FEMALE entrepreneurs from Limerick are being encouraged to submit their applications for the latest cycle of ACORNS, a business development programme to support women living in rural Ireland who are in the early stages of starting their own business.
ACORNS has been providing support to early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland for over a decade and has recently launched its the eleventh cycle of the programme.
The deadline for applications for ACORNS 11 is midnight on September 22. There are up to 50 places available, and those wishing to receive an application form should register on acorns.ie.
Limerick entrepreneur Ixis Santos, of Forest Mist Skincare, completed the latest cycle of the programme.
Ixis started her skincare business from her home in Curraghchase in 2023 out of desperation after she had suffered from severe skin sensitivities since childhood.
Forest Mist Skincare produces gentle, natural, organic, and efficacy-tested products that help resolve issues for people with sensitive skin.
Ixis was recognised as best emerging entrepreneur at the Limerick LEO awards 2025. She says that one of the best benefits of the ACORNS programme was the way it helped her develop the right mindset to pursue her business goals.
“ACORNS has been one of the best things to happen to me as a startup business. The connections, the support, and the atmosphere when we were together – it was incredible. When we are together, we can achieve anything,” she says.
ACORNS is based on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers. Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, facilitated by an entrepreneur with first-hand experience of starting and growing a business in rural Ireland.
Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, who have had no sales before the end of June 2022, are eligible to apply.
ACORNS 11 will run from October 2025 to April 2026 and will include six monthly round table sessions, a workshop on understanding financials, a briefing by various development agencies, and an end-of-cycle celebration.
There will be no charge for those selected to participate in ACORNS 11, thanks to the continuing support of the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine and the voluntary contribution of time by the mentor entrepreneurs.
