Research, Development & Innovation Grants

Contact us

Business start-ups, SMEs and large established companies at all stages of development can apply for funding supports to assist them to grow and expand through Research, Development and Innovation (“RD&I”). The range of supports are considerable and are delivered through a variety of State agencies and EU Institutions.

We provide support in applying for RD&I funding support through bodies such as Enterprise Ireland ("EI"), Irish Development Association (“IDA”) Ireland, and the EU funding bodies.

Your funding options to accelerate innovation and growth

While there is a wide variety of grants available to encourage RD&I activity, the examples below highlight some of the main options from EI and IDA—illustrating the scale and scope of supports open to Irish companies.


Enterprise Ireland

EI is a State agency responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in global markets. RD&I funding supports from EI are closely aligned to a business’s stage of development, with their funding options reflecting this. Below are some of the key RD&I funding programmes currently available through EI.

close-up-piggy-bank-with-man-using-laptop-background

Innovation Vouchers, worth €5,000, are available to incentivize early-stage companies to collaborate with registered colleges or knowledge providers in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The key criteria are that the company should be exploring new business opportunities or seeking to solve a technical problem(s).

The aim of this feasibility grant is to assist an early stage company or individual entrepreneur to investigate the viability of a new export orientated business or proposition. The grant funding available is up to 50% of eligible expenditure, capped at a total grant amount of €15,000.

This exploration grant can be used to investigate the feasibility of developing a new product, process, technology or service offering. The grant funding available is up to 50% of eligible expenditure, capped at a total grant amount of €35,000.

This fund is aimed at companies developing new or substantially improved products, services or processes. Projects may range from solving technical challenges to innovations in services delivery or business models. Companies can access up to 50% funding, where the grant requested is greater than €150,000 (total project cost greater than €300,000).

This fund is similar to the RD&I fund in that it aims to support developing new or substantially improved products, services or processes. It is called the Agile Innovation Fund as it offers faster turnaround times from application to approval than the RD&I funds. It allows companies in sectors with rapid design cycles to keep their advantage by offering an online application and fast-track approval process, so you can quickly engage in the innovation activity necessary to make your international growth ambitions reality. Companies can access up to 50% funding, where the grant requested is less than €150,000 (total project cost less than €300,000).

This programme offer's financial support to companies who engage in collaborative research projects with Irish Universities and Institutes of Technology. The proposal process and administration of the project is managed by the participating third level research institution. This programme provides grants of up to 80% towards eligible costs of the research project. Funding from Enterprise Ireland will normally not exceed €200,000.

IDA Ireland

IDA Ireland is State agency responsible for the attraction and retention of inward Foreign Direct Investment (“FDI”) into Ireland. Grants and support are available to existing and potential clients of IDA Ireland. They are dependent on company size, category, activity and its potential economic impact. Outlined below are some of the principal RD&I funding supports available through IDA Ireland.

Innovation Vouchers, worth €5,000, are available to assist IDA client SME companies to collaborate with a registered college or knowledge provider in Ireland and Northern Ireland to explore a business opportunity or solve a technical problem.

This grant can be used to investigate the feasibility of developing a new product, process, technology or service offering. This grant is designed to support exploratory work required to develop and justify longer term and more sustainable RD&I programmes within IDA client companies. It provides grants up to a maximum value of €250,000, at rates up to 50% of eligible expenditure.

The RD&I Grant Aid is designed to support extremely large and technically ambitious RD&I projects. RD&I Grant Aid is available for current and potential IDA clients. The level of funding is dependent on an independent technical assessment and assessment of the strategic and commercial importance of the project.

Outlined below are some of the principal RD&I funding supports available through IDA Ireland.

Contact our expert today!

Mark-OSullivan-partner-bdo-ireland

Mark O'Sullivan

Partner, Research & Development Incentives, BDO Dublin
View bio

Latest insights