North-South bodies announce trio of support programmes for female founders
The opportunity to unlock the potential of women entrepreneurs across the island has been given a boost with the announcement that InterTradeIreland, in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, is launching three new programmes to enable women-led businesses to grow, innovate and scale.
The suite of programmes, set to commence at the start of 2026, will support women entrepreneurs at every stage, from early ventures to scaling already established businesses. Participants will gain access to expert mentorship, tailored support, workshops and networking opportunities that will accelerate their business growth.
The three new programmes, supported by the Shared Island Enterprise Scheme funded by the Government of Ireland, include: WeBuild, a tech programme focusing on innovation, AI learning and building strong, future-ready businesse delivered by TechFoundHer; WeGrow, a programme for established women-led SMEs who are aiming for growth delivered by Women in Business NI and Network Ireland; and WeScale, a scaling programme dedicated towards empowering women entrepreneurs to scale strategically and sustainably delivered by AwakenHub.
Michelle Billham, assistant director of innovation & entrepreneurship at InterTradeIreland, said: “We are proud to lead the way in supporting women’s entrepreneurship across the island. InterTradeIreland, in collaboration with our key delivery partners, is delighted to facilitate the delivery of these new programmes to empower women-owned businesses to scale operations, secure investment, and enhance leadership for international expansion, ultimately leading to increased confidence and market entry readiness for participants.”
Mary Gormley, head of entrepreneurship, Invest Northern Ireland, said: “Driving entrepreneurship through collaborative working is central to economic growth. Alongside Invest NI’s Ambition to Grow: Supporting Women programme, these new programmes will empower our women entrepreneurs to start, grow and scale their businesses and connect them with other ambitious female founders across the island.
“By providing targeted support and fostering an inclusive business environment, the programmes will bolster our work to increase the number of female entrepreneurs and help them to unlock new global opportunities and create good jobs.”
Carol Gibbons, head of entrepreneurship at Enterprise Ireland, said: “As part of our commitment to diversity we are passionate about ensuring women founders have the supports they need to succeed… This trio of programmes engages participants with insights and experiences to succeed and provides the right connections to strengthen and accelerate their business.”
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