No! WeScale does not automatically exclude any business or founder. We had a wide range of founders from service and product based businesses take part in the pilot programme, meet the SheScales founders here.

WeScale is open to all busineses who have a scalable and innovation-driven business model. Applications from all sectors will be considered if the business has developed a unique product, system or process that provides additional value to the core business activity.

Be a women-led or women-founded business

Be based on the island of Ireland

Be a registered business (pre-revenue applicants are eligible)

Have less than 250 employees and less than £40m (or euro equivalent) in annual turnover

Have strong potential for international market expansion. More on eligibility here

Our advice-do not exclude yourself from this opportunity, apply and get our feedback. There are many opportunities we can then share with you.

WeScale has been designed to complement support already available and is a great next step for those who are ready to scale up. The WeScale programme, is fully funded led by InterTradeIreland in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, is supported under the Shared Island Enterprise Scheme, funded by the Government of Ireland

The iHPSU funding supports High Potential Start-Ups (HPSUs). These businesses are internationally focused, have developed a minimal viable product (MVP) and have demonstrated some commercial traction.

WeScale supports women founders who have a proven business model with demonstrated product-market fit in at least one market and will have evidence of sustained growth over three years. Earlier stage, fast-growing companies with clear momentum will also be considered. (pre-revenue applicants are eligible)

Wendy Slattery from SheScales 1.0 (pilot 2025) spoke frankly about the benefit of taking WeScale after the iHPSU support, describing it as a natural next step to move from HPSU Founders Forum into WeScale. Wendy also highly valued the world class university accredited training delivered as part of programme and the impact of a women only community supporting each other continually after the training had ended. Here more from Wendy here

WeScale and an MBA occupy very different spaces in the learning and development landscape, even though both can advance leadership capability. WeScale is designed as a practical acceleration programme for founders who want to scale a business. It focuses on operational readiness, strategic clarity, market expansion, investment preparedness, and the lived realities of growth. Its emphasis is on application, peer learning, and rapid execution. WeScale is cohort-driven and practice-led, often involving mentors, industry experts, and investor networks. WeScale has nine core modules delivered in a hybrid format. Each founder will build a unique pathway choosing option programmes of service and mentoring to uniquely match their business needs. The learning is shaped by the needs and pace of scaling businesses. It is accredited by Cranfield University based on in person review of engagement in the modules and practical advances during your programme, not on examinations or graded coursework.

An MBA is an academic degree that provides a wide-ranging theoretical foundation in management disciplines such as finance, operations, strategy, economics, and organisational behaviour.

Apply for WeScale. Take this opportunity to back yourself and your business!

Francis Duffy from 6D-Dimentia, wasnt sure she was ready for the programme and she is now delighted to have taken part. Francis has since secured a major contract and her business is scaling into the UK market.

WeScale will run across three years, and we can guide you on your readiness. If its not a good fit now, we have lots of support available to get your in the best position for 2026, and 2027.

WeScale will support 18 participants per cohort per year. We have intakes in 2026, 2027, and finally 2028. WeScale is building an integrated alumni community for ongoing growth, visibility, and support

Join a community of ambitious women founders and unlock the potential to thrive on a global scale.

Lock the dates into your calendar now!

We will notify everyone by December 18th 2025 on the outcome of their application. Kick off is January 20th 2026 Dublin.

All dates are available on the InterTradeIreland website under Key Programme dates here

Email InterTradeIreland on we@intertradeireland.com and copy us in on hello@awakenhub.com please submit your application ahead of the deadline if possible to reduce stress.