Ryan Academy seeking applicants for Female High Fliers programme

DCU Ryan Academy are looking for Ireland’s brightest and most dynamic female led start-ups for their prestigious Female High Fliers programme which commences this coming September at Citywest.

Supported by Enterprise Ireland, the Female High Fliers programme will equip participants with the information, guidance and tools to turn their idea into a profitable and scaleable business. It is the first accelerator programme designed exclusively for start-ups founded and run by female entrepreneurs. There are only 10 places available on the highly sought after programme, which attracts hundreds of applicants since it launched in 2014.

Speaking about the Female High Fliers Programme, Niamh Collins, Chief Operations Officer, DCU Ryan Academy said: “The Female High Fliers programme responds specifically to the challenges facing female founded start-ups. Research has shown that while female led start-ups excel to a far greater level than their male counterparts, in many areas, including tech, they are still less likely to receive investment. Also, and perhaps most worryingly females are more risk averse than their male peers. The Female High Fliers programme will provide the mentoring, the expertise and the tools to help female led start-ups to bring their business to the next level and find solutions to obstacles, real or self-imposed that lie in their way.”

All successful applicants will work with business experts at the Ryan Academy, for one full day per week, for 13 weeks, which will involve pitching to mentor panels, 10 customer interviews per week and online tutorials. Participants will then pitch to a panel of investors at the end of the programme. The closing date for application is Thursday, August 11th. This is the third year of the hugely successful programme which received an “Internationally Recognised Best Practice in Women’s Entrepreneurship” award by the European Training Foundation in 2015.

To apply for the DCU Ryan Academy Female High Fliers Programme go to www.ryanacademy.ie