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Call seven of the DTIF fund will be on an open rolling basis, instead of the previous closed call approach, to prioritise ‘user friendliness’.
The Irish Government has today (7 May) launched the seventh call for its fund aimed at supporting cutting-edge research projects focusing on areas such as digitalisation, economic growth and climate action.
Call seven of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) was unveiled at the Mullingar, Co Westmeath offices of Ostoform, the lead partner of a DTIF third call project. The fund aims to encourage collaboration between industry and the research sector to foster the development and commercialisation of new technologies.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke, TD, welcomed the news, noting it was a crucial step in incentivising the continued development of these types of projects.
“The Irish enterprise and research sectors have regularly demonstrated their resilience and ability to adapt to challenges,” he said. “We want to foster these capabilities by de-risking some of the costs associated with the development of truly disruptive, innovative projects.”
The fund is committed to supporting advancing digital innovations across a wide range of areas – including quantum tech and AI – by providing €500m in support. So far, the DTIF has contributed €371m to 104 projects across six previous calls, such as the one involving Ostoform.
Ostoform, alongside its partners Ross Polymer and Technological University Shannon, is currently working on a revolutionary ostomy pouch that has the potential to considerably improve the quality of life for people living with digestive and urinary conditions.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan, TD, explained the Government’s aim to “maximise the impact of our investment in Irish research institutions.”
This will have a significant knock-on effect that will “drive innovation but also create more job opportunities for graduates in the future”, said O’Donovan.
In the DTIF’s previous call, launched in March of 2023, the Government decided to broaden the scope of who can be accepted into the fund, with new applicants obliged to include a focus on “industrial research” and “experimental development”.
Other project requirements include the presence of at least one SME and one other enterprise in a consortium of three or more project partners, while all partners must be based in Ireland and be a client of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta or an eligible research performing organisation.
Those interested in the fund can find out more information on enterprise.gov.ie.
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