Back for Business open for Mayo applications
HAVE you recently returned to Mayo to start a business? Or are you thinking of coming home?
If you have recently returned to Mayo and are setting up a new business or are living abroad and are thinking of returning home with an idea you want to get off the ground, then Back for Business could be for you.
Back for Business is a development programme, funded from the government’s Emigrant Support Programme, that was established to foster and support entrepreneurial activity among emigrants returning to live in Ireland.
It is aimed at those who have lived abroad for at least a year and have returned in the last three years or those planning to return in the near future.
The programme is looking for applications for the 2023 programme from those living or hoping to return to Mayo.
There is no charge for those selected to participate and the closing date for applications is Thursday, January 12.
Former participants from Mayo include Anna O’Grady and JP Garvin. Having experienced at first hand the benefits of participation in Back for Business, they encourage others to apply for the programme.
Anna O’Grady, co-founder of Dogwood Designs, said: “It has been an amazing experience taking part in Back for Business. I have built up a network of fellow entrepreneurs, both experienced and newbies like myself. It has given me a better understanding of business in Ireland and whilst I don’t have all the answers, I definitely have a better idea of where to go to seek help and advice.
“It has been such a positive experience and I would really recommend it to other returning expats who have returned home to Ireland with a dream.”
JP Garvin, managing director of GDI Ventures, found that the Back for Business programme helped him to develop the skills required to run a business and that the participants were a good source of support for each other.
“You are dealing with a lot of other people who are starting up and returning as well, so you get a lot of tips on things. We’re all learning as we go. There’s nothing like discussions with other business owners to get real practical help,” he says.
This is the sixth year of Back for Business. The support initiative addresses the challenges that all early-stage entrepreneurs encounter, but also focuses on the additional barriers faced by those who have been living outside Ireland for some years. Their personal and professional networks in Ireland have weakened since they have been abroad and their knowledge of the entrepreneurial ecosystem is not well developed.
There are places for up to 50 entrepreneurs to participate.
The deadline for completed applications for Back to Business is Thursday, January 12, 2023. For more information or to register your interest in receiving an application form, see www.backforbusiness.com.