‘The place for female entrepreneurs to get a clear vision for their business’
Meath female entrepreneurs are urging others from the county to join the latest cycle of ACORNS – a highly-successful development initiative to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.
The call for applications for the latest cycle of the programme — ACORNS 8— was launched earlier this month by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D.
Programme organisers are looking for female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, who wish to start and develop new businesses or who have recently started a venture.
A total of 50 new entrepreneurs will be selected and the free initiative will run over six months from October 2022 to April 2023 with the deadline for applications midnight on September 23, 2022.
Past participants from Meath include: Alma Jordan of AgriKids and Eimear Reynolds from Bakealicious.
AgriKids was set up in 2015 to teach children about farm safety using workshops and activity books. It has since gone to develop a gaming app and virtual reality platform.
Alma says: “Being part of ACORNS has gifted AgriKids with a network of professional business contacts operating within rural Ireland. It also gifted friendships which go beyond the six-month programme.”
Eimear Reynolds was part of ACORNS 5. She set up Bakealicious, a café in the heart of Navan town, in December 2016. The café has proved popular with locals who hunger after her bakes handmade with spelt flour, free-range eggs and Belgian chocolate.
Eimear says: ACORNS is that support group you dream about being a part of come true. Like-minded, business-focused women who are there to support you and give you the advice that you need. I would recommend it to any female entrepreneur who feels slightly lost and looking for clarity…this is the place you’ll find your voice and get a clear vision of what you set out to achieve with your business.”
Meath also boasts one of the voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs on the programme – Eimer Hannon of Meath-based Hannon Travel.
Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine said: “I encourage those who have recently started or are about to start a new business to apply to participate in this very exciting initiative.”