Final call for Female Entrepreneurs in rural areas to apply for 12th cycle of ACORNS Programme

Female entrepreneurs based in rural areas have just a few more days to apply for the latest cycle of the ACORNS business development programme before this Friday’s deadline.

Now entering its 12th cycle, the free ACORNS is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and was launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Haydon.

ACORNS 12 will run from October 2026 to April 2027. The programme is open to early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland who have generated sales no earlier than the end of June 2023. There are up to 50 places available.

The window for applications will close at midnight on Friday, September 18th. Those wishing to apply must first register their interest via the website. They will then be sent an application by email.

There is no charge for those selected to participate in ACORNS 12, thanks to the continuing support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the voluntary contribution of time by the Lead Entrepreneurs.

ACORNS, which stands for Accelerating the Creation of Rural Nascent Start-ups, has delivered significant results for some 600 female entrepreneurs who have participated in the programme since its foundation in 2015.

Developed by Fitzsimons Consulting on the belief that early- stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers, ACORNS brings together participants for monthly round table sessions facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur with first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland.

This year’s voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs are Alison Ritchie, Polar Ice (Laois); Geraldine Jones, Skin Formulas (Tipperary) Karen Kerrigan, Kerrigan’s Mushrooms (Meath) Larissa Feeney, Kinore (Donegal); Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets (Wexford); Orla Leahy, Ireland Chauffeur Travel (Tipperary) and Triona MacGiolla Rí, Aró Digital Strategies (Galway).

In addition, experienced businesswomen, Anne Cusack and Geraldine Kelly, who are on the Going for Growth advisory panel, will facilitate ACORNS Plus round tables for previous participants who are committed to continuing driving forward the development of their businesses.

Paula Fitzsimons, Director of ACORNS, said:

“As the deadline approaches, I would encourage any woman in rural Ireland who is in the early stages of developing a new business to apply for ACORNS 12. The programme offers the opportunity to learn from experienced entrepreneurs based in rural Ireland, share challenges and build the confidence and skills needed to grow a profitable business.

“Revenue growth among participants in the last cycle, where joint turnover increased from €4.1m to almost €6m in the six months of the programme, demonstrates the real impact that ACORNS can have for women building businesses in rural Ireland. Participants also created almost 60 new jobs and made tangible progress towards their business ambitions. Year after year, ACORNS delivers excellent results for female entrepreneurs, and we are looking forward to reviewing applications ahead of the next cycle beginning in October this year.”