Tipperary mum wins €5k grant in national business competition
Cappawhite's Aishling Flaherty received €5k for her business, Caboodle
The CatalyseHer programme, delivered between October and December 2025, brought together over 30 Irish women founders from across the country.
Participants took part in a structured, online learning programme focused on key areas of business development including validation, product-market fit, financial planning, pitching, and growth strategy.
Over the course of several months, founders engaged in weekly modules, live workshops, peer learning sessions, and an active online forum that fostered collaboration, shared problem-solving, and mutual support.
The programme culminated in a final pitch competition, where participants presented their businesses to a judging panel.
Two founders were selected as winners, each receiving a €5,000 grant to support the next stage of development of their businesses.
One of the winners, Aishling Flaherty, is the founder of Caboodle Ireland, an early-stage eCommerce platform aimed at making it easier for consumers to buy from independent Irish businesses through a single online checkout.
Aishling developed Caboodle on her own over two maternity leaves from my role as Associate Prof in UL with the aim of making online shopping easier and cheaper for businesses and customers in Ireland.
She describes Caboodle as a bit like Amazon, just on fairer terms for businesses.
Speaking after the announcement, she highlighted the value of the programme not only for funding, but for confidence and clarity: “CatalyseHer provided structure, accountability, and an incredible peer network. The programme helped me articulate the value of what I’m building and gave me the confidence to take the next step.”
CatalyseHer is supported by a consortium of partners committed to addressing the gender gap in entrepreneurship by increasing access to funding, skills, and networks for women founders.
The programme places particular emphasis on early-stage businesses, recognising the challenges women entrepreneurs often face in accessing capital and visibility during the start-up phase.
Programme organisers noted the high calibre of ideas presented during the final pitch and the diversity of sectors represented, ranging from technology and sustainability to retail, services, and social enterprise.
Following the success of the 2025 cohort, organisers have confirmed that details of the next CatalyseHer intake in Ireland will be announced in the coming months, with continued focus on empowering women founders to build scalable and sustainable businesses.