Denise Walsh, Founder of Curly Co, Wins €10,000 Grant in Visa’s She’s Next Programme

Denise Walsh, Founder of Irish Haircare brand Curly Co, Wins €10,000 Grant in Visa’s She’s Next Programme

Denise Walsh, founder of Curly Co, has been named one of five winners in Visa’s She’s Next Grant Programme, securing a €10,000 grant to support the growth of her business. The programme, now in its fourth year, received its highest number of applications to date, demonstrating the increasing demand for funding and mentorship among women entrepreneurs in Ireland.

Curly Co, a haircare brand dedicated to celebrating and enhancing natural curls, stood out among over 770 applicants. Denise will receive not only the grant but also expert mentoring from award-winning entrepreneur Aimee Connolly, founder of Sculpted by Aimee, as well as business coaching through MentorsWork, an initiative by Skillnet Ireland in partnership with the Small Firms Association (SFA).

Speaking about the win, Mandy Lamb, Managing Director UK & Ireland, Visa, said:
“Denise’s passion and commitment to empowering people to embrace their natural curls truly impressed the judging panel. At Visa, we are dedicated to supporting female entrepreneurs through funding, mentoring, and coaching, helping them to scale their businesses with confidence.”

Denise joins a prestigious group of women entrepreneurs benefiting from Visa’s She’s Next programme, which has provided €215,000 in funding to 20 female-led businesses across Ireland since 2021.