There are a number of options available for staff, students and researchers to engage in collaborative research and development with Industry supported by TU Dublin Innovation:
Commercialisation Fund
The Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund Programme aims to convert the outputs of state funded research into innovative new products, services and companies. The Programme supports researchers in TU Dublin to undertake research that has the potential to result in the commercialisation of new innovations by way of licenses to improve the competitiveness of Irish Industry or through the spin out of new start-up ventures.
Innovation Partnership Programme
The Innovation Partnership Programme is a source of funding from Enterprise Ireland which can provide up to 80% of the cost of research work towards the development of new and improved products, processes or services, or generate new knowledge and know-how. The IP created in the project will be owned by TU Dublin, but the company will be guaranteed a licence to the technology which is agreed upfront.
Innovation Voucher Scheme
The Innovation Voucher Scheme is a source of funding from Enterprise Ireland for small projects which finances a project to a total of €5,000 and are available to assist a company or companies to explore a business opportunity or problem with a registered knowledge provider. Small and medium-sized companies may make use of a maximum of four vouchers, one of which must be a 50-50 co-funded voucher. The company pays only the VAT on the project (€1,150) and any IP created during the project is owned by the company.
Innovation Vouchers can be used for any kind of innovation such as:
- new product/process development;
- new business model development;
- new service delivery and customer interface;
- new service development;
- tailored training in innovation management;
- innovation/technology audit.
Consultancy
The company can pay for the total cost of the project (direct staff costs, materials, overheads, etc) with all the IP developed during the project typically being owned by the company and any background IP required will be licensed to the company.
Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF)
The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) is a €500 million fund established under Project Ireland 2040. It is managed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and administered by Enterprise Ireland. Please check out the DTIF website for the next call.
Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges.
SFI Frontiers for the Future Programme
The SFI Frontiers for the Future Programme provides opportunities for independent investigators to conduct highly innovative, collaborative research with the potential to deliver impact, whilst also providing opportunities for high-risk, high-reward research projects. The Programme will be run in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and the Children's Health Foundation (CHF). SFI is open to forging new co-funding partnerships with agencies and organisations.
Enterprise Partnership Scheme (Postdoctoral)
The Irish Research Council’s Enterprise Partnership Scheme is a unique national initiative linking excellent researchers in all disciplines to enterprise; in the context of this call, enterprise partners can range from multinational corporations to SMEs, non-governmental organisations, and, where justified, public sector agencies. The scheme provides researchers with the opportunity to pursue research in collaboration with enterprise while based at an eligible higher education or research-performing institution.