Olive for Education nearly doubles revenue to €7.69m

Olive for Education nearly doubled revenue in the latest financial year and now accounts for 78% of Olive Group revenue.

Revenue at Olive Media, which trades as Olive for Education, rose 97.2% to €7.69 million in the year to the end of June 2026. EBITDA increased to €2.80 million, giving the division an EBITDA margin of 36.4%.

That performance made the education unit the main driver of growth for Olive Group, whose overall revenue rose 33.2% to €9.83 million from €7.38 million a year earlier. Group EBITDA was €2.46 million.

Olive for Education provides IT services, support and technology-enhanced learning for post-primary schools in Ireland. Its work includes one-to-one device programmes, provisioning, logistics, servicing, repair and ongoing support, backed by a National Service and Support Centre in Carrick-on-Shannon.

The business has expanded as schools seek broader support in managing technology rather than simply buying devices. The education operation is increasingly focused on longer-term relationships with schools that combine equipment supply with service, support and operational expertise.

Education focus

The figures underline how central the schools market has become to the wider group. With more than three-quarters of group revenue now coming from the education division, the results show a clear shift towards services linked to digital learning in schools.

That model reflects the pressures facing school leaders as they manage device schemes and classroom technology over longer periods. In addition to supplying devices, schools increasingly need support with deployment, maintenance, repairs and day-to-day administration for pupils, teachers and families.

Simon Cosgrove, Chief Executive Officer of Olive for Education, linked the latest results to growth in scale and delivery.

"The results reflect strong year-on-year growth and are a testament to the quality of delivery, expertise and experience we have built within education. Significantly, the increasing scale of our operations, service capability and record of delivery provide schools with an important degree of assurance as they plan and manage their long-term technology needs," said Cosgrove.

Changing market

Management said the education market is changing quickly as schools face pressure to integrate technology more effectively into teaching and administration. That has increased demand for providers that can offer support across the full life cycle of school technology programmes.

Gary Hoey, Director of Schools and Head of Education at Olive for Education, described those pressures in terms of the practical burden on school leaders.

"School leaders are being asked to deliver more in an educational environment that is changing extraordinarily quickly. Technology should help them meet that challenge, not add another layer of complexity. Our ambition at Olive for Education is to be the long-term technology partner standing alongside the school, from choosing and deploying technology through to supporting teachers, students and families every day. The future of technology in education is not simply about putting more devices into classrooms. It is about helping schools use technology confidently, safely and effectively to improve teaching and learning," said Hoey.

The group is continuing to invest in expanding its education technology activities, with a particular focus on recurring software and service work alongside its established device and support offering.

The emphasis on recurring services may help explain the strength of earnings in the education division. The margin recorded by Olive Media suggests the business is generating returns not only from hardware-related activity but also from the service structure built around school technology programmes.

The company's latest accounts have yet to be filed with the Companies Registration Office. Even so, the figures indicate that Olive for Education has become the dominant part of the group's business as schools increase their reliance on outsourced technology support.