7 January 2026
By Bryan McCarthy
bryan@TheCork.ie
Up to 50 people will be offered places on Government-backed initiative
Back for Business, the free government programme that helps returned emigrants start and develop businesses in Ireland, is now open to applications.
The programme, which is funded by the Irish Abroad Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was created to foster and support entrepreneurial activity among emigrants recently returned to Ireland or are still living abroad but thinking of returning to Ireland.
Back for Business is now seeking offers of interest from eligible candidates hoping to return or who have already returned to Cork.
To qualify, applicants must be returned Irish emigrants who lived abroad for at least a year and have returned to Ireland in the last three years, or are currently living abroad with plans to return to Ireland in the near future.
This is the ninth year of the programme and those eligible have until Friday, January 16th, to apply through www.backforbusiness.com. The programme will begin with a Launch Forum and round table event on February 13th, 2026, and will conclude in June. Up to 50 places are available.
Back for Business has a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs who are returned emigrants to significant grow sales and increase employment. Since launching in 2017, the initiative has helped early-stage entrepreneurs address common challenges faced by emigrants who have been living away from Ireland.
Some 100% of those who completed last year’s programme, Back for Business 8, reported they would recommend the programme to others and would like to stay in contact with the Back for Business community.
Participants on Back for Business 9 will meet once a month on a peer-supported round table, facilitated by voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs, who have experience of successfully starting and growing a business. Many of them have also lived abroad before returning to Ireland to start their business.
This year’s Lead Entrepreneurs are: Gillian O’Dowd, Director at Azon; Paul Duggan of The Gardiner Group; Seamus Reilly, co-founder and formerly of Critical Healthcare; Sinéad Doherty, founder and CEO of Fenero; and Thomas Ennis, founder of the Thomas Ennis Group.
Former participants from Cork include Alan Coakley, Founder of Republic of Oud (www.republicofoud.com), a niche perfume house and distributor based in Cork City. Operating from a store in the city’s historic Winthrop Arcade, the company employs three full-time staff and stocks perfume brands from the Middle East, France, Greece and the UK. It is also a key distributor for Ajmal, a historic perfume house in the UAE. Recently named in Gloss Magazine as one of Ireland’s top 100 stores, Republic of Oud is also a member of the UK Fragrance Foundation, a prestigious organisation featuring a range of major market players, including Harrods, Selfridges, and Harvey Nicholas. Alan hails the Back for Business programme’s influence on the development of his business. “Participating in the Back for Business programme has been a transformative experience for Republic of Oud. As a company founded by a returned emigrant, we often faced unique challenges navigating the Irish business ecosystem. This programme provided invaluable support, mentorship, and community that helped us gain clarity, build confidence, and scale sustainably,” he said.
Tom O’Brien is the Founder and CEO of Sprintmodo (www.sprintmodo.com) , a team effectiveness company that drives momentum by making it easy to do what the best teams do. Tom, who was a participant on Back for Business 3, says he found setting up his business in Ireland straightforward, and he feels that the support agencies here are doing a good job helping budding entrepreneurs. “Back for Business is an exceptional programme that helps start-ups to learn from each other, guided by experienced Lead Entrepreneurs. It is a practical approach that gets results,” he said.