A new cycle of Acorns will assist 50 early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural areas over the next nine months.

Adding 50 more rural women in what is the seventh cycle of the Department of Agriculture’s Acorns scheme will mean that significantly more than 200 female entrepreneurs will benefit, as previous participants will continue to receive support.

The Acorns 7 programme will run from October 2021 to April 2022 and selected participants will be those who best demonstrate their potential to advance their businesses and their commitment to fully engage in the initiative.

Women with new businesses or well-developed ideas are now asked to join the free programme. Successful applicants can look forward to peer support and the insights and experience of ‘lead entrepreneurs’ — established rural business women who participate in the programme on a voluntary basis.

The closing date for applications is September 10. The programme will run over six months from this October to April 2021.

In Association with

Applicants must, among other criteria, have set up and own or co-own a new business which has generated sales no earlier than 1 January 2019, or be actively planning a new venture and have made good progress towards getting the new venture off the ground. The business must be outside the administrative city boundaries of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick or Waterford, and the applicant must expect to employ someone within three years.

Those selected must also be available to attend the launch and first round table session on 11 and 12 October 2021, which will take place either in person or remotely, depending on prevailing circumstances. There they will meet their round table group and lead entrepreneurs

More information and an application form are available here, or contact paula@acorns.ie or 01 8450770.