Ibec report reveals confidence among Founders remains high, but more can be done to support AI workforce transition

Share this:

Copied

A new report from Ibec, the group representing Irish business, reveals that founder confidence continues to grow, with 77% of respondents plan to increase hiring in 2026, marking a significant jump from 60% in 2025. The annual Ibec Founders Report, based on research with over 60 founders, found that confidence remains high with 81% of founders rate the business environment positively- up from 77% in September- while 67% are optimistic about the next six months.

Aligned with previous surveys, founders continue to highlight persistent pressures around attracting and retaining staff (61%), managing regulatory compliance (47%), and accessing capital (39%). Meanwhile, the vast majority of Founders are investing in AI to boost productivity, but highlighted that further support is needed for workforce transition.

Sharon Higgins, Ibec Executive Director of Membership & Sectors, said:

"Ireland continues to punch above its weight as a global startup hub. Over 554,000 people are employed by state-backed agency clients, and more than €7 billion has been raised by indigenous startups in the past five years- clear indicators of the sector’s scale and impact. Since conducting this research previously in September, we are seeing a remarkable level of resilience, with both the outlook and hiring plans in a very positive place despite global instability, rising costs, and the rapid pace of technological change.

While our FDI model continues to be an essential part of our economy’s future growth, it was really important to see a renewed focus and energy behind supporting our Irish-based founders and indigenous sectors at the recent National Economic Dialogue. While issues persist for founders around access to funding and managing regulatory compliance, talent is clearly central to growth and viability. As with all businesses, we need to support founders to unlock a resilient, agile labour pool capable of seamlessly shifting from disrupted roles into newly created market opportunities brought about by AI.

Ireland is exceptionally well-resourced to fund this transition. The National Training Fund (NTF) currently holds a €2 billion surplus, collected directly via a levy on employers. This surplus must now be strategically deployed to incentivise lifelong learning and business-led upskilling. If the government cannot fully utilise the NTF to upskill the workforce for these rapid changes- or lacks the capacity to deploy these resources effectively- it should return the funds to businesses so employers can invest directly in targeted training."

Ends

Full report attached