Back Yourself: 3 of Ireland’s Leading Businesswomen Share Advice With Women in Tech

Women entrepreneurs in finance and technology are being urged to ‘back themselves’ as applications open for the 2026 She’s Next Visa Grant Programme. Empowered by Visa and aimed at closing the entrepreneurship gap in Ireland, She’s Next 2026 will provide five women-owned businesses with €90,000 in business funding together with expert coaching, mentorship and additional resources to help their businesses thrive.

For the first time, it also brings together some of Ireland’s most respected businesswomen – Aimee Connolly (founder and CEO, Sculpted by Aimee), Breege O’Donoghue (former board member, Primark) and Gráinne Mullins (founder, Grá Chocolates) – who will provide mentorship to this year’s five winners.

Together with a range of Visa business supports, the winners will benefit from the experience and expertise of these exceptional business leaders, who have also been announced as judges for the 2026 She’s Next programme. And, despite operating in different sectors and encountering different challenges, all three agreed on three defining factors for success:

—  Back yourself: Aimee Connolly said that self-belief can be the biggest hurdle to taking the next step in business. “Even the most successful businesspeople can suffer from imposter syndrome, but this is often predicated on feelings, not fact,” she said.  “Starting a business, dealing with challenges, setting high standards and showing genuine passion for what you are doing is proof of capability. So, recognise your capabilities and back yourself, and you’ll have one less negative thing to deal with.”

—  Seek mentorship early, not when you’re struggling:  Breege O’Donoghue in particular advises female founders to surround themselves with good people to accelerate growth early on, and proactively build networks before major growth periods. “Mentorship is a growth and confidence accelerator, the value of which cannot be underestimated,” she said. “Build strong networks – not just within your own industry – and learn from others as you grow. But be generous and empathetic, and be willing to reciprocate by showing support to others too.”

—  Perfection – the enemy of progress: According to Gráinne Mullins, many women wait until they feel ‘ready’ before pitching or applying for funding. But, says the Galway woman, if you wait until you feel 100% ready, you may never take that next step. “Perfection is the enemy of progress, and rather than wait for everything to be ‘perfect’, I encourage women entrepreneurs to pursue their goals with vision and focus. Taking the next step, regardless of what stage you are at in your journey, could be the difference between opportunity realised and opportunity missed.”

Speaking at the launch of the 2026 She’s Next Programme, Ines Obtinalla, Ireland Head of Marketing at Visa, said: “While progress has been made, women entrepreneurs in Ireland are still facing barriers to funding and mentorship.  Visa backs small businesses with big ambitions, and this programme will deliver the resources and expertise to power our five winners’ next steps.

“The advice from the mentors is clear: backing yourself isn’t just a mindset, it’s a catalyst for growth, and that’s exactly what the She’s Next programme is designed to support. We’ve already seen the positive impact of previous programmes, where funding and mentorship have empowered women business owners to turn ambition into action. With Visa championing their progress, businesses haven’t just grown; many have scaled, innovated and created lasting impact. So, if you’re ready to take the next step in your business journey, now is the time to apply.”

2026 Visa She’s Next – What Winners Receive

• Four women entrepreneurs will each receive €10,000; one overall winner will receive €50,000
• All winners will receive mentoring from three of Ireland’s leading businesswomen: Aimee Connolly, Breege O’Donoghue and Gráinne Mullins
• Individual and group pitch preparation sessions
• Access to ongoing supports available through Visa’s She’s Next alumni network

How to apply

Visa’s She’s Next Grant Programme is open to small businesses and organisations in the Republic of Ireland that are majority owned by women, operating across all industries and sectors. It is designed to be an inclusive programme to appeal to a diverse range of businesses, with three distinct categories:

• General small business
• Early stage (under 3 years)
• Social enterprise

Applicants in previous years who were not selected as winners are invited to reapply.

To enter, applicants are asked to complete a short submission on visa.ie/shesnext. The closing date is April 9th, 2026. Terms and conditions apply.

Empowering Women

To date, Visa’s She’s Next Grant Programme has awarded €215,000 in funding and coaching to 20 women entrepreneurs in Ireland to help them take their next business step. Last year’s winners were:

• Overall winner: Claire Fullam –Remi Scalp Care
• Marian Kennedy –Anewmum
• Sinéad Ryan –Little Fitness
• Denise Walsh –Curly Co
• Lisa Kleiner –Nibbed Cacao

Claire Fullam, who was awarded €50,000 in funding and one-to-one mentorship with Aimee Connolly, founder and CEO of the award-winning Sculpted by Aimee business, was inspired to start Remi Scalp Care after being diagnosed with Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disease which saw her lose 90 per cent of her hair.

“Winning the Visa programme and all of the support that went with the prize gave my business a huge boost,” says the clinical trichologist. “I have been able to accelerate my plans for R&D and clinical trials, which means that I hope to break the US market earlier than planned. The programme, and being part of an alumni of other like-minded women entrepreneurs, has given me huge confidence, and I’m backing myself like never before.”