Visa has revealed the winners of its inaugural She's Next Grant Programme in Ireland. The programme was created to boost and empower women entrepreneurship and offers the chosen winners a grant of €5,000 each alongside one-year of business coaching through IFundWomen to support, grow and expand their businesses.
The Irish element of the programme is an extension of Visa's global She's Next Grant Programme. Since March 2020, the programme has successfully awarded more than 1.25 million Euros in grants to women entrepreneurs across the globe.
Having received more than 200 entries from Ireland’s women entrepreneurs with representation from multiple sectors including technology, education, retail and culture, the five winners were chosen:
- General Small Business: Carolanne Rushe, Sweet Beat, Sligo
Sweet Beat is a family-run planet-first café, featuring inventive and creative plant-based dishes available to eat in or take-away, including a Click + Collect service. The café also houses an eco-retail home and lifestyle collection which is available to buy online or in-store. Opened by Carolanne Rushe in April 2015 the award-winning café has a thriving lunchtime trade offering fresh salads, fermented drinks, and daily specials. Carolanne has also created a range of Sweet Beat plant-based dips which are stocked in local retail stores. She also supports other local producers by selling their produce at Sweet Beat.
- Micro business: Áine McGurk, Dainty Bear, Dublin
Dainty Bear is an Irish-owned online luxury baby and childrenswear store specialising in timeless, quality clothing, shoes and accessories for babies and children under 5. Founded by Áine McGurk in 2018, Dainty Bear is known for its unique range of traditional occasion-worthy collections and bespoke baby gift boxes. Inspired by her two daughters, Áine's designs are created to be cherished and passed on for years to come.
- Early-stage business: Rosie Joyce, The Habit Store, Mayo
The Habit Store is a sustainable refill shop where customers can buy and refill food, household products and toiletries by weight to reduce single-use plastics. All products in the store are dispensed into containers that customers bring from home. The Habit Store is more than an eco-retail outlet; it’s a place where like-minded customers can enjoy a personal experience and connect with other shoppers. The store was opened in September 2021 by business duo Rosie Joyce and Alex MacNaughton, who, having lived in London, had found it difficult to shop plastic-free after moving back to Co Mayo. The pair started with a refill stall at the local market in Castlebar each weekend before moving into a permanent store in the town.
- Social Impact: Tammy Darcy, The Shona Project, Waterford
The Shona Project is a multi-award-winning social enterprise that aims to educate, empower and inspire the girls of today to become tomorrow’s strong confident and curious young women. Founded in 2016, by Tammy Darcy, The Shona Project provides Ireland's teen girls with information, advice and a safe place to share their stories, through school workshops, events, and a thriving online community. During the past 20 months of the pandemic, The Shona Project reached over 40,000 girls across Ireland. The organisation is a tribute to Tammy’s sister Shona, who was diagnosed with Arteriovenous Malformations which caused a serious brain injury at 15.
- Innovation: Suzanne Moloney, HidraMed Solutions, Galway
HidraWear has revolutionised wound care for those suffering from the incurable and debilitating skin disease, Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). As someone living with HS, Suzanne Moloney, Founder and CEO of HidraMed Solutions, wanted to find a better way to manage her medical condition and care for her wounds daily. As a result, Suzanne created HidraWear - a patented range of adhesive-free dressings that fit into specially created underwear to help to alleviate the burden of Hidradenitis Suppurativa. HidraWear are listed on the national health reimbursement schemes in four countries, including Ireland, with a view to expanding into the US in 2022.
Pictured L-R: Suzanne Moloney, HidraWear; Aine McGurk, Dainty Bear; Jonathan Forde, Head of Merchant Sales & Acquiring, Visa; Rosie Joyce, The Habit Store; Tammy Darcy, The Shona Project; Carolanne Rushe, Sweet BeatPhotograph: Sasko Lazarov / Photocall Ireland
Dominic White, country manager for Visa in Ireland, said:
"We were blown away by the response to Visa's She's Next inaugural programme in Ireland and it’s clear from the calibre of entries that entrepreneurship among women in Ireland is flourishing. But the feedback we have received from entrants is that women need more support and can benefit hugely from coaching and the opportunity to network with like-minded entrepreneurs. We warmly congratulate the five fantastic winners and look forward to seeing them take the next step in growing their businesses."
Applications for the 2022 She’s Next programme will open in May so keep an eye on Visa.ie for details.
Click here to learn more about this year's winners and the She's Next Programme, empowered by Visa.
