The lender has backed more than 5,000 SMEs in 13 years.

Irish non-bank SME lender Linked Finance has passed €400m in cumulative lending since its launch in 2013. The Dublin-based lender has backed more than 5,000 SMEs in the time.

Linked Finance has backed businesses such as VitHit, Cornucopia, Chopped, Schoolbooks.ie, Cloud Picker Coffee and Leo Burdock.

“Passing €400m in lending and backing more than 5,000 Irish businesses are milestones we are enormously proud of,” said Niall O’Grady, CEO of Linked Finance

“When we started in 2013, the average loan was around €18,000 – today it is approximately €125,000, which tells you how much more ambitious Irish SMEs have become and how willing they are to invest in their own growth.”

2026 marks the lender’s strongest start to the year, with supports so far in 2026 running roughly 65pc ahead on a year-on-year basis. Funds have supported an estimated 50,000 jobs, Linked Finance said.

The company reaches this milestone despite Irish businesses continuing to navigate an uncertain economic environment marked by geopolitical instability and inflationary pressures. VC funding into Irish SMEs fell 58pc in the first quarter this year compared to a record-setting Q1 2025.

“Despite these economic headwinds, the lender has seen a rebound in confidence among Irish SMEs,” Linked Finance said. “The strong demand for finance suggests more Irish businesses are moving ahead with investment and expansion plans, even as policymakers warn of slower growth.”

The company offers unsecured loans, ranging from €10,000 to €500,000, and carry terms of up to five years. It has seen strong growth in newer lending categories, it said, such as data centres, gyms and wellness and childcare, alongside existing demand for retail, professional services, hospitality, construction and manufacturing.

Nearly two-thirds of borrowers are based outside Dublin, the company said. Dublin now makes up 35pc of the borrowers, with Leinster 28pc, Munster 21pc, Connacht 9pc, Ulster 7pc.

“What encourages us most is the momentum we are seeing in 2026 after a weak 2025,” O’Grady said.

“Lending is running well ahead of where we were this time last year, applications are strong, and we are funding businesses in sectors that barely featured on our books a few years ago, from wellness to childcare.

“We now approve most loans within 24 hours, providing Irish SMEs with the speed, flexibility and certainty they need to invest and grow. That remains our focus as we continue backing ambitious businesses across Ireland.”

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