Westmeath female entrepreneurs urge others to apply for ACORNS programme

Westmeath's female entrepreneurs are urging others from the county to join the latest cycle of ACORNS, a highly-successful development initiative to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

The call for applications for the latest cycle of the programme, ACORNS 8, was launched earlier this month by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD.

The programme is funded under the Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund.

Programme organisers are looking for female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, who wish to start and develop new businesses or who have recently started a venture.

A total of 50 new entrepreneurs will be selected and the free initiative will run over six months from October 2022 to April 2023 with the deadline for applications midnight on September 23.

This is the eighth year of the ACORNS programme and over 350 female entrepreneurs have taken part to date and a significant proportion of these are still actively involved.

Past participants from Westmeat,h include Georgia Quealy of Praliné Chocolates and Niamh Dooley from BiaSol.

Praliné Chocolates produces luxury hand-painted, hand-crafted chocolates made from the finest ingredients. It is run by chef Georgia Quealy, a classically trained pastry chef with Michelin star experience.

Georgia says: “ACORNS 7 has made a huge difference to me as a businesswoman and our business as a whole.

"It has given the network and support that is essential for growing a start-up business.

“The educational workshops and interactive round table sessions have helped me make structured action plans for the future.

“It has given me the skills to aim high with our goals and given the belief that anything is possible.

“It is an experience I will be forever grateful for, to be surrounded by such inspiring business women is an achievement in itself.”

Niamh Dooley was also on last year’s programme.

The Athlone native set up BiaSol, a business that upcycles spent grain from breweries into healthy food products.

BiaSol now provides wholesale products to the food service industry and a retail health food product, Super Milled Grains, which is available in 75 health food stores across Ireland.

Niamh says: “I highly recommend ACORNS for any woman in business, whatever stage of their business they are at.

“The sense of community the programme has built is amazing and it is a brilliant way to connect with other women in business”

Based on a belief that entrepreneurs learn best from each other, ACORNS is centred on interactive round table sessions facilitated by successful female entrepreneurs who have started and grown businesses in rural Ireland.

These are known as ACORNS lead entrepreneurs, and they give their time free of charge to encourage and support the new business owners.

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

This year’s voluntary lead entrepreneurs are Anne Reilly, Paycheck Plus; Caroline Reidy, The HR Suite; Deirdre McGlone, Hospitality and Tourism Advisor; Eimer Hannon, Hannon Travel; Larissa Feeney, Accountant Online; Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets; Triona MacGiolla Rí and Aró Digital Strategies.

Charlie McConalogue Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, says: “Now in its eighth year, and going from strength to strength, ACORNS continues to support early stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

“This is an incredible opportunity and a wonderful support for rural-based female entrepreneurs, particularly in the current environment and I encourage those who have recently started or are about to start a new business to apply to participate in this very exciting initiative.”

Founder of Fitzsimons Consulting, Paula Fitzsimons says: “What the ACORNS participants achieved during the last cycle in challenging circumstances was remarkable – new sales, additional employees, and new exporters.

“We are delighted that, through the support of the Minister and his Department, we are in a position through ACORNS to continue to support entrepreneurial women in rural Ireland, as they start and develop their businesses.”

Any woman with a new business based in rural Ireland or a well-developed idea for a new venture can get more information and register to receive an application form at www.acorns.ie.

There is no charge for participation.