News & Events

Largest DTIF grant awarded as ministers approve €28 million for three groundbreaking projects

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, today announced funding of €28.2 million for three additional projects under Call 7 of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF).

Announcing today’s projects, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke said: 

“This €28.2 million investment in three more exciting projects under the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund is further confirmation of the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting companies and research institutions that are pushing boundaries through research and innovation. Not only does this significant investment support R&D activity by industry, but it will also create employment and unlock technologies that improve health outcomes, save lives and shape our future for decades to come. 

 “The N-LifT cancer treatment project is the largest ever DTIF award to date, totalling €12 million, and proof that this government is ready and willing to fund large-scale innovation with real potential to reshape the future. 

 “This funding brings the total amount awarded to the 110 successful DTIF projects over the last seven years to €422 million. This investment, and the products and services that will emerge from it, is vital if we are to sustain economic prosperity and continue to grow jobs and maintain our international competitiveness.”

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, added: 

“The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund is proving to be a crucial support for our research sector. These collaborations being formed