Discover founders from across Ireland who emigrated abroad to build their careers before returning to their native land to become entrepreneurs.
Irish emigrants who have returned home or plan to do so soon have until midnight tonight (Friday, 16 January), to apply for a free business development programme designed to support start-ups and early-stage ventures.
The initiative, called Back for Business, is funded by the Irish Abroad Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and aims to foster entrepreneurial activity among those who have lived abroad for at least a year.
Applicants must have returned within the past three years or intend to return shortly.
Now in its ninth year, the programme will run from February to June 2026 and offers up to 50 places. Successful candidates will receive six months of structured support, including round-table sessions focused on setting goals and milestones. These sessions are facilitated by voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs with experience in scaling businesses.
Here are some of the founders who graduated from the previous cohort:
Paul Herrick, Founder, Arco Irish
After more than two decades abroad, Galway‑based entrepreneur Paul Herrick returned to Ireland in 2020 with a mission: to help fast‑growing Irish SMEs build world‑class leadership teams. His company, Arco Irish, specialises in executive search for ambitious Irish businesses scaling internationally – a niche Herrick is uniquely placed to serve.
With over 30 years of global HR and talent‑management experience, Herrick’s career has taken him from Abu Dhabi to Karachi to Kuala Lumpur. “I started my career with ESB International as a HR Manager tasked with staffing power plants in Pakistan,” he explains. Later roles with GE Power Systems and Amadeus expanded his remit across EMEA and five global regions, giving him deep insight into cross‑cultural leadership and organisational design.
In 2007, he became Vice President of Human Resources for EMEA at Burson‑Marsteller before founding the firm’s business transformation practice. But the Covid‑19 pandemic became a turning point. “During the pandemic, I found that the values that became more important to me were family, legacy and belonging,” he recalls. “I’d started Arco Irish – and wanted to move home.”
Since then, Arco Irish has thrived. Herrick has placed around 45 senior leaders across Europe and Ireland, working with brands ranging from McKinsey and Bank of America to prominent Irish SMEs such as Ethos Engineering and BPI. “Thankfully now, I have a very healthy business and have gone from strength to strength,” he says.
Half of Arco Irish’s activity remains European, but Herrick is focused on expanding domestically. “I have an eye on leveraging my network and creating new relationships here at home. Ultimately, that’s why I signed up for Back for Business,” he notes.
Looking ahead, he’s open to the idea of turning Arco Irish into a family legacy. “My dream would be for my sons to take an interest in the company… We’ll see how it goes,” he says.
Niall Joyce, Founder, Prograss Design
When Mayo native Niall Joyce returned home from Vancouver in late 2023, he brought with him not only five years of international experience but a renewed appreciation for how meaningful well‑designed outdoor spaces can be. Today, as the founder of Prograss Design in Castlebar, he is shaping gardens and green areas with a blend of North American innovation and Irish landscape sensibilities.
Niall’s career didn’t begin in horticulture. He graduated with a degree in Food Science from the University of Limerick before joining Dairygold Co‑operative Society as a production manager in 2016. But a desire to explore the world led him to British Columbia, where he became Operations Manager for a landscaping firm operating across metropolitan Vancouver. It was there that he discovered both a passion for landscape design and the potential to build something of his own back home.
“When I came home, I found that Ireland had changed dramatically in terms of people’s appreciation for well‑designed outdoor green spaces,” he says. “People were much more conscious of their connection to nature and the impact their surroundings can have on wellbeing.”
Eager to deepen his expertise, Niall completed a Diploma in Landscape Design from Ashworth College in 2022. His international experience now gives him an edge in Ireland, particularly with design elements that are only emerging here. “Features like Living Walls were big across North America years ago,” he explains. “I feel like I have the know‑how to capitalise on those trends.”
Running a business in the West of Ireland comes with challenges, especially weather‑dependent project timelines. Yet Niall remains energised by the momentum of his first year and the support he received through Back for Business. “Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey,” he says, “but hearing people talk about their challenges revitalises you.”
With growing demand, expanding services, and plans to scale Living Wall installations, Niall is cultivating more than landscapes – he’s cultivating a thriving business.
Colin Mac Andrias, founder First Swim Ireland
For Colin Mac Andrias, founder of First Swim, Ireland’s first purpose-built baby and toddler swim school, the journey home was decades in the making. A native of Rathcoole, Dublin, Colin left Ireland in 1993 after completing a Biomedical Science degree at Dundalk Institute of Technology. “It was pre‑Celtic Tiger and prospects were quite grim,” he recalls. “Even when I tried to get voluntary work in a laboratory, I was told to join the queue.”
A move to London opened doors to laboratory roles, but it was scuba diving – not science – that ultimately shaped the next chapter of his life. Colin spent six transformative years in Dahab, Egypt, working as a dive instructor and meeting his wife, before returning to London to co‑own the London School of Diving. When he noticed their pool sitting idle during daytime hours, he began exploring alternative uses—and baby swim classes stood out. “The seed was planted there,” he says, though Ireland wasn’t yet part of the plan.
