“The government needs to step up and have a really ambitious package of measures for start-ups, and indicate that they are willing to back start-ups not just in the good times, but in the bad times too”
The British government has unveiled an ambitious £1.25bn rescue package for start-ups, a move designed to help innovative firms navigate the crisis. How does the Irish government response compare? And what initiatives could be rolled out here? To discuss all this, Ian Kehoe is joined by Liz McCarthy, the executive director of Scale Ireland, a non-profit that aims to provide a voice for innovation-led start-ups. McCarthy talks about the impact of the crisis on start-ups, with a Scale Ireland survey showing that 67% of start-ups expect to burn through all their cash within six months. McCarthy also talks about what the government could do to help – from R&D tax rebates to bridging finance support to tax changes.