Irish organisations have secured more than €800 million in European funding to support research and innovation since 2021, new figures from Enterprise Ireland show, with almost 1,300 projects benefiting.
The funding, which comes from the EU’s Horizon Europe 2021 – 2027 research and innovation programme, totals €836 million to date, with the country targeting €1.5 billion in overall national drawdown from the seven-year programme. That is 1.6 per cent of the total budget for the scheme, which has already awarded €39 billion so far.
The Horizon programme tackles global challenges, conducts groundbreaking multidisciplinary research and aims to boost industrial competitiveness and growth in the EU.
Under the current programme, 1,295 projects involving 487 individual Irish organisations and businesses have received funding, with almost half receiving more than €250,000 and 20 per cent getting more than €1 million.
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The recipients are drawn from higher education institutions, research and public organisations, and SMEs. Ireland ranks fourth for SME participation in the 27 EU member states.
Among the top successes are the European Research Council’s grants for academic researchers, which has received €131 million; the digital, industry and space programme area at €122 million; and the food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment programme area, which has been awarded €121 million.
“Ireland’s overall success in the Horizon Europe programme, supported by Enterprise Ireland and nine other government agencies and departments, shines a spotlight on the innovation capability of Irish organisations which are competing and winning on a pan-European level,” said Micol Martinelli, national director for Horizon Europe in Ireland. “This EU funding is instrumental in providing critical support to enable researchers to further develop their innovations which will influence and strengthen EU policy for the good of future generations.”
Ms Martinelli said collaboration and the building of relationships with organisations in other countries is a key driver of impact for research and innovation.
“To unleash Ireland’s full potential, we want to encourage and facilitate newcomers and to build on Irish participation for the remainder of the Horizon Europe programme and beyond.”
The Horizon Europe Impact Conference is currently being held at the Convention Centre Dublin.
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