Acorns, the state-funded initiative that encourages female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland to develop their business ideas, is seeking 50 participants for the 2022/23 programme.
Accelerating the Creation Of Nascent Startups receives hundreds of applications, and participants are selected on a competitive basis.
Acorns 8 will run from October 2022 to April 2023 and the deadline for applications is September 23.
Minister Charlie McConalogue said the 48 participants on Acorns 7 saw their turnover increase from €1.5m in October 2021 to €3.1m by April 2022.
"This is an incredible opportunity and a wonderful support for rural-based female entrepreneurs, particularly in the current environment. I encourage those who have recently started or are about to start a new business to apply to participate in this very exciting initiative,” he added.
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There is no charge for women who participate in Acorns and the scheme is open to women who are at an advanced stage of starting a business or who want to develop a recently established business.
Participants learn from each other’s experiences through roundtable discussions facilitated by Lead Entrepreneurs who are all female business people with first-hand experience of owning and managing a successful business in rural Ireland.
This year’s voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs are Anne Reilly, Paycheck Plus; Caroline Reidy, The HR Suite; Deirdre McGlone, Hospitality & Tourism Advisor; Eimer Hannon, Hannon Travel; Larissa Feeney, Accountant Online; Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets; Triona MacGiolla Rí, Aró Digital Strategies.
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Acorns 7 participant Feena McBride of The Arty Fox said: "Group sessions are full of ideas, encouragement and questions that will challenge and support you.”
Paula Fitzsimons of Fitzsimons Consulting and founder and director of Acorns, commented, “What the Acorns participants achieved during the last cycle in challenging circumstances was remarkable – new sales, additional employees, and new exporters.”
Image: (l-r): Larissa Feeney, founder and CEO of Accountant Online and one of this year’s voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs; Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D.; and former ACORNS participants Feena McBride of The Arty Fox and Niamh Dooley of BiaSol.
