Proof of Concept Funding
Funds third-level researchers up to €100,000 to move research toward market readiness.
Enterprise Ireland frames the fund's purpose as de-risking early-stage technologies and speeding their path toward commercialisation, part of a broader effort to bridge the gap between academic research and industry and help create high-potential startups from Irish research. Proof of Concept Funding sits alongside two existing supports under the same Commercialisation Fund umbrella, the Feasibili…
This new stream under Enterprise Ireland's Commercialisation Fund is aimed at third-level researchers, including postdoctoral scientists on contract, who want to take research and technology through its first steps toward market readiness. It funds activities such as customer discovery, prototype development and early-stage human-use studies to validate technical feasibility and market need.
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