Setting the pace for capital in 2026
Ireland’s capital landscape is evolving rapidly. The organisations that attract investment in 2026 are not simply those with scale or polished narratives, but those that can demonstrate a high degree of readiness, clarity of purpose, and the ability to transform at pace. In a market shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, technological disruption and rising investor expectations, Irish businesses need to prepare early and articulate their ambition clearly to attract investment. Many also benefit from building a clearer view of the capital options available, as this often strengthens decision‑making and investor conversations.
Capital is still flowing, but the sources are evolving
Ireland continues to attract capital, but the sources are shifting. While domestic economic momentum has moderated, recent investment announcements point to capital concentrating in high‑value sectors — a sign that activity is increasingly aligned with Ireland’s long‑term innovation agenda.
The latest CSO data shows that modified domestic demand grew by 0.8% in the first quarter of 2025, indicating steady, if more measured, growth across the domestic economy. This is accompanied by a labour market that remains historically tight, with the Central Bank of Ireland expecting unemployment to stay low in the near-term. Together, these conditions underpin a stable economic foundation, even as the sources of capital evolve.
This stability is helping sustain investor confidence. And while capital remains available, it is increasingly directed toward capabilities and sectors that reinforce Ireland’s competitiveness and future growth trajectory. The EMU sector was central to investment in 2025, with capital homing in on grid resilience and the power backbone of the digital economy. Recent deals illustrate this clearly: Ardian agreed to acquire Energia Group for c. €2.8 billion, positioning the utility to serve AI‑driven data‑centre energy demand; Equitix (with Baltic Cable) bought the 504MW Greenlink Interconnector for €1 billion; TowerBrook took a non‑majority stake in GMC Utilities Group; and Jabil moved to acquire Hanley Energy for €631 million, a mission‑critical power specialist to hyperscale data centres. Together, these transactions show capital increasingly targeted at infrastructure that connects renewables, reinforces networks and services Ireland’s fast‑growing data‑centre ecosystem.
Readiness is now the advantage
Investors remain clear: preparation is more valuable than perfection. This principle is particularly visible in Ireland, where investor expectations continue to rise. PwC’s 2025 Global Investor Survey shows that investors covering Irish companies are urging them to advance rapidly on critical areas including scaled AI adoption, deeper integration of sustainability into business strategy, and more intensive workforce upskilling. Investors increasingly expect evidence of progress rather than intention.
This shift signals a new definition of what it means to be “investment‑ready”. Investors want to see discipline, clear ambition and demonstrable momentum. Organisations that can show they are structurally and operationally prepared are far more likely to unlock capital on favourable terms, particularly as competition for investment intensifies.
Investors want resilience
Resilience is one of the strongest determinants of investor confidence. For Irish CEOs, navigating shifting economic dynamics has made the need for disciplined storytelling and transparent capital plans even more critical. PwC’s 2026 CEO Survey provides a timely view of how leaders are responding. Irish CEO confidence has softened amid concerns about macroeconomic volatility, inflation and geopolitical uncertainty, yet leaders are still acting decisively to reinvent their organisations. AI has become a defining factor in business performance, and CEOs are increasingly focused on balancing near‑term risk management with longer‑term transformation. This dual imperative places a premium on strategic resilience.
AI has become a defining factor in business performance, and CEOs are increasingly focused on balancing near‑term risk management with longer‑term transformation.
Investors expect organisations to demonstrate not only why capital is required, but how it will be deployed — and now, how those choices align with an economy being reshaped by AI, regulatory change, and evolving customer expectations. Without a clear and coherent value narrative, businesses face a heightened risk of misalignment, weaker valuations or missed strategic opportunities.
Resilience is a strategic imperative
Given these shifting expectations, Irish organisations can no longer rely on single‑track strategies. Investors are increasingly assessing companies on their ability to pivot quickly and demonstrate resilience across various scenarios. Technological disruption stands out as the most significant driver of business model change for investors focusing on Irish companies, surpassing regulatory shifts, changes in customer behaviour and supply chain instability.
Investors are increasingly assessing companies on their ability to pivot quickly and demonstrate resilience across various scenarios.
This heightened scrutiny means leaders must be able to show how their organisations will adapt to a range of possible futures. Investors may not expect certainty, but they do expect visibility. And those who can demonstrate strategic flexibility, operational resilience and a realistic understanding of risk will have a competitive advantage in attracting capital.
Transformation is the currency of confidence
Investors are increasingly looking beyond incremental improvements and toward wholesale reinvention. Irish CEOs recognise this. Many now view generative AI as a catalyst for reimagining how their organisations create and deliver value, reflecting a broader shift toward technology‑led transformation.
From the investor perspective, evidence of continuous improvement has become a core measure of investability. They are looking for organisations that can show ongoing, meaningful progress in digitising operations, improving productivity, embedding sustainability credibly and strengthening both customer and employee experience. Transformation isn’t just longer about future‑proofing; it’s the basis on which investors assess whether companies are prepared for the next cycle of growth.
Here are six things Irish leaders should do now
1. Assess your business through an investor’s lens
Step back and evaluate your organisation the way an investor would: focusing on predictable cash flow, a resilient operating model, aligned leadership, transparent reporting and exposure to geopolitical or supply‑chain risks.
2. Identify gaps between ambition and investor perception
Use structured frameworks to stress‑test your value‑creation plan and surface discrepancies between the story you intend to tell and what investors will actually see.
3. Strengthen risk modelling and forecasting
Demonstrate disciplined scenario planning, robust financial forecasting and forward‑looking risk models to show investors you understand potential shocks and have credible plans to navigate them.
4. Advance AI and digital maturity
Move beyond pilots and provide evidence of enterprise‑wide productivity or margin improvements to show that digital transformation is real, scalable, and value‑accretive.
5. Embed sustainability into core decision‑making
Treat ESG performance as a marker of long‑term resilience by integrating sustainability into strategy, capital allocation and your operating‑model choices.
6. Show agility and workforce readiness for reinvention
Illustrate how your organisation can adapt across scenarios, and demonstrate that your people, skills and culture are primed to deliver meaningful transformation.
Closing thought
Ireland stands at a pivotal moment. Capital is available, but it is more discerning and demands stronger evidence of preparedness, ambition and resilience. The organisations that succeed in attracting investment will be those that articulate a clear, compelling story, demonstrate substantive progress on transformation and show they are ready for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Investors may not expect perfection — but they unequivocally expect preparation. Ireland’s most forward‑looking organisations are already moving decisively in that direction.
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