There are a number of schemes approved under Priority 1. The implementation of these schemes will contribute significantly towards increasing the level of research taking place in the BMW region, with company engagement and will increase the number of companies undertaking industry R&D in the BMW Region. These schemes are vital in strengthening the economic development of the region and in making the region more connected, innovative and smarter.
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centres Programme
The objective of the Research Centres Programme is to develop a set of world-leading, large-scale research centres that will provide major economic impact for Ireland.
SFI Research Centres link scientists and engineers in partnerships across academia and industry to address crucial research questions; foster the development of new and existing Irish-based technology companies; attract industry that could make an important contribution to Ireland and its economy; attract international research talent and capital; attract, anchor and spin out related companies in Ireland; and increase the numbers of SFI-trained researchers employed in industry.
All of the approved research centre proposals will be aligned with the 14 priorities identified in Ireland’s Research Prioritisation Exercise. A key feature of SFI Research Centres is the creation of a critical mass of internationally leading researchers in strategic areas which become a key attractant to industry and lay the foundation for effective and productive academic and industrial partnerships. SFI Research Centres envisage maximising capabilities, outputs and industry offerings, including the transfer of knowledge and expertise to enterprises and the spin-out of new, high-technology start-up companies that have the potential to raise external angel or venture funding.
For more information visit the SFI website
Science Foundation Ireland Spokes Programme
The objective of the Spokes Programme is to promote the further development of existing SFI Research Centres to incorporate new areas of research, new industrial and academic collaborators.
The Spokes programme is an initiative to enable the addition of new industrial and academic partners and projects to an existing SFI Research Centre, thus allowing the Centre to expand and develop in line with new priorities and opportunities, aligned with the 14 priorities identified in Ireland’s Research Prioritisation Exercise. The Spokes programme also provides a vehicle to link together, in a meaningful and relevant way, different Research Centres. The Programme has been designed to deliver excellent oriented applied research results and discoveries in targeted projects associated with SFI Research Centres, and hence will deliver significant economic and societal impact during the lifetime of the programme.
For more information visit the SFI website
Science Foundation Ireland Investigators Programme
The objective of SFI’s Investigator Programme is to encourage researchers to build capacity, expertise, collaborations and relationships in areas of strategic economic importance through themed calls.
The programme supports the development of world class research capability and human capital in areas of science, engineering and mathematics that demonstrably support and underpin enterprise competitiveness and societal development in Ireland. To this end, SFI funds outstanding people with innovative ideas and strategic partnerships, recognising that excellence remains a paramount criterion in the research it funds. The Investigators Programme will address crucial research questions, expand educational and career opportunities in Ireland in science and engineering, and prepare the research community to lead and win in Horizon 2020 and other non-exchequer funding programmes.
For more information visit the SFI website
Marine Research Programme
The objective of the Marine Research Programme is to support capacity building and technology transfer through a range of interventions including PhD scholarships, Post-Doctoral Fellowships, research projects and inward/outward research visits.
The Marine Institute will host competitive calls for funding of marine research activities which will be open to both the public sector and to industry and will co-fund relevant research undertaken by public research bodies which aligns with Ireland’s marine research objectives, as set out in the Government policy ‘Harnessing our Ocean Wealth’ and consistent with Priority 1 of the Atlantic Strategy Action Plan, in the BMW Region.
The Marine Institute will also catalyse funding from other funding agencies (e.g. Environmental Protection Agency, Science Foundation Ireland, Irish Research Council, Geological Survey of Ireland, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, etc.) through co-funding initiatives aimed at achieving common research objectives. This initiative will increase the level of research activity taking place in the BMW region aligned with Ireland’s marine research priorities and in support of a growing marine economic sector, thus contributing to the specific objective of the investment priority.
For more information visit the Marine Institute Website
Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund
The objective of the Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund is to foster and grow a dynamic and commercially aware research community and to create an environment that promotes entrepreneurship.
In so doing, an accessible route to commercialisation is established for the transfer of knowledge from the research base into industry. Third-level researchers and researchers in other Research Producing Organisations can apply to carry out applied research that may lead to licensing agreements and spin-out companies.
The programme will fund the development of innovations at all stages of the commercial pipeline to the point where they can be commercialised as new products, services and companies. Two funding supports are provided:
- Feasibility support to investigate the commercial case for the innovation, technology, project idea;
- Commercialisation Fund support to develop the innovation/technology for commercialisation. Researchers in third level institutions and non-profit research agencies and organisations in the Republic of Ireland are eligible to apply. The Commercialisation Fund contributes to the specific objective of the investment priority by supporting research organisations to develop a route to commercialisation for innovative technology-based projects, leading to the creation of R&D based spin-out enterprises.
For more information visit Enterprise Ireland’s website
Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership Programme
The objective of the Innovation Partnership Programme is to propel the use of key technologies by Irish companies by encouraging them to work with Irish research institutes resulting in mutually beneficial co-operation and interaction.
Companies can access expertise and resources to develop new and improved products, processes, services, and generate new knowledge and know-how. The Innovation Partnership Programme helps companies to engage in collaborative research projects with Irish universities and institutes of technology to develop new products and services. The Programme will support companies that fulfil the following criteria:
- have a history of investing in innovation and R&D activity – mostly in-house;
- is deepening existing links between academia and business;
- is serving companies whose main motivations for participation is to help their business to grow and also to access academic knowledge.
For companies, Innovation Partnership funding reduces both the cost and the risk associated with collaborative research. The programme is focused on firms, especially SMEs that have difficulty exploiting technological developments that are outside their established capacities.
For more information visit Enterprise Ireland’s website
Enterprise Ireland Industry R&D Fund
he objective of the Enterprise Ireland Industry R&D Fund is to support Research, Development and Technological Innovation (RTDI) relevant at all stages of company development, and which will enable companies to progress from undertaking an initial research project to high level innovation and R&D activities.
The R&D Fund exists to promote innovation in companies by supporting projects involving product R&D and also innovation in services. The offer is focused both on companies which are planning to undertake substantial first R&D projects and those which are further developing their existing R&D activity. The focus of the programme will be to increase the number of companies participating in R&D from the BMW region, leading to innovation and the creation of new products and services. The suite of measures will contribute to increase in business expenditure in R&D in the Region, leading to the creation of sustainable innovative industries.
For more information visit Enterprise Ireland’s website
