Irish Gen Z twice as likely as the average adult to consider starting their own businesses

Dublin, 8th October 2026 – Irish Gen Z adults are twice as likely as the average adult to consider starting their own business, with 18% expressing entrepreneurial ambitions compared with 9% of adults overall, according to new research commissioned by Visa, global leader in digital payments and Title Sponsor of Ireland Fashion Week.

Released during Ireland Fashion Week, the findings point to the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs in Ireland, with technology and digital commerce helping make it easier than ever for young people to turn ideas into businesses. Nine in ten Gen Z adults in Ireland say technology has made it significantly easier for people to start and grow a small business today.

One sector already benefitting from this trend is fashion. This year's Ireland Fashion Week will showcase more than 40 graduate designers alongside established and emerging brands, highlighting how a new generation is combining creativity with digital skills to build successful businesses.

A separate survey of Irish fashion designers found that almost all (92%) say technology has made entrepreneurship a reality for them, while nine in ten (90%) believe being technologically savvy is now just as important as creativity when building and running a fashion business.

This combination of creativity and digital capability is translating into strong business confidence. Some 92% of designers surveyed expect their turnover to increase over the next year, with over a third (34%) anticipating growth of more than 20%. Visa cardholder data also shows that almost half of fashion transactions in Ireland now take place online, while payment volume in the sector continue to grow year on year, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs to reach customers beyond traditional retail channels.

Ines Obtinalla, Head of Marketing, Visa Ireland, said:

"The next generation of Irish entrepreneurs is coming of age in a digital-first economy. Technology is making it easier than ever for ambitious young people to launch businesses, reach customers and grow beyond traditional boundaries. The designers participating in Ireland Fashion Week show what is possible when creativity is combined with digital capability.”

Ireland Fashion Week is a powerful example of the intersection of culture and commerce, showcasing how creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship come together to create economic opportunity.”

Ashley McDonnell, Founder of Ireland Fashion Week, said:

"Ireland Fashion Week was born from a belief that Irish designers deserve a world-class platform to grow their businesses and reach new audiences. Seeing this cohort step onto the runway and into the spotlight is everything we set out to achieve, and having Visa's support behind that journey makes it all the more meaningful. From equipping designers with the insights and tools to manage their businesses through year-round bootcamps to bringing potential customers to their shows, the partnership between Ireland Fashion Week and Visa extends far beyond the runway."

The research also highlights the growing role of AI in supporting small business growth. Half (50%) of designers surveyed say AI is now an essential tool for fashion businesses, while 54% believe it is helping independent brands compete more effectively with larger industry players.

Trust remains equally important as businesses grow online. Some 84% of designers surveyed identified secure online payment options as the payment capability they believe will be most important to fashion businesses over the coming decade.

For emerging Irish designer Bray Zhang, aged 22, digital channels have been instrumental in building his business: "Social media has been crucial to growing my business. Before I had a website, it was how people discovered my work and contacted me, and even now it remains one of the easiest ways for people to find my brand and shop online. Technology has made the business side of being a designer much more accessible, from building my website to managing day-to-day operations, giving me more time to focus on the creative side of my work.”

As Ireland Fashion Week gets underway, the findings highlight how a new generation of entrepreneurs is using digital commerce to turn creative ambition into business success. Through its partnership with Ireland Fashion Week, Visa is proud to support the designers and small businesses helping shape the future of Ireland's creative economy.

ENDS

About the Designer Survey: The Designer Survey was commissioned by Visa and conducted among 50 designers participating in Ireland Fashion Week 2026 between 31 August and 13 September 2026. The findings relate specifically to the participating designers surveyed and are not nationally representative of the Irish fashion industry. 

 About the Visa Cardholder Data (VisaNet): Irish Visa card spend figures during the periods of August 2024 to July 2025, and August 2025 to July 2026. 

About the Visa-commissioned consumer omnibus conducted by iReach: Visa Europe commissioned research among 1,000 adults aged 18+ to explore consumer behaviour in Ireland relating to fashion purchasing behaviours and future fashion habits. The research was carried out via an online survey by iReach on behalf of Visa between the 20th to the 27th of August 2026. The sample had an even gender split. For the purpose of this study, Gen Z are defined as between the ages of 18 and 29.

The iReach Consumer Decisions Omnibus delivers a high level of statistical accuracy. Delivering a sample size of over 1,000 interviews, of which 297 were Gen Z, this provides a confidence level of + or – 2.5% at a 95% confidence interval.  

About Ireland Fashion Week  

Ireland Fashion Week is a national platform established to increase the visibility, commercial development and international reach of Irish fashion. Its inaugural year featured 55 designers across seven shows, attracted more than 2,000 attendees and achieved a combined social and press reach of more than 500 million.  

Ireland Fashion Week 2026 will take place from 7–12 October, featuring established, emerging and graduate designers across eight shows, industry events and development platforms.

As Title Sponsor, Visa shares Ireland Fashion Week’s mission of bringing Irish fashion to a global audience by support championing Irish designers, entrepreneurs and small businesses, contributing to growth across Ireland's creative economy. Visa is supporting the next generation of Irish design through the Graduate Show on 10 October, featuring more than 40 emerging designers. Alongside exclusive money-can’t-buy experiences for cardholders, Visa is also bringing more of Ireland Fashion Week to the public through the Visa Studio pop-up at Medley on 11 October, creating new ways for people to connect with Irish fashion, creativity and culture.