That changed during Covid. With time to reflect and a growing desire to return home, Colin and his family moved back to Dublin in 2021. “I was blown away by just how much I forgot I missed it,” he says. Inspired, he committed fully to launching First Swim, investing the proceeds from the sale of the family home in London after struggling to attract early-stage investors.
In September 2023, First Swim opened in Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford – and demand was instantaneous. “That first term was sold out within 48 hours,” Colin says. The business has since completed 11 consecutive sold‑out terms and earned numerous awards, though Colin insists the most meaningful recognition comes from “glowing Google reviews from delighted parents.”
Now employing 13 people, First Swim will open a second location in Santry later this year. And the future? “Ultimately, the plan is to scale nationally,” Colin says. “We’re going to become a national brand.”
Jonathan May, founder, Hypergoat Coffee
“The plan really is to see how far we can take it,” says Jonathan May, owner and director of Hypergoat Coffee, the fast‑growing Dublin coffee chain making its mark across the city.
After three years living and working in Perth, Australia, Jonathan returned home in mid‑2022 with a clear ambition—to finally launch his own business. “Going to Australia was a trip for the experience. We always wanted to come home, and I always wanted to start my own business here,” he says.
Originally from Ballymun and now living there again, Jonathan had built a solid career in retail management with Tesco and the Thomas Ennis Group before travelling. On returning to Ireland, he stepped briefly back into retail before an unexpected opportunity sparked Hypergoat’s beginnings. “We got offered a shipping container as a premises, but it didn’t work out. Then we got the opportunity of a premises on Thomas Street, and we haven’t looked back since.”
Initially launched with his cousin Darren as co‑founder, Jonathan is now sole owner – although Darren “still contributes immensely to our continued growth and success.” Within just 12 months, Hypergoat expanded from its first Thomas Street location to a flagship site on Wellington Quay – “our standout moment,” he says – followed quickly by a third shop in Swords. The business now employs eight staff.
Ironically, despite years managing coffee outlets, Jonathan was never a big coffee drinker. “I always loved the smell of it, but never actually liked the taste. When I came home I wanted to open a retail store, but coffee is where the opportunity was.”
Jonathan credits the Back for Business programme with helping him navigate the steep learning curve of entrepreneurship. “It was a great mix of different people from different sectors facing different but similar challenges.”
With a new prep kitchen underway to support Hypergoat’s in‑house food range, Jonathan is focused firmly on growth. “We’ve been stretching ourselves to the max, and I want to keep growing.”
Dave McCormack, Founder, Fluent
After a decade building a successful career in UK television production, Dublin native Dave McCormack returned home in 2022 with a renewed vision for video storytelling. Having co‑founded a network of local TV stations across major British cities, including Liverpool and Bristol, Dave had experienced first‑hand the fast‑changing media landscape. “It was an exciting time and great fun,” he recalls of launching Made TV and lobbying Ofcom for new broadcasting licences.
When the business was acquired in 2019, Dave transitioned into a commercial role—an experience that sharpened his understanding of digital strategy. But the turning point came in March 2020. “It was fortuitous timing because it was at the beginning of the Covid‑19 pandemic and overnight there was demand among businesses who could no longer communicate their messages directly,” he explains. That surge in demand ultimately paved the way for his next chapter.
In July 2024, alongside business partner Andrew Cummins, Dave founded Fluent, a video agency specialising in people‑centric, documentary‑style storytelling. Based at the Media Cube in Dun Laoghaire, the company works with local authorities, business groups and major corporations across sectors including food, technology, and aviation. Recent highlights include Marks & Spencer’s summer “Farm to Foodhall” TV campaign, as well as international work for Kellanova on its “People Behind the Product” series for brands such as Pringles and Cheez‑It.
“It’s early days for us but we’re doing well,” Dave says. With a core team of four and a network of freelancers, Fluent aims to double in size by 2026 while expanding further into global projects – from Europe to the US.
Dave credits Ireland’s openness and collaborative spirit as a powerful enabler for start‑ups. “People here are much more open to meeting for a coffee and having a chat… people are comfortable with the lack of expectations,” he notes.
He also praises the Back for Business programme: “There’s a great spirit of collaboration… it helps you step away from the madness of the day‑to‑day to think about overall strategy.”
Katie Meegan, Founder, Cuala Creative
When Katie Meegan returned to Ireland in 2024 after years working abroad, she brought with her a vision shaped by international experience – and a clear sense of what the publishing sector needed. As the founder of Cuala Creative, a virtual assistance agency dedicated to small and medium‑sized publishers, Meegan describes her mission simply: “My goal is to be able to easily slot into whatever a particular publisher needs at a particular time.”
