Guinness Enterprise Centre
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Guinness Enterprise Centre does
The Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC) is Ireland's largest and longest-established non-profit startup incubation centre, operating a 95,000 square foot facility in Dublin 8's historic Guinness Quarter since 2000. It provides private offices, co-working space (€120/month for 10-day access or €25 day pass), dedicated desks (€330/month), and meeting/event facilities accommodating 2 to 110 people, alongside structured support programmes including Mentoring for Scale, the Co-Connect Programme, and a University Programme. The centre currently houses 160 resident companies that employ 743 people and generated €140M of revenue in 2025, and it has supported over 1,500 startups cumulatively, contributing €2.5bn of economic output and 25,000 jobs over its 25-year history.
GEC operates a not-for-profit model that reinvests all revenues into its ecosystem, with €50M of cumulative reinvestment since inception and €18M planned over the next five years. Its 2025 revenue was €2.56M, with management targeting more than €3M in 2026 and €4M annually by 2030. Distribution combines direct sales, referrals from Enterprise Ireland and the Dublin City Local Enterprise Office, and formal international soft-landing partnerships with 1871 (Chicago), City of Brampton Innovation District (Toronto), Empire State Development (New York), and over 100 European innovation hubs. The centre has developed three vertical communities — Health@GEC, Sustainability@GEC, and the AI Forum — to deepen sector-specific support beyond pure workspace provision, and it weathered the dot-com crash, financial crisis, Brexit, and pandemic without departing from its mission.
Guinness Enterprise Centre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Guinness Enterprise Centre
- Legal name
- Guinness Enterprise Centre
- Website
- https://gec.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Guinness Enterprise Centre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Incubation Services
- NAICS
- Management of Companies and Enterprises (55)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB), Institutional Capacity Building & Training (Workforce/Systems Strengthening) (BPADAEAC)
Keywords
Where Guinness Enterprise Centre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Guinness Enterprise Centre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Rental Income from Office and Coworking Spaces: GEC generates revenue through rental income from private offices, dedicated desks, coworking memberships, and meeting room bookings. As a not-for-profit, all revenues are reinvested into the ecosystem. Generated €2.56 million in revenues in 2025, expects to exceed €3 million in 2026 and reach €4 million annually by 2030.
- Event and Meeting Space Rental: The centre offers conference rooms and event spaces to external companies, public sector bodies, and government agencies, providing an additional revenue stream with rates starting from €25 for day passes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Co-Working Space - 10 days access per month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Dedicated Desk - Permanent workstation |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Co-Working Day Pass |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Meeting and Event Spaces |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Guinness Enterprise Centre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Guinness Enterprise Centre is a not-for-profit startup incubation centre operating a 95,000 sq ft facility in Dublin 8 providing private offices, dedicated desks, co-working memberships, and meeting/event spaces to early-stage and scaling companies. The centre supplements physical workspace with structured support programmes including industry clusters (Health@GEC, Sustainability@GEC, AI Forum), mentoring, internationalisation support, and university partnerships. All revenues are reinvested into the startup ecosystem.
Product overview
Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC) is Ireland's largest not-for-profit startup incubation center offering a comprehensive ecosystem of physical workspace and support services. The core offerings include Private Office Space, Co-Working Space, and Meeting & Event Spaces within a 95,000 square feet Dublin facility. These are supplemented by specialized innovation clusters—Health@GEC for healthtech companies, Sustainability@GEC for circular economy startups, and the AI Forum for AI adoption. GEC also provides support services including Mentoring for Scale, the Co-Connect Programme for international networking, and a University Programme connecting startups with academic institutions. The center reinvests all revenues into supporting founders to deliver economic impact for Ireland.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Health@GEC: Health innovation cluster bringing together healthtech entrepreneurs, clinical practitioners, funders, and regulators to solve healthcare issues.
- Sustainability@GEC
- AI Forum
- Mentoring for Scale
- Co-Connect Programme
Products and services
- Private Office Space Customisable private office space within the 95,000 sq ft Dublin 8 facility for startups and scaling companies, offering secure, dedicated workspace with access to the broader GEC community and support programmes.
- Co-Working Space Shared office space with hot desks and dedicated desks, available via monthly subscription (€120 + VAT for 10 days/month or €330/month for a dedicated 24/7 desk) or €25 day pass. Includes business address, high-speed internet, communal kitchen, and access to startup supports and events.
- Meeting & Event Spaces Conference rooms and event facilities accommodating 2 to 110 people with Theatre, Workshop, U-Shape, and Boardroom layouts, available to companies, public sector bodies, and government agencies with state-of-the-art AV and WiFi. Discounted rates are offered to resident companies.
- Health@GEC Industry Cluster Health innovation cluster for healthtech entrepreneurs, clinical practitioners, funders, and regulators working on healthcare innovation. Members include Selio Medical, FoodMarble, Körber Pharma, Wellola, RedZinc Services, HaPPE Earth, Capri Medical, and COREX Depot.
- Sustainability@GEC Industry Cluster Circular Economy Hub cluster bringing together startups and scaleups working across energy, education, transport, waste, and circular economy to deliver measurable sustainability outcomes.
- AI Forum Peer-led AI community supporting GEC member companies in adopting AI through quarterly business-focused forums, sharing real-world implementation insights and experiences.
- Mentoring for Scale Programme Mentorship programme that connects GEC founders with experienced mentors who have navigated scaling challenges in new markets, supporting expansion into new geographies with new products and larger teams.
- Co-Connect Programme Programme that connects GEC community members with entrepreneurial communities across Ireland, Europe, and North America, enabling cross-border networking through international innovation hub partnerships.
