If you are considering starting a business, you can get free start-up support from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

Go Succeed Start

If you have a great idea but you're not sure how to turn it into a business, or you have already started out in business and require mentorship on your next steps, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council's Go Succeed Start experts will help you to create a business plan, seek funding and put all the foundations in place to get your business up and running.

This support is available to anyone interested in starting a business. Complete a short enquiry form or call 0800 027 0639 to register for free advice and guidance from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

Start-up and early stage business support programmes

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council runs or part-funds business support programmes to help you start a business. Current programmes include:

Youth Entrepreneurship Programme

Free training, advice and support to young people to develop their skills and help them become future entrepreneurs - find out more.

My New Business

My New Business is a free online service that covers everything you need to start, plan and run a business. It has checklists, videos, tools, tutorials and case studies to help you get your business started - find out more about My New Business.

Get a business licence

You may need a licence to operate certain types of business in Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. Find more information on how to apply for business licences with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

There are several organisations in Lisburn and Castlereagh City which offer support to help you grow your business.

Growth and support schemes for established businesses

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council runs support programmes for business growth and development. Current programmes include:

John Hewitt International Summer School Residency Award 2026

Opportunities for arts practitioners to explore issues of difference and identity through literature and creative writing.

Find out more about the John Hewitt International Summer School Residency Award 2026.

Tyrone Guthrie Centre Regional Bursary Scheme 2026/27

A one-week residency for practitioners in all art forms who are based in the Lisburn and Castlereagh area.

Find out more about the Tyrone Guthrie Centre Regional Bursary Scheme 2026/27.

Seeding Grants

Grants to assist with set up, programme and running costs of newly formed community/voluntary groups.

Find out more about the Seeding Grants.

Community Bursary Scheme 2025/26

The Community Bursary Scheme supports individuals to access routes to community development/education, sports, music, language and/or culture opportunities.

Find out more about the Community Bursary Scheme 2025/26.

Go Succeed - Grow and Scale

Support is available if your business is already established and is now ready to expand, but growth is slow and you're not sure how to progress. Or if your business is ready to go to the next level locally and internationally but you need guidance, support or resources to achieve your ambitions. Business advisors will provide tailored support to help your business achieve its ambitions.

Find out more about the Go Succeed support for existing businesses.

International Trade and Development Missions

Financial support for trade and development missions for businesses who want to be equipped with the relevant in-depth knowledge, know-how and confidence to successfully operate in new markets.

Find out more about the International Trade and Development Missions.

Investment Programme

Businesses relocating or searching for new premises in the Lisburn Castlereagh area can tap into free support from the Council’s Investment Team.

Find out more about the Investment Programme.

Social Enterprise Thematic Programme

Support for social enterprises to elevate their skills through one-on-one mentoring and online workshops, focusing on fundraising, digital marketing, and social impact planning.

Find out more about the Social Enterprise Thematic Programme.

Local enterprise agencies

Enterprise Northern Ireland agencies provide business improvement programmes, financing, events, workspace and meeting space. There are two local enterprise agencies in Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council:

• Inspire Business Centre
• Lisburn Enterprise Organisation

Tender for council contracts

You can seek tender opportunities as a way to grow your business in Lisburn and Castlereagh City. The council offers public tenders throughout the year in a wide range of business areas.

Find out more about tendering for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council contracts.

Invest Northern Ireland support for business

Invest NI can help your business compete successfully and function more efficiently by providing support across a variety of areas.

Find out more about the Invest NI support for business.

Business events

Many organisations run business focused events in Lisburn and Castlereagh City, across a range of topics to help you develop your business.

You can find business events from Lisburn and Castlereagh City City Council.

You can search for business events in Lisburn and Castlereagh City and across Northern Ireland using our Events Finder.

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is an excellent location for doing business.

Local infrastructure

Lisburn and Castlereagh businesses benefit from direct access to markets across the world.

The M1 motorway running across the council area links to Belfast and forms part of the economic corridor to Dublin. A cross-border rail link between Belfast and Dublin includes a stop at Lisburn Station.

Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport are both within a short travel time from the council area. The motorway network also provides fast and reliable access to major ports at Belfast, Larne and Dublin.

The council area has high quality road access into the European Union - find out more about cross-border trade support with InterTradeIreland.

Local workforce and business supply chains

There are around 149,915 residents in Lisburn and Castlereagh.

There are 5,240 businesses operating in Lisburn and Castlereagh, which is 7% of all businesses in Northern Ireland. The majority of the base is micro and small businesses:

• 87% micro (0-9 employees)
• 10% small (10-49 employees)
• 2% medium (50-249 employees)
• 0.6% large (250+ employees)

Some major business investors in the council area include Hinch Distillery, Creative Composites, KME Steelworks and Camlin. Service businesses make up the largest sector in Lisburn and Castlereagh:

• 65% services
• 15% construction
• 12% agriculture
• 8% manufacturing

You can download an Invest NI council briefing on Lisburn and Castlereagh (PDF, 3.36MB).

