Programmes to help women entrepreneurs grow, innovate and scale
Programmes designed to help women entrepreneurs grow, innovate and scale
Women entrepreneurs across the island of Ireland can apply for four programmes to help them grow and scale their businesses. The programmes are part of the Shared Island Enterprise Scheme, delivered by InterTradeIreland in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.
Support is available for businesses at all stages, from early ideas to established companies looking to expand.
WeGrow programme
Delivered by Women in Business NI and Network Ireland, this is a growth programme for established women-led small and medium-sized entreprises (SMEs) that want to expand across the island of Ireland and review their business potential.
Applications are open until Friday 4 September 2026.
Apply to the WeGrow programme.
WeScale programme
Delivered by AwakenHub, this programme supports women entrepreneurs to scale their businesses in a strategic and sustainable way. It combines expert-led learning, tailored mentoring and access to investors.
Applications close on Monday 21 September 2026.
Check if you are eligible for the WeScale programme.
WeVenture programme
Delivered through the Alinea Framework, WeVenture supports women researchers to build confidence, capability, and commercially viable ventures. It offers a suite of programmes providing supportive, structured guidance to help women researchers explore and grow the commercial potential of their work.
Applications for the following programmes are currently open:
Resources - places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis
Ideation - applications close Wednesday 29 July 2026
Find out more about the WeVenture programme.
WeBuild programme
Delivered by TechFoundHer, this programme supports women entrepreneurs to develop and grow tech-driven business ideas. It focuses on innovation, building artificial intelligence (AI) skills and creating strong, future-ready businesses.
Applications are currently open for this programme.
Check if you are eligible for the WeBuild programme.
Participants on all four programmes will receive expert mentoring, tailored support, workshops and networking opportunities to help them grow faster and achieve long-term success.
First published 21 November 2025