Government-backed Back for Business initiative offers six months of mentorship and networking to help entrepreneurs re-establish in Ireland.
Irish emigrants who have returned home or plan to do so soon have until midnight on 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.
“Having spent most of my career outside of Ireland, the programme provided not only structure and guidance, but also a collaborative community of ambitious founders”
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.
Collaborative support
This year’s Lead Entrepreneurs include Gillian O’Dowd, Director at Azon; Paul Duggan of The Gardiner Group; Seamus Reilly, co-founder and formerly of Critical Healthcare; Sinéad Doherty, founder and CEO of Fenero; and Thomas Ennis, founder of the Thomas Ennis Group.
The programme begins with a Launch Forum and first round-table event on February 13. There is no charge for participation.
Past participants have reported strong outcomes. At the start of last year’s cycle, fewer than half of the group were trading, but by the end, two-thirds were active. Combined turnover rose from €1.43 million to €2.59 million, while employment numbers grew from 29 to 80.
Jennifer Provan, founder of Kitchenetta Catering and a former participant who returned from Glasgow, described the experience as “very collaborative and very supportive. We gleaned a lot of knowledge from each other and our Lead Entrepreneur, a lot of which we’ve gone on to use. I would highly recommend it.”
Aoife Matthews, who co-founded supplement company Sisterly after returning from Madrid, said: “One of the best decisions I made when I began my entrepreneurial journey was joining the Back for Business programme. Having spent most of my career outside of Ireland, the programme provided not only structure and guidance, but also a collaborative community of ambitious founders.”
Applications close at midnight on Friday, 16 January. Further details and application forms are available here
Top image: Past Participants of Back for Business Jennifer Provan, Kitchenetta Catering, and Aoife Matthews, Sisterly
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