Mayo businesswoman winner in Visa programme for female founders
VISA, a global leader in digital payments, has announced the five female winners of its 2026 She’s Next grant programme in Ireland, including Flexera, founded by Mayo woman Hannah Joyce.
Aimed at closing the entrepreneurship gap and supporting more women business owners in Ireland, the She’s Next grant programme awards winners with a total of €90,000 in business funding together with expert coaching, mentorship and additional resources to help their businesses thrive.
Founded by Hannah Joyce, Westport, Flexera is a premium fitness brand bringing the popular reformer pilates studio experience into the home.
A space-conscious at-home reformer machine is paired with a digital platform featuring live and on-demand classes, personalised programmes, and progress tracking. A rental membership model further lowers entry costs.
Speaking about her win, Hannah said: “Being named one of this year’s She’s Next grant programme winners has been fantastic and feels like a further validation of the Flexera business model.
“Every aspect of this support programme has been invaluable, having the ability to connect with the amazing mentors and female founders who have been where we are going has been hugely insightful.
“Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans for Flexera, including scaling our rental membership and expanding our brand into new markets. This grant is a gamechanger in making those plans a reality.”
Spanning sectors as diverse as food, advocacy, beauty and fitness, the Visa’s 2026 She’s Next Grant Programme winners are:
Hannah Joyce, founder of Flexera
Niamh Tallon, co-founder of Her Sport
Nicola Lyons and Elaine Crosse. co-founders of Bánór
Sarah O’Sullivan, founder of SOS Cookies
Sinéad Burke, founder of Tilting the Lens
This year’s overall winner, Sinéad Burke, founder of Tilting the Lens, was awarded a €50,000 grant, having successfully pitched her business to an independent panel of judges. Each of the four other winners received a €10,000 business grant to help take their next business steps with confidence.
Speaking about this year’s winners, Ines Obtinalla, head of marketing, Ireland, at Visa said: “At Visa, we are committed to supporting Irish SMEs, whether they are just starting out or are established and looking to grow. The She’s Next programme is just one example of how we are helping entrepreneurs across Ireland access the funding, expertise and connections that can make a meaningful difference to their businesses.
“Over the past five years, we’ve seen the impact that the right support can have, helping female founders across Ireland turn ambition into action through funding, mentorship, business coaching and networking opportunities. This year’s five winners are a fantastic reflection of the breadth of female entrepreneurship in Ireland today. They are building ambitious businesses, and we are incredibly proud to support them as they take their next steps.”
In addition to grants and as part of this year’s award package, one-to-one business mentoring was provided by three of Ireland’s most respected businesswomen, Aimee Connolly (founder and CEO, Sculpted by Aimee), Breege O’Donoghue (former board member, Primark) and Gráinne Mullins (founder, Grá Chocolates).
The award package also included individual and group pitch preparation sessions as well as access to ongoing supports available through Visa’s She’s Next alumni network.