The Mill Enterprise Hub in Drogheda has officially launched BASSE NorthEast, a new three year business growth, leadership and sustainability programme for small and medium sized enterprises across the North East, backed by €1 million in Enterprise Ireland Smart Regions funding.
The programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund under the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021 to 2027. It builds on the success of the BASSE programme first launched in Wexford in 2025 and represents a significant long term investment in regional enterprise development.
BASSE NorthEast was formally launched on 29 January 2026 by Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. Speaking at the launch, he said the investment marked an important step for the North East, demonstrating a commitment to regional development and ensuring innovation and opportunity extend beyond major urban centres. He added that the programme would help support sustainable, high quality job creation and that Enterprise Ireland looks forward to working with participating SMEs as they scale.
Donal Leahy, Head of Regional Infrastructure at Enterprise Ireland, said the programme highlights the impact of European Regional Development Fund investment in driving innovation and enterprise at regional level. He noted that by supporting The Mill Enterprise Hub, Enterprise Ireland is backing a model that connects SMEs and start ups with high level expertise, accelerates growth and strengthens the North East as a centre for sustainable business.
Expressions of interest are now open to SMEs based in Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan. The programme will support a cohort of 16 companies over a three year period, with a focus on strengthening leadership capability, building sustainable business models and improving competitiveness in both domestic and international markets.
The programme is built around three core pillars. The scaling and growth pillar supports strategy development, digital transformation, artificial intelligence adoption and export readiness. The sustainability and ESG pillar focuses on sustainability health checks, tracking carbon and resource use and aligning businesses with evolving regulatory and supply chain requirements. The peer to peer mentoring and leadership development pillar provides facilitated peer learning and leadership labs, offering senior leaders a space to share experiences and strengthen decision making and resilience.
BASSE NorthEast is aimed at CEOs, founders and senior management teams of established SMEs planning to scale, internationalise or strengthen leadership within their organisations. Eligible companies must be based in Louth, Meath, Cavan or Monaghan and have an annual turnover of more than €1 million. Participants are expected to commit time and senior leadership engagement to fully benefit from the programme.
Delivery will take place over three years through a mix of in person workshops, peer mentoring sessions, leadership labs and online support. The programme will be delivered primarily at The Mill Enterprise Hub, with online elements designed to minimise disruption to day to day business operations.
By the end of the programme, participating SMEs will be better equipped to grow sustainably, strengthen leadership, decision making, and adapt to economic, regulatory, and market changes. Expected outcomes include clearer growth plans, stronger leadership teams, improved investor and international readiness, and lasting peer networks.
Expressions of interest close on 20 February 2026, with the programme scheduled to begin on 25 March 2026.
Further details and application information are available through The Mill Enterprise Hub at https://themilldrogheda.ie/basse-north-east/.
