localisation, and digital-marketing campaigns targeted at the new market. Importantly, MDF is gated to existing Enterprise Ireland clients - non-clients must first qualify (most commonly as HPSU, Established SME or Scaling clients) before they can apply.
Cofunding
50:50 (33% for repeat applicants)
Application window
Submit via your EI Development Adviser at any time
Who can apply
- •Existing Enterprise Ireland client (HPSU, Established SME, Scaling, etc.)
- •Identified a new international market never previously sold into at scale
- •Has dedicated internal resource to deliver the market-entry plan
- •Pre-approved by the assigned EI Development Adviser
How it typically funds software
- •Localisation of SaaS UI / pricing / compliance pages for the new market
- •HubSpot or Salesforce instance configuration for the in-market sales team
- •Marketing automation campaigns aimed at the new geography
Worth knowing
MDF cannot be used for capital cost (e.g. opening a foreign office) - that is what Enterprise Ireland's Going Global Fund and the wider Scaling supports are for.
Software categories this can fund
Related grants
Enterprise Ireland
High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Funding
Equity-style investment from Enterprise Ireland into export-led start-ups with the potential to reach EUR1m in sales and 10 employees within three years.
Enterprise Ireland
Pre-Seed Start Fund
Convertible loan note investment of up to EUR100,000 for early-stage HPSU candidates and innovative female-founder businesses.