Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke announced that a further €40 million will be made available under his Department’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF), which will open for applications on 1 October this year.
DTIF seeks to invest in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies on a commercial basis; drive collaboration between Ireland’s world-class research base and industry; facilitate enterprises to compete directly for funding in support of the development and adoption of these technologies; and fund a new wave of start-ups.
Since the Fund’s inception in 2018, a total of 131 collaborative projects has been supported with awards averaging €4 million over seven competitive calls to date. A further €40 million is being made available by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to support successful applications under the new Call 8.
Speaking at the announcement, Minister Burke said: “I am very pleased to be making €40 million available for an eighth call under the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, delivering on a key commitment in our Programme for Government, and underscoring my Department’s resolute focus on deepening Ireland’s innovation capacity and underwriting Ireland’s competitiveness into the future, as set out in our Sectoral Capital Plan 2026-2030.
“Through the provision of critical funding, DTIF is empowering companies to undertake ambitious, high-risk research in niche, high-value areas that might otherwise remain unexplored. The Fund has supported collaboration between researchers and industry professionals to develop deep expertise in transformative technologies that aim to disrupt established markets, while generating tangible economic and societal benefits.”
Minister Burke was joined for the announcement by participants from three DTIF projects who secured funding under previous calls: MedTech companies ProVerum and Luminate Medical, and Equal1 Laboratories, an Irish owned quantum computing company, involved in three DTIF projects focused on advancing quantum technologies.
The call for funding will be administered by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
A series of regional information and matchmaking events will be rolled out by Enterprise Ireland around the country during September and October, that will provide an opportunity for prospective applicants to learn about the application process and link up with potential project partners.
Also commenting on the announcement, Mark Christal, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Since its inception, DTIF has backed collaborations between Irish companies and our research base that are delivering real-world impact. Driving innovation is central to Enterprise Ireland’s strategy, and DTIF has proven to be a very effective tool for it – helping ambitious businesses turn research strengths into competitive products and services. With Call 8, we look forward to working with the next cohort of Enterprise Ireland clients ready to take on that same level of ambition.”
Call 8 will open on 1 October 2026 for submission of applications until 31 January 2027.
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