New Solutions Social Innovation Hub Officially Launched

The consortium behind the New Solutions Social Innovation Hub is pleased to announce that the initiative was officially launched on 3 November 2025 by Minister of State for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer TD, at an event in Cork. More than €2.5 million in funding has been allocated to nine social innovation projects under the first Scaling Up Grants call, with a total of over €5 million committed to build the social innovation ecosystem in Ireland.

The overall objective of New Solutions is to strengthen Ireland’s social innovation ecosystem. The initiative is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021–2027 Programme, which supports actions to reduce poverty and social exclusion, particularly among disadvantaged groups.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Buttimer said: “The launch of the New Solutions Social Innovation Hub is an exciting step forward in how we support social innovation in Ireland. The Hub will act as a one-stop shop for the sector and support innovative initiatives that can address social challenges and deliver transformative change for communities.”

New Solutions is delivered by a consortium led by Rethink Ireland, in partnership with Dublin City University, the Local Development Companies Network (LDCN), Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Western Development Commission (WDC) and The Wheel.

Mario Vottero of Rethink Ireland commented: “As a consortium, we are proud to combine our collective expertise and shared vision through New Solutions, working together to strengthen the social innovation ecosystem and create lasting social impact across communities in Ireland.”

The Hub will provide capacity building supports, bespoke assistance to social innovation initiatives receiving funding, awareness raising and ecosystem development activities, and ongoing impact measurement and learning.

Under the first Scaling Up Scheme, nine projects have been awarded funding following a comprehensive assessment process. These projects focus on themes such as employment access for disadvantaged groups, education access, youth development, and the use of sport for social inclusion.

Over the coming months, the consortium will develop and expand the online Hub, roll out capacity building supports, and share updates on outcomes and learnings that will help shape the future of social innovation in Ireland.

For further details on the initiative and upcoming opportunities, contact us here.