The call is open for applicants for a free initiative to help returned emigrants to Galway start and develop businesses in Ireland. This is the fourth year of the very successful Back for Business developmental programme, which is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Past participants on the first three years of the programme have recorded increased sales, created new jobs, and won export contracts. The combined turnover of the 2020 group tripled during the programme – despite the Covid pandemic.
The Back for Business initiative was established to foster and support entrepreneurial activity among returned emigrants or those returning to live in Ireland. It addresses the challenges that all early-stage entrepreneurs encounter – as well as the additional barriers faced by those who have been living outside the country for some time.
Back for Business 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 to live in Ireland in the near future. (Eligibility criteria in notes below )
The currently call is open for applications for the 2021 programme, which will run from February to July 2021. There is no charge for those selected to participate.
The closing date for applications is January 25, 2021. There are places this year for up to 40 entrepreneurs to participate for the first time in Back for Business, with an additional ten places being made available on a further development phase for those who completed a cycle previously. Those interested in learning more can download a brochure and register their interest in receiving an application form by logging onto www.backforbusiness.com Former participants from Galway include Sarah O’Donnell of Little & Large, a boutique digital advertising agency and Gavin Duffy of TRIGR. Sarah and Gavin both took part in the third cycle of Back for Business. Enthusiastic about the benefits of participation, they encourage other recently returned emigrants to apply for the programme.
Sarah, who returned home from Australia said: “Back for Business has been invaluable to us as a business. Our Lead Entrepreneur’s support, guidance and advice was incredibly important and helped to completely turn around our business after an initial negative impact due to Covid-19. I’d recommend this programme to anyone.”
Gavin Duffy returned from London and set up TRIGR in 2020, a freelance management system which helps businesses to outsource and manage freelance staff in the creative sectors. Gavin said: “I have the utmost respect for the Back for Business programme. I really enjoyed my time with the group, learning and pushing each other each step of the way. Couldn’t have asked for more.”
The deadline for completed applications for Back to Business is January 25, 2021. For more information or to register your interest in receiving an application form, please see www.backforbusiness.com
