Women lead way with high-potential start-ups

Programmes designed to entice more women tobecome entrepreneurs have begun to pay dividends for Enterprise Ireland this year which doubled its number of women-led high-potential start-ups.

"In 2013 we had the highest number of female founders on record,” reveals the director of Enterprise Ireland’s high-potential start-up division, Lisa Vaughan, pointing out that women entrepreneurs are in a minority both in Ireland and internationally.

She says this year’s figure is an increase of eight on last year and comes as a result of two years’ work. In 2012 Enterprise Ireland launched initiatives offering Competitive Feasibility funding up to €25,000 and Competitive Start Funding up to €50,000 specifically for women and by this year had provided funding for 30 female-led early stage businesses.