Visa’s She’s Next Grant Programme, powering your next step

Marian Kennedy, Anewmum

Post Partum Relief Healthcare Ltd was founded by Marian Kennedy, a mum of four, in 2015. Marian was inspired to develop a range of products to support new mothers in their recovery post-birth following her own post-partum experience.

Marian is passionate about female healthcare and creating products that are science backed. The company’s Anewmum range has been created to help with the physical effects of pregnancy & birth with a range of hygiene and post-partum skincare products.

Denise Walsh, CurlyCo

Founded by Denise Walsh, CurlyCo offers expert hair care solutions for individuals with curly hair. With over 30 years of experience in the haircare industry, Denise brings personal insight and deep expertise to CurlyCo’s products, which are vegan, cruelty-free, and made in Ireland with locally sourced components. CurlyCo has partnered with 170 pharmacies nationwide and reached over 5,000 customers in its first year. The company also hosts CurlyConsult events, providing tailored hair care and education for the curly-haired community.

Sinead Ryan, Little Fitness

Little Fitness is a Social Enterprise founded by Sinéad Ryan that offers inclusive educational fitness programmes to children in homeless services and marginalised communities.

Little Fitness provides 8-week physical activity programmes that are fun, educational, and accessible to children of all ages, genders, abilities, and cultural backgrounds. By partnering with organisations like Cricket Ireland and Weightlifting Ireland, Little Fitness introduces children to new sports and skills, creating opportunities for them to thrive.

Lisa Kleiner, Nibbed Cacao

Nibbed Cacao offers organic hot cacao drinks as a functional alternative to coffee, delivering sustained energy without jitters thanks to theobromine, a natural stimulant. Each cup supports overall well-being with fibre iron, and magnesium for gut, cognitive, and heart health. Crafted from bean to bar, Nibbed emphasises self-care through its rich, sophisticated taste and relaxing ritual. Led by founder Lisa Kleiner, a food safety and nutrition expert, and Marketing Director, Anna O'Sullivan, Nibbed thrives in retail, online, and food service markets.

Micro Business: Suraya Rahman,
Little Eden Terrariums

Suraya’s ambition is to bring people closer to nature on the basis that plants are not only essential for our living environment, but regular access to nature refreshes the mind, stimulates creativity, and provides energy. Along with instantly reducing stress, regular access to nature can prolong lifespans and improve both physical and mental wellbeing according to Suraya. Little Eden Terrariums offers elegant home decor pieces that are mini ecosystems in their truest sense. They contain all the key ingredients to sustain and thrive for years, and even decades to come. 

Each element is thoughtfully selected with nature in mind. Suraya works with recycled, hand-blown glassware and everything from the tools used to care guides and packaging is reusable and recyclable. No shortcuts are taken in the process, and each piece is meticulously curated using home-cultivated plants and mosses.

Early-Stage Business: Alison McGrath,
My First Steps

Alison is changing the landscape for children's foot health in Ireland with a recent survey by The College of Podiatry recently finding that 67% of children were wearing the wrong shoe size. Alison’s business My First Steps is on a mission to inspire confidence in parents with friendly, informative advice, while ensuring the foot health of generations to come. They work diligently with their brands to ensure the best training and most up to date knowledge; they analyse each shoe to determine its key features and work closely with local experts including podiatrists.

Changemakers: Mamobo Ogoro,
GORM

Mamobo’s company GORM is an award-winning social enterprise on a mission to unify across differences and advance belonging for marginalised communities. GORM's vision is to spark a movement of unity and shared understanding through innovative digital media, intercultural training and events that demonstrate that difference does not mean division. With the unique blend of expertise in creative media and social psychology GORM aids in the sustainable goals of reducing inequality and peace, justice and strong institutions. 

GORM is a non-partisan & non-religious social enterprise that focuses on a human first approach to engage across lines of difference through media related projects, events and educational programmes.

Innovation & Technology: Marion Cantillon,
PitSeal

PitSeal is on a mission to transform agricultural practices with an innovative solution for covering silage pits. Marion’s business is aimed at addressing the pressing issue of plastic waste and safety hazards associated with traditional covers. PitSeal say that by providing a sustainable and efficient alternative, the company is revolutionizing the way farmers preserve their silage while reducing environmental impact. Traditional silage pit covers, such as tires or plastic sheets, contribute to plastic pollution and pose safety risks. PitSeal says its product is a biodegradable and compostable cover that not only minimizes plastic waste but also ensures superior silage preservation.