News & Events

Disruptive technology project gives hope for knee osteoarthritis sufferers, as €4.6 million project announced

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD, and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan TD, today announced funding of €4.6 million for the first project to emerge under Call 7 of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF).

Announcing today's project the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD said:

 “It is a pleasure to announce the first award funding of €4.6 million under DTIF Call 7 to RestOAre and I am confident that this will be the first of many before this call ends in April next year.  RestOAre will have significant impact on knee osteoarthritis patients, providing immediate long-lasting pain relief and reducing disease progression and are an excellent example of the purpose of this fund.

 “DTIF is about collaboration and how, with input from research institutions, we can generate innovative, breakthrough products and services with €376 million awarded to 105 projects across the 7 Calls to date. RestOAre are showing how disruptive technologies can deliver economic growth through unlocking new revenue streams, entering new markets and reducing barriers to entry.  I wish all the project partners the very best in their endeavours.”

 DTIF Call 7 is a rolling Call, so project applications can be submitted at any time up to the closing date of 30 April 2025.

Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science added:

“I welcome the signal that the announcement of this funding to the RestOAre project sends to the research community. Large-scale funding is available for researchers who are working at the cutting-edge of new, breakthrough technologies that have the potential to offer solutions to complex economic and societal challenges. The Funds’ focus on collaboration and interdisciplinary research gives our high-quality researchers the opportunity to learn from the best in industry and find ways to develop their ideas and bring them to reality.“

Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said:

“The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund fosters collaboration between industry and research, helping to deliver new technologies, cutting-edge solutions and innovative ideas which impact lives and the economy.  The RestOAre project is a prime example of that, as it will deliver a treatment which will offer knee osteoarthritis patients pain relief and will help to reduce disease progression. Irish innovators and researchers have an established reputation as being global leaders in their field, and this current DTIF call, Call 7, is open on a rolling basis, so we are encouraging all working in this area to consider this as an option for progressing their projects, which can contribute to the economy by creating high-quality jobs and have an impact on society by delivering ground-breaking, lifechanging solutions.”

This funding means that to date €376 million has been awarded 105 projects across seven DTIF Calls to date. Prospective applicants can obtain detailed information on the Fund and on the application process through enterprise.gov.ie/DTIF.

ENDS

Note to Editors

The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) is a €500 million fund established under the National Development Plan (NDP) in 2018. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment manages the DTIF with administrative support from Enterprise Ireland. The purpose of the fund is to drive collaboration between Ireland’s world-class research base and industry as well as facilitating enterprises to compete directly for funding in support of the development and adoption of these technologies. The aim is to support investment in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies and applications on a commercial basis.

DTIF Call 7 applications are assessed by panels of international experts against four criteria – quality of the disruptive technology, excellence of overall approach, economic impact and sustainability, and strength of the collaboration.

Since the fund was launched in 2018, a total of 105 projects were awarded funding of over €376 million. The 396 project partners involved are operating in every region across the country, with 59% of those partners located outside of Dublin. 

Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) Call 7 Award details

Project Description

Consortium Members

Research Priority Area

Regional Location

Total DTIF Award

The ultimate solution for knee osteoarthritis proposing to develop a treatment offering patients immediate long-lasting pain relief and reducing disease progression

1. Relevium Medical Limited (Lead)  

2. Hooke Bio Limited           

3. University of Galway

Health and wellbeing

Galway and Clare

€4.6m