ACORNS programme opens applications for 11th Cycle as participants report 54% revenue growth.
The ACORNS business development programme has opened applications for its 11th cycle, following strong results from the most recent cohort which saw combined participant revenues increase by 54%.
The programme, which supports early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland, has announced that applications for ACORNS 11 are now open, with a deadline of midnight on September 22. The call comes as ACORNS has been selected as Ireland’s national entry for the European Enterprise Promotion Awards in the Investing in Entrepreneurial Skills category.
“I encourage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland to apply for the ACORNS programme, which will help them realise their dreams of starting and growing successful businesses”
Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine Martin Heydon has officially opened the application process for the programme, which is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine.
Impact on rural female entrepreneurship
Results from ACORNS 10 demonstrate the programme’s impact on rural female entrepreneurship. All 52 participants who completed the cycle reported feeling closer to achieving their business ambitions, with 90% saying their participation brought about practical change within their business. Four businesses started trading for the first time during the cycle.
The financial results were particularly impressive, with the combined annual turnover of ACORNS 10 participants growing from €2.8 million to €4.3 million, representing a 54% increase. Participants employed a total of 104 staff at the end of the cycle, an increase of 15 positions, and 18 participants had gained export experience.
ACORNS operates on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers. The programme features monthly roundtable sessions facilitated by Lead Entrepreneurs who have first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing businesses in rural Ireland.
The programme has also been recognized as a ‘good practice’ on the EU’s INTERREG Learning Platform, adding to its recent accolades.
Minister Martin Heydon said the programme continues to demonstrate strong results. “Following a decade of support from my department for female rural entrepreneurs under the Rural Innovation Development Fund, I am delighted to launch the latest cycle. The programme continues to go from strength to strength and has supported over 550 women in rural Ireland over the last ten years.”
He emphasised the programme’s importance for rural development. “The ACORNS programme is a hugely successful programme, designed to support early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland. It aims to address the skills, enterprise and capability gaps that female entrepreneurs can face and in doing so provides support to help overcome the barriers which often limit entrepreneurial activity in rural areas. I encourage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland to apply for the ACORNS programme, which will help them realise their dreams of starting and growing successful businesses.”
Mary B Walsh of Ire Wel Pallets, who serves as a Lead Entrepreneur, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming cycle. “It is my pleasure to be a Lead Entrepreneur on the ACORNS programme for the 11th year in a row. I was delighted with the progress from previous participants and to see their development and growth on a personal and professional level. I look forward to supporting female colleagues living in rural Ireland at the earliest stage of their entrepreneurial journey.”
How ACORNS works
The programme is available to early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland who have generated sales no earlier than the end of June 2022. Up to 50 places are available for ACORNS 11, which will run from October 2025 to April 2026.
Interested applicants must first register their interest here and will then receive an application by email. There is no charge for participation, thanks to continued government support and the voluntary contribution of time by Lead Entrepreneurs.
This year’s voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs include Alison Ritchie of Polar Ice, Caroline Reidy of The HR Suite, Eimer Hannon of Hannon Travel, Geraldine Jones of Skin Formulas, Mary B Walsh of Ire Wel Pallets, and Triona MacGiolla Rí of Aró Digital Strategies.
Since 2014, approximately 550 participants have completed an ACORNS cycle, with more than half continuing to access support through the ACORNS Community, which offers workshops, roundtables, community forums and networking events.
Paula Fitzsimons, director of ACORNS, highlighted the programme’s economic impact.
“We are delighted to open the call for applications for another cycle of the ACORNS, a programme which has delivered significant results for both its participants and the wider economy over the past 10 years. We look forward to receiving the applications of the next group of prospective ACORNS and working closely with those selected to continue the positive trends we’ve seen in terms of revenue and employment.”
Main image (from left): Caitriona Cullen, Cullen Nurseries, Co Carlow; Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets, ACORNS Lead Entrepreneur;Martin Heydon, TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and Magda Seymour, Pure Oskar, Co Kildare. Photo: Orla Murray/Coalesce
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