If you are considering starting a business, you can get free start-up support from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

Go Succeed Start

If you have a great idea but you're not sure how to turn it into a business, or you have already started out in business and require mentorship on your next steps, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council's Go Succeed Start experts will help you to create a business plan, seek funding and put all the foundations in place to get your business up and running.

This support is available to anyone interested in starting a business. Complete a short enquiry form or call 0800 027 0639 to register for free advice and guidance from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

Start-up and early stage business support programmes

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council runs or part-funds business support programmes to help you start a business. Current programmes include:

Youth Entrepreneurship Programme

Free training, advice and support to young people to develop their skills and help them become future entrepreneurs - find out more.

My New Business

My New Business is a free online service that covers everything you need to start, plan and run a business. It has checklists, videos, tools, tutorials and case studies to help you get your business started - find out more about My New Business.

Get a business licence

You may need a licence to operate certain types of business in Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. Find more information on how to apply for business licences with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

There are several organisations in Lisburn and Castlereagh City which offer support to help you grow your business.

Growth and support schemes for established businesses

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council runs support programmes for business growth and development. Current programmes include:

John Hewitt International Summer School Residency Award 2026

Opportunities for arts practitioners to explore issues of difference and identity through literature and creative writing.

Find out more about the John Hewitt International Summer School Residency Award 2026.

Tyrone Guthrie Centre Regional Bursary Scheme 2026/27

A one-week residency for practitioners in all art forms who are based in the Lisburn and Castlereagh area.

Find out more about the Tyrone Guthrie Centre Regional Bursary Scheme 2026/27.

Seeding Grants

Grants to assist with set up, programme and running costs of newly formed community/voluntary groups.

Find out more about the Seeding Grants.

Community Bursary Scheme 2025/26

The Community Bursary Scheme supports individuals to access routes to community development/education, sports, music, language and/or culture opportunities.

Find out more about the Community Bursary Scheme 2025/26.

Go Succeed - Grow and Scale

Support is available if your business is already established and is now ready to expand, but growth is slow and you're not sure how to progress. Or if your business is ready to go to the next level locally and internationally but you need guidance, support or resources to achieve your ambitions. Business advisors will provide tailored support to help your business achieve its ambitions.

Find out more about the Go Succeed support for existing businesses.

International Trade and Development Missions

Financial support for trade and development missions for businesses who want to be equipped with the relevant in-depth knowledge, know-how and confidence to successfully operate in new markets.

Find out more about the International Trade and Development Missions.

Investment Programme

Businesses relocating or searching for new premises in the Lisburn Castlereagh area can tap into free support from the Council’s Investment Team.

Find out more about the Investment Programme.

Social Enterprise Thematic Programme

Support for social enterprises to elevate their skills through one-on-one mentoring and online workshops, focusing on fundraising, digital marketing, and social impact planning.

Find out more about the Social Enterprise Thematic Programme.

Local enterprise agencies

Enterprise Northern Ireland agencies provide business improvement programmes, financing, events, workspace and meeting space. There are two local enterprise agencies in Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council:

• Inspire Business Centre
• Lisburn Enterprise Organisation

Tender for council contracts

You can seek tender opportunities as a way to grow your business in Lisburn and Castlereagh City. The council offers public tenders throughout the year in a wide range of business areas.

Find out more about tendering for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council contracts.

Invest Northern Ireland support for business

Invest NI can help your business compete successfully and function more efficiently by providing support across a variety of areas.

Find out more about the Invest NI support for business.

Business events

Many organisations run business focused events in Lisburn and Castlereagh City, across a range of topics to help you develop your business.

You can find business events from Lisburn and Castlereagh City City Council.

You can search for business events in Lisburn and Castlereagh City and across Northern Ireland using our Events Finder.

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is an excellent location for doing business.

Local infrastructure

Lisburn and Castlereagh businesses benefit from direct access to markets across the world.

The M1 motorway running across the council area links to Belfast and forms part of the economic corridor to Dublin. A cross-border rail link between Belfast and Dublin includes a stop at Lisburn Station.

Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport are both within a short travel time from the council area. The motorway network also provides fast and reliable access to major ports at Belfast, Larne and Dublin.

The council area has high quality road access into the European Union - find out more about cross-border trade support with InterTradeIreland.

Local workforce and business supply chains

There are around 149,915 residents in Lisburn and Castlereagh.

There are 5,240 businesses operating in Lisburn and Castlereagh, which is 7% of all businesses in Northern Ireland. The majority of the base is micro and small businesses:

• 87% micro (0-9 employees)
• 10% small (10-49 employees)
• 2% medium (50-249 employees)
• 0.6% large (250+ employees)

Some major business investors in the council area include Hinch Distillery, Creative Composites, KME Steelworks and Camlin. Service businesses make up the largest sector in Lisburn and Castlereagh:

• 65% services
• 15% construction
• 12% agriculture
• 8% manufacturing

You can download an Invest NI council briefing on Lisburn and Castlereagh (PDF, 3.36MB).