‘Genuine game-changer’:Kilkenny entrepreneurs to benefit from revolutionary new regional hub

Phase one of an €8m regional innovation and enterprise hub has been launched in Carlow.

The Catalyst HQ project will provide a comprehensive, integrated support environment for manufacturing, export-focused enterprises and technology-driven businesses. The initiative is projected to create 175 direct jobs and 175 in-direct jobs in its first 15 years.

Under the plan, two modern buildings will be constructed on O’Brien Road in Carlow Town - a 915 square-metre single-storey light industrial building with ancillary office space and a 1,369 square-metre, two-storey office building.

Construction is scheduled to commence in Q2 of 2026, with projected completion set for 2028. The first phase was announced by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, in Enterprise House on O’Brien Road on Thursday.

“Catalyst HQ, the first of its kind, is a genuine game-changer for the South East - a region fully committed to expanding its business support infrastructure,” said lead of the entrepreneurial advisor panel, David Walsh.

“While having a state-of-the-art building is important, what truly matters is the network behind it”.

“It will feature a community of experienced entrepreneurs willing to support the next generation, and an ecosystem of professional services essential for starting and scaling successful businesses,” he added.

The facility will offer export readiness and compliance support, high-quality market intelligence and global trade insights, innovation mentoring and technology adoption support. 

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Entrepreneurs based in Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford will have the unique opportunity to access industry-specific technical expertise and tailored interventions for scaling and market expansion.

“Micro-businesses with a staff of 10 or fewer are the largest employment group in the South East,” said Kieran Comerford, Carlow County Council Head of Enterprise and Economic Development.

“Catalyst HQ has been designed as a transformative regional asset that will empower businesses at every stage of their growth journey”.

“Through targeted interventions, sectoral supports and knowledge transfer, Catalyst HQ will help position South East businesses for sustainable expansion in an increasingly competitive global marketplace,” he outlined.

The facility will serve as a central hub for South East enterprises seeking to streamline international trade processes, access high-quality market intelligence and adopt advanced technologies to enhance competitiveness.

The project aims to foster a long-term culture of innovation, collaboration and global market engagement across the region.

The hub will offer two streams for companies within the physical manufacturing and manufacturing support services industry.

Catalyst Scale will target business scale-ups with a staff under 10 and Catalyst Grow will facilitate more mature companies with a staff of over 10 and their own premises.

Funding has been partially allocated from the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme to South East Catalyst Innovation Company CLG, which aims to accelerate economic growth across all regions in the country.

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