Women entrepreneurs across Ireland are being urged to ‘back themselves’ as applications open for the 2026 She’s Next Visa Grant Programme.
Powered by Visa and aimed at closing the entrepreneurship gap in Ireland, She’s Next 2026 will provide five women-owned businesses with a total of €90,000 in business funding together with expert coaching, mentorship and additional resources to help their businesses thrive.
For the first time it also brings together some of Ireland’s most respected businesswomen – Aimee Connolly (founder and CEO, Sculpted by Aimee), Breege O’Donoghue (former board member, Primark) and Gráinne Mullins (founder, Grá Chocolates) – who will provide mentorship to this year’s five winners.
Together with a range of Visa business supports, the winners will benefit from the experience and expertise of these exceptional business leaders, who have also been announced as judges for the 2026 She’s Next programme.
Despite operating in different sectors and encountering different challenges, all three agreed on three defining factors for success:
Back yourself
Aimee Connolly said that self-belief can be the biggest hurdle to taking the next step in business. “Even the most successful businesspeople can suffer from imposter syndrome, but this is often predicated on feelings, not fact,” she said.
“Starting a business, dealing with challenges, setting high standards and showing genuine passion for what you are doing is proof of capability. So, recognise your capabilities and back yourself, and you’ll have one less negative thing to deal with.”
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Seek mentorship
Breege O’Donoghue in particular advises female founders to surround themselves with good people to accelerate growth early on, and proactively build networks before major growth periods. “Mentorship is a growth and confidence accelerator, the value of which cannot be underestimated,” she said.
“Build strong networks not just within your own industry – and learn from others as you grow. But be generous and empathetic, and be willing to reciprocate by showing support to other too.”
Perfection
According to Gráinne Mullins, many women wait until they feel ‘ready’ before pitching or applying for funding. But, says the Galway woman, if you wait until you feel 100% ready, you may never take that next step.
“Perfection is the enemy of progress and rather than wait for everything to be ‘perfect’, I encourage women entrepreneurs to pursue their goals with vison and focus. Taking the next step, regardless of what stage you are at in your journey, could be the difference between opportunity realised, and opportunity missed.”
Speaking at the launch of the 2026 She’s Next Programme, Ines Obtinalla, Head of Marketing, Ireland at Visa said: “While progress has been made, women entrepreneurs in Ireland are still facing barriers to funding and mentorship. Visa backs small businesses with big ambitions and this programme will deliver the resources and expertise to power our five winners’ next steps.
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“The advice from the mentors is clear: backing yourself isn’t just a mindset, it’s a catalyst for growth, and that’s exactly what the She’s Next programme is designed to support. We’ve already seen the positive impact of previous programmes, where funding and mentorship have empowered women business owners to turn ambition into action.
With Visa championing their progress, businesses haven’t just grown, many have scaled, innovated and created lasting impact. So, if you’re ready to take the next step in your business journey, now is the time to apply.”
To enter, applicants are asked to complete a short submission on visa.ie/shesnext.
The closing date is April 9 at 11.59pm. Terms and conditions apply.