Research, Development & Innovation Fund

Enterprise Ireland's Research, Development & Innovation Fund is the agency's main grant route for Irish-owned, internationally trading SMEs and large companies that want to develop new products, services or processes. It sits under Enterprise Ireland, the national agency for exporting and industrial growth, and it is tied to Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan with EU co-financing. The scheme awards grant aid rather than equity. Eligible projects must involve technical challenge and a step-up in R&D capability, with rates of 25% to 60% depending on company size and collaboration. It is open to Enterprise Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta, or Local Enterprise Office clients in manufacturing or internationally traded services, with a minimum of five full-time staff for LEO and Údarás clients. Projects also need to start only after approval, and the route excludes companies in difficulty as well as fossil-fuel, landfill, and incineration activity. Applicants are expected to engage a Client Advisor before submission, and the application runs through Enterprise Ireland's online portal on a rolling basis. The strongest fit is a company that can show commercial trading, an R&D stretch project, and the ability to move quickly once approval lands. Because the award is percentage-based, the programme is best read as a scale-up grant for firms with a credible technical plan rather than as a small voucher-style support.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.