- University Programme Programme that connects top universities and MBA programmes worldwide with Ireland's most innovative entrepreneurs, providing market analysis, financial modelling, and product development consultancy from US and European university talent.
Quantifiable outcome
- €2.5bn in economic output generated by start-ups over 25 years
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Guinness Enterprise Centre
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Guinness Enterprise Centre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Guinness Enterprise Centre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.
- DiageominorDiageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with brands sold in 180 countries. While listed as a strategic stakeholder, the specific nature of the partnership with GEC is not detailed in available sources.
- Enterprise IrelandcoreEnterprise Ireland is the lead government organisation responsible for development and growth of Irish enterprises. GEC works closely with Enterprise Ireland for the benefit of innovative Irish startup enterprises, supporting funding applications and market expansion.
- Dublin City CouncilcoreDublin City Council is the democratically elected council governing Dublin. GEC collaborates with Dublin City Council on economic development initiatives. Dublin City Council and Local Enterprise Office Dublin City co-sponsored the GEC 25 Year Impact Report.
- Dublin City Local Enterprise OfficecoreDublin City Local Enterprise Office helps start-ups and small businesses to plan, start and grow. Supports micro enterprise development in Dublin City and co-sponsored GEC's 25 Year Impact Report launch.
- FurthrcoreFurthr is a Founding Partner and Managing Partner of GEC. They support founders of innovative startup and scaleup enterprises to become investor-ready and scale into new markets through pre-seed funding, MasterClass series, investor network, and iHPSU support.
- Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF)minorISIF is a Sovereign Investment Fund with mandate to invest on a commercial basis to support economic activity and employment in Ireland. Listed as a strategic stakeholder of GEC.
- 1871 (Chicago)core1871 is a global innovation hub in Chicago. GEC has formal partnership providing soft-landing locations for Irish startups entering US markets and US startups entering Irish markets. Part of internationalisation support network.
- City of Brampton Innovation District (Toronto)coreGEC has formal partnership with City of Brampton Innovation District for cross-border startup support and soft-landing services for companies expanding between Ireland and Canada.
- Empire State Development (New York)coreEmpire State Development is the economic development agency of New York State. Partnership provides soft-landing support for startups looking to access New York markets through GEC's international network.
- European Innovation Hubs NetworkmoderateGEC is connected to more than 100 innovation hubs across Europe, enabling clients to access soft-landing locations, office space, advice and networks in destination markets throughout Europe.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Guinness Enterprise Centre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dogpatch Labs: Dublin-based startup hub and coworking space providing workspace, mentorship, and community to early-stage Irish and international startups — the closest geographic and operating-model peer to GEC.
- NDRC: Irish government-backed startup accelerator investing in and supporting early-stage tech ventures; operates a complementary model of founder support, capital, and follow-on programmes.
- Station F: World's largest startup campus based in Paris, hosting thousands of entrepreneurs under one roof with programs, investors, and corporate partners — directly comparable mega-incubator model.
- Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC): US-based operator of large-scale innovation campuses providing coworking, lab, and venture support services to startups and growth-stage companies; similar mix of physical infrastructure and ecosystem programming.
- 1871: Chicago-based non-profit digital startup hub and GEC's formal partner; comparable model of curated membership, workspace, and community-led programming for early-stage technology companies.
- Plug and Play Tech Center: Global startup accelerator and innovation platform running vertical-specific programs (health, fintech, retail) with corporate partners; comparable internationalisation and corporate partnership strategy.
- Wayra (Telefónica): Corporate-backed global startup accelerator network offering workspace, mentorship, and Telefónica resources to early-stage ventures across multiple geographies.
- Techstars: Global accelerator operating mentorship-driven programs in dozens of cities; comparable in providing structured programs, mentor networks, and international alumni connectivity to early-stage founders.
Broad incumbents
- WeWork: Global flexible-workspace incumbent offering coworking, private offices, and event spaces to startups and enterprises — competes for the same SME/startup tenant base as GEC with greater capital and geographic reach.
- IWG (Regus / Spaces): World's largest flexible-workspace provider operating Regus, Spaces, and HQ brands; competes with GEC in Dublin for office and meeting-room customers with much broader geographic and capital scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Guinness Enterprise Centre social profiles
Digital presenceGuinness Enterprise Centre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Guinness Enterprise Centre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Guinness Enterprise Centre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Guinness Enterprise Centre M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Guinness Enterprise Centre
What does Guinness Enterprise Centre do?
Guinness Enterprise Centre is a not-for-profit startup incubation centre operating a 95,000 sq ft facility in Dublin 8 providing private offices, dedicated desks, co-working memberships, and meeting/event spaces to early-stage and scaling companies. The centre supplements physical workspace with structured support programmes including industry clusters (Health@GEC, Sustainability@GEC, AI Forum), mentoring, internationalisation support, and university partnerships. All revenues are reinvested into the startup ecosystem.
Is Guinness Enterprise Centre a public or private company?
Guinness Enterprise Centre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Guinness Enterprise Centre founded?
Guinness Enterprise Centre was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Guinness Enterprise Centre based?
Guinness Enterprise Centre is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Guinness Enterprise Centre make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Rental Income from Office and Coworking Spaces are the primary driver. The others are event and Meeting Space Rental.
Who are Guinness Enterprise Centre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dogpatch Labs, NDRC, Station F, Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), 1871, Plug and Play Tech Center, Wayra (Telefónica) and Techstars. Broad incumbents are WeWork and IWG (Regus / Spaces).
Does Guinness Enterprise Centre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Guinness Enterprise Centre.
What industry is Guinness Enterprise Centre in?
Guinness Enterprise Centre's product category is Business Incubation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAHAC, Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures), with a secondary code of THAHAAAB, Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues. Its NAICS code is 55 and its SIC code is 8600.