Two Years of SCALE: Regional Business Community Set to Break €500m Revenue Mark
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Galway, Ireland - SCALE by Platform94 has today launched its ‘2026 Community Impact and Outlook Report’, marking two years since the regional scaling community was established to connect ambitious businesses across the West and North West and support their international growth.
The report is being released ahead of SCALE’s second birthday celebration in Spanish Point, Co. Clare, which will bring together over 70 business leaders from across the region.
In just two years, the SCALE community has grown to 110 companies across 12 counties, collectively employing more than 3,300 people and forecasting combined revenues of €520 million in 2026. 90% of member companies are already trading internationally, with the community forecasting revenue growth of approximately 30% this year.
The report provides a snapshot not only of the growth being achieved by regional businesses, but of the opportunities and pressures facing companies as they scale.
Revenue growth remains the number-one business priority, identified by 92% of companies, followed by customer retention at 78%. However, that ambition is being accompanied by growing pressure on business leaders. Leadership and management bandwidth emerged as the single biggest barrier to international scaling, identified by 60% of respondents, while 66% expect leadership bandwidth to come under strain over the coming year. Leadership and management capability has also emerged as a significant constraint.
Marie Donnellan, CEO of Platform94, said: “In just two years, SCALE has become a highly ambitious and connected community of businesses with a genuine willingness to open doors, share experience and back one another as they grow.
“What I am most proud of is that this is translating into real impact through new connections, new markets, stronger businesses and greater ambition for what can be achieved from our region.
“The report also gives us a very clear picture of where the pressure points are emerging. These businesses have significant growth ambitions, but leadership bandwidth, access to capability, cashflow and the practical challenges of international expansion are increasingly coming to the fore. That insight is hugely important in shaping how we support the community into its next phase.”
International expansion remains firmly embedded in the community’s growth plans. The UK is the leading expansion target, identified by 80% of companies, followed by the USA at 60%. Ireland ranks third at 52%, marginally ahead of the wider EU at 51%.
Canada has recorded one of the most significant increases, with 30% of companies now targeting the Canadian market over the next 12 months, up from 17% in January.
Donnellan added: “It is particularly striking that Ireland ranks only third among the markets our companies are targeting for expansion over the next 12 months. International markets now rank alongside, and ahead of, the domestic opportunity. That says a great deal about the export mindset of businesses emerging from our region and their ambition to build international growth into their strategy from the outset.”
The report also points to rapid changes in technology adoption. Just 10% of businesses remain at the earliest stages of AI adoption, compared with 31% in January, while 50% now report AI either implemented in core workflows or embedded organisation-wide. More than half of respondents also now rate their cybersecurity readiness as advanced.
Since SCALE was established, the Platform94 team has facilitated more than 500 strategic introductions across the community. When members were asked about the impact SCALE has had on their business, 62% identified new commercial opportunities, 43% cited a stronger peer network, 35% practical insights, 32% reduced isolation and 31% access to trusted advisors.
That focus on connection is also reflected in what businesses say they need next: customer and partner introductions ranked as the single most valuable support for future scaling, selected by 66% of respondents.
Over its first two years, SCALE has also developed international partnerships and market connections, launched a soft-landing base at Sister in Manchester, hosted major international scaling events, introduced fractional C-Suite expertise and created opportunities for peer learning and international outreach.
Donnellan concluded:“As we look to the future, our ambition is to deepen our impact: creating more connections, opening more markets and helping more ambitious businesses across our region to scale successfully.
“SCALE has been built around a simple idea - that ambitious businesses can achieve more when the right people, expertise and opportunities are connected around them. We are incredibly grateful to Enterprise Ireland, our partners and supporters and, above all, our members for what they have helped us build over these first two years.”