Regional founders plan international expansion, leaner hiring and deeper investment in systems, AI and leadership as they map the year ahead.
Scaling companies across Ireland’s West and North-West are planning for robust growth in 2026, with leaders targeting an average 30% increase in revenue, according to a new survey published by Platform94.
The findings come from the 2026 Business Outlook Report, based on responses from more than 80% of members of the SCALE by Platform94 community. The high participation rate offers a detailed snapshot of how founder-led and scaling businesses are setting priorities for the year ahead.
“A 30% growth ambition in a year dominated by uncertainty demands sharper execution, faster decision-making and the right operational systems to deliver efficiently”
Combined revenue across the community is estimated at more than €320 million for 2025. That base is expected to broaden through further internationalisation, with nine in ten respondents already trading outside Ireland.
Beyond the horizon
The UK continues to be the primary market for expansion, with 80% of companies targeting new or continued activity there in 2026. The US follows closely, with 64% planning to enter or grow in the market, even with higher setup and operating costs.
“Notably the targeted growth expansion in the UK and US, outpaces the Irish domestic market target, a clear sign of the confidence, ambition and growing global competitiveness of scaling companies in our region, and of an increasingly international-first mindset,” said Marie Donnellan, chief executive of Platform94.
Alongside revenue growth, the report outlines the practical challenges leaders expect to manage as their businesses scale. Economic and geopolitical uncertainty ranks highest among both internal challenges and external risks for 2026. Other pressures identified by respondents include talent acquisition, operational scalability, cashflow management and rising costs.
As companies grow, leaders expect strain to emerge in sales and marketing capacity, finance and cashflow oversight, leadership bandwidth, mid-management capability and internal systems.
The SCALE by Platform94 community currently employs about 2,500 people across the region. For 2026, businesses forecast average headcount growth of 18%. The gap between employment growth and revenue ambition points to a deliberate focus on productivity, automation and stronger operational foundations.
“A 30% growth ambition in a year dominated by uncertainty demands sharper execution, faster decision-making and the right operational systems to deliver efficiently,” Donnellan said.
Digital transformation and artificial intelligence feature prominently in companies’ strategic plans. AI adoption ranked among the top five priorities for the year ahead, though implementation remains at an early stage for many firms. Just 27% of respondents said AI is embedded in core workflows, with 7% reporting organisation-wide use.
“What concerns me is the clear mismatch between ambition and execution when it comes to AI adoption,” Donnellan said. “Most leaders consider it essential, yet most are still in the very early stages of implementation. In the current environment, that creates real exposure to falling behind on productivity, competitiveness and margin resilience. AI education and practical adoption supports to our individual businesses will be a key focus for us throughout 2026.”
Cybersecurity also features strongly in the outlook. It ranked as the third-highest external risk, with just over half of respondents describing their readiness as intermediate. Almost one-third said their organisations had an advanced level of preparedness.
Beyond strategy and risk, the report points to concrete benefits from participation in the SCALE by Platform94 community. Eighty percent of respondents reported stronger peer networks and improved access to trusted advisers. Seventy percent said they had formed new strategic partnerships, collaborations or commercial opportunities through the programme.
“I’m deeply proud of the support statistics,” Donnellan said. “It demonstrates the real impact of the SCALE by Platform94 community which is tangible outcomes for businesses. We are committed to providing trusted connections, practical insight, and the kind of supports that directly influence growth.”
Platform94 said the findings will directly inform its 2026 programme of supports, with an emphasis on customer and partner introductions, international market insight, leadership development and AI education and implementation.
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