Originally from Kells, Co Meath, Meegan completed a BA in English Studies at Trinity College Dublin, including an Erasmus placement in Toronto that gave her her first taste of the global publishing world. She later pursued an MA in Publishing Studies at University College London, staying on in the UK to work with two major publishing houses in editorial and international rights. London, she says, was the natural fit early in her career: “The Irish publishing scene is very small… it’s a lovely scene, but it’s very difficult to start as a junior, hence why London was a perfect fit.”
The idea for Cuala Creative began taking shape while she was travelling across Southeast Asia and Oceania. Researching remote work options, she came across the virtual assistant model. “It made so much sense for publishing,” she recalls. “Publishing already relies heavily on freelancers and is dominated by small houses run by passionate individuals who need that multifaceted support.”
Back in Ireland, Meegan secured her first client within six weeks.
Today, her work ranges from marketing and operations to sales support, research, and executive assistance for publishing CEOs. Along the way, she has earned national recognition, winning Creative Services Provider of the Year 2025 and Newcomer of the Year 2024 from the Society of Virtual Assistants Ireland.
As she continues expanding her team, Meegan remains focused on refining Cuala Creative’s offerings at home and abroad – while embracing the balance she rediscovered in Dublin: “I love being only a short drive from nature… and it has been great to be so close to family.”
Ziva Mullins, Founder, Doninga Bloodstock
For Ziva Mullins, horses aren’t just part of her work – they’re woven into her DNA. Founder of Doninga Bloodstock, the Galway native has built a specialist advisory business that helps owners and trainers navigate the high‑stakes world of international racing and breeding. “This is a niche business but it’s competitive – there’s a lot of people trying to do what I do,” she says.
Ziva grew up in Kinvara surrounded by racing heritage. Her grandfather, Luke Mullins, managed Galway Racecourse, while his brother, Paddy Mullins, remains one of Ireland’s most celebrated National Hunt trainers. “Growing up, we had horses in the background all the time,” she recalls. “I would have spent a couple of summers with Paddy Mullins when I was younger, just to get a feel for it.”
In 2013, her ambitions carried her to Australia, where she spent eight years in the Hunter Valley working on stud and stallion farms. “I basically expanded my knowledge base there and worked my way up from being a lowly kind of backpacker to being in management positions,” she explains. A move to Sydney followed, where she honed her expertise at the country’s leading thoroughbred auction house.
Ziva returned to Ireland in late 2024, driven by personal reasons rather than professional ones. “Professionally, the best opportunities were still in Australia, but for me it was about being close to family and our culture,” she says. Soon after returning, an unexpected opportunity sparked the launch of Doninga Bloodstock.
Today, Ziva provides tailored advice on purchasing, selling, breeding, and racing high‑quality bloodstock across Europe and Australia. One early milestone came during a buying trip Down Under, where she secured high‑end broodmares for a client—“proof of my abilities,” she says.
Supported by the Back for Business programme, Ziva is now focused on expanding her client base abroad while continuing to grow her reputation at home. “It’s great to be getting good results for clients, especially when you’re starting off.”
Rob Walsh, Founder, Spud
Rob Walsh is the founder of Spud, a Wicklow‑based experiential travel company crafting bespoke journeys across Ireland for tourists and corporate groups. His path to launching the business began in 2016, when he left Ireland for Toronto to accelerate his career in experiential event creation. “I wanted to get experience faster in a larger market,” he explains.
During six years in Canada, Walsh worked with leading experiential marketing agencies, delivering standout projects—from transforming islands off Toronto into French Riviera‑style escapes, to curating Porsche car launches, to producing a South Park pop‑up in Tokyo. But Ireland kept calling. “The longer I was away, the more I knew I wanted to be at home in the long term,” he says. “I wanted to create a business in Ireland that was rooted to Ireland itself and to the people and its culture.”
Returning to Wicklow, he founded Spud with a mission to showcase Ireland in a more creative, immersive way – experiences shaped by the interests and motivations that draw visitors here. Being home has felt right both personally and professionally. “I couldn’t do it anywhere else in the world… Ireland’s multicultural, it’s cool, it’s got everything for everybody. And I love living here.”
The early challenges of launching a business were quickly outweighed by the rewards. “I don’t feel like I have a job now. I feel like I get to do what I love every day,” he says. Participation in the Back for Business programme also offered him invaluable mentorship and peer support.
A major milestone came with Dublin’s NFL weekend, where Spud hosted senior executives from a global fast‑food brand and a luxury leisure group. “Securing those two pieces of business has been transformational,” Walsh notes.
With his first hire in place, he aims to triple his team by 2026 and quadruple revenues. “I think that’s doable,” he says – and the momentum suggests he’s right.
The deadline for completed applications for Back to Business 9 is midnight on Friday, 16 January. For more information or to register your interest in receiving an application form, click here
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