Back for Business

Back for Business is an initiative to foster and support entrepreneurial activity among emigrants who have returned, or who plan to, and who wish to start a new business in Ireland.

Piloted in 2017, it is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and works on a model of peer support, where Lead Entrepreneurs volunteer their time to work with participants to develop their businesses for sustainability and growth.

It is structured around monthly roundtable sessions that address obstacles faced by those who have lived abroad for a time, including building support networks and overcoming administrative burdens. The programme has been very successful, with approximately 250 individuals completing it since it began.

During the 2025 cycle, the 31 participants gained valuable insight into overcoming barriers and by the conclusion of the programme there were a total of 51 new employees working in their firms, with a 39% increase in exports for their companies compared to before their completion of the programme.