SME outlook for growth improves as PTSB commits €250 million in finance with new Impact Lending Fund

• More than eight in ten businesses (82%) expect their business to grow over the coming year, compared with 45% in 2025, while just 1% anticipate a decline
  
  
• Research published today shows over 7 in 10 Irish businesses targeting Sustainability opportunities for commercial growth (72% v 28% in 2025)
  
  
• Findings show surge in businesses planning energy efficiency upgrades and other sustainability initiatives as SMEs respond to recent global energy price shocks (62% v 33% in 2025)

23 July 2026 – PTSB today announces the launch of a €250 million Impact Lending Fund providing finance for business customers investing in projects that deliver positive environmental or social benefits to society.

The Impact Lending Fund is being made available to support businesses across a range of environmental and social sectors including Sustainable Energy, Sustainable Agriculture, Healthcare and Female Entrepreneurship. SMEs who meet the criteria for the fund can make an application, subject to normal credit terms and conditions.

The fund will lend to a wide range of environmental or social projects including investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency measures, sustainable agriculture and sustainable transport. It will also support businesses with a focus on healthcare and education services, female led and inclusive businesses, as well as projects that create jobs and support economic development in local communities.

Reflecting Business Research

The launch of the Impact Lending Fund is underpinned by new research findings today from PTSB’s latest Reflecting Business Report 2026 which highlights a renewed confidence for growth amongst Irish SMEs with sustainability emerging as a standout commercial growth opportunity.

Key research findings:

• Irish SMEs have a significantly more positive outlook than they held a year ago. More than half of businesses (57%) believe the Irish economy will improve over the next 12 months, up from 24% in 2025, while 68% expect conditions for their own business to improve, compared with 31% last year.
• More than eight in ten businesses (82%) expect their business to grow over the coming year, compared with 45% in 2025, while just 1% anticipate a decline.
• 72% of businesses now identify sustainability as a top commercial growth opportunity for their business, up from 28% in 2025.
• Findings show a surge in businesses planning energy efficiency upgrades and other sustainability initiatives as SMEs respond to recent global energy price shocks (62% v 33% in 2025).
• While businesses are increasingly optimistic, they continue to face significant barriers to growth. The biggest challenges identified by SMEs are increased costs of goods (76%), inflation (71%) and turbulence in the global economy (49%).

PTSB NovaUCD New Partnership

To support the next wave of Irish start-ups maximise sustainability growth opportunities, PTSB is also announcing a new Energy Futures Accelerator Programme in partnership with NovaUCD. The programme which will open for applications this Autumn and will provide financial advisory and mentoring support to early-stage Irish companies operating in climate technology and renewable energy, helping them to grow and scale.

The programme will draw on NovaUCD’s expertise in innovation and start-up development and growth, alongside PTSB’s financial and business advisory capabilities to help accelerate commercialisation and business scaling for the global stage.

Patrick Farrell, Chief Retail Banking Officer at PTSB, said:

“The launch of our €250 million Impact Lending Fund is a significant milestone for PTSB and reflects our ambition to deepen our support for Irish SMEs. We know that businesses increasingly see sustainability not just as a responsibility, but as a commercial opportunity.

Through this Fund, we want to help businesses invest in projects that deliver positive environmental and social impact while supporting their future growth and competitiveness. PTSB is already seeing strong and growing demand from businesses in this area, and we expect this trend to continue in the years ahead.

We are also delighted to partner with NovaUCD to launch the Energy Futures Accelerator Programme helping emerging businesses maximise new opportunities for growth as demand for sustainable solutions continues to increase.’’

Liam Cronin, Director of Innovation at University College Dublin, said:

“We are very pleased to be partnering with PTSB, as part of our corporate engagement strategy, and to announce the launch of the exciting new Energy Futures Accelerator Programme. The focus of this dedicated programme, delivered by NovaUCD in collaboration with PTSB, will be to support emerging and young Irish start-ups, focused on addressing key climate and sustainability challenges, to fast-track their commercial viability to meet their global ambitions, drawing on UCD's expertise in this area including the UCD Energy Institute. Applications for the programme will open this Autumn and the programme is planned to commence in early 2027.”

Read the full Reflecting Business report here.

For further information, please contact ed.micheau@ptsb.ie | 086 803 7155