This year’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) is now open for applications, with €40 million in competitive funding available.
DTIF is designed to advance the commercial development and deployment of disruptive technologies and applications, by fostering impactful collaborations between Ireland’s world-class research base and industry and enabling enterprises to develop and adopt these technologies at scale.
It is the eighth competitive call under DTIF which to date has supported 131 innovative collaborative projects since its launch in 2018 – with awards averaging around €4 million for each project. Projects cover areas such as life sciences, medical devices, ICT and artificial intelligence.
Making the announcement, Minister Burke said: “The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund enables high-impact collaborations that turn groundbreaking ideas into real-world commercial solutions. It gives ambitious enterprises the opportunity to scale and create high-quality jobs, and reinforces Ireland’s position as a leading innovation-driven economy.”
“I am delighted to open this new €40 million competitive call for applications under the Fund today, and I am confident it will attract pioneering, transformative projects with the ambition and potential to deliver lasting benefits for our economy and society.
“Ireland has the talent, research excellence and enterprise ambition to lead in disruptive innovation. By backing exciting collaborations, and rewarding bold thinking, we are creating the conditions for enterprises to emerge, scale and compete globally – I am excited to see what this next wave of innovators will achieve.”
Welcoming the announcement, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, TD, said: “In an era of rapid technological change, Ireland must continue to harness its talented research base and enterprise ambition to create new opportunities for innovation that can underpin our future growth, competitiveness and sustainability.”
“The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund is focused on achieving real impact; through fostering academic-industry collaboration; developing our research talent; and producing world beating innovative solutions with the potential to drive economic and societal transformation.
“The new €40 million competitive call opening today is reflective of the Government’s continuing commitment to ensure that Ireland remains at the forefront of technological advancement globally.”
DTIF is administered by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
Commenting on the announcement, Jenny Melia, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Enterprise Ireland is delighted to support the launch of the eighth call of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund. DTIF has a strong track record of bringing Irish companies and our research institutions together to develop breakthrough technologies with real commercial potential.”
“I would encourage ambitious companies with novel and innovative ideas to apply, and our team is ready to support them through the process.”
Collaborative projects must be geared towards commercialisation over a three – to seven-year period.
Each project must have at least one SME and one other enterprise in a consortium of three or more project partners.
Collaborations with the Irish research sectors are encouraged. All partners must be based in Ireland and be clientd of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta or an eligible Research Performing Organisation.
Irish Semi-State organisations and public bodies are now eligible to participate as non-funded partners, provided projects still include at least three other eligible partners. Semi-State companies were previously ineligible.
The Fund targets industrial research and/or experimental development projects of scale and impact.
The minimum funding request must be €1.5 million for projects of up to three years’ duration. SME partners must provide matched funding while large companies must provide 60 per cent project funding.
Eligible applications will be assessed by independent international expert panels against four key criteria:
• Quality of the disruptive technology
• Excellence of the overall approach
• Economic impact and sustainability
• Strength of the collaboration
Consortia can submit applications from 1 October 2026.
Call 8 will close on 3 February 2027. Prospective applicants can obtain detailed information on the application process at enterprise.gov.ie/DTIF.
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