Fortuna Community at the business forum in Drogheda
Our founder spoke about marketing without a budget and presented Business Hub and Business Booster.
Enterprise and economic opportunities
The "Enterprise and economic opportunities" area: people, knowledge and contacts to start a business in Ireland or grow one.
The problem
Many people arrive with a profession, experience and ideas and hit one wall: it is not clear how things work here, and there is nobody to ask. Starting a business, self-employment or a social enterprise without contacts and a mentor is hard.
Who it is for
People with an idea and no business, self-employed people and entrepreneurs who want to grow, and those thinking about a social enterprise.
The form of support
Step by step: meet people, get practical advice, find a mentor and partners, then start your first venture or grow the one you have.
What is inside, and at what stage
- Business Booster. Experts work through your idea or task. Pilot: two trial sessions, September 2026.
- Marketing & Sales Hub. How to find customers and build sales. Concept.
- Business Forums. Large meetings with practitioners. Took part in another organiser's forum on 10 October 2026; our own forums: concept.
- Pathways. From a first step to work or a small venture. Concept.
- Expert services. We introduce you to specialists. Being formed.
- Social enterprise. A business that earns and solves a community problem. Idea, looking for a leader.
- Grants calendar. A Business Hub service: open and upcoming grants and support schemes with deadlines and links to the official pages.
Results we plan to measure
This is a plan, not achieved figures: the number of participants and business ideas, mentoring sessions, partnerships created, and participants' progress towards employment or self-employment. We will publish how we count on the Impact and results page.
Free guide
Our guide How to start a business in Ireland takes you through nine steps, tells you where to apply and lists programmes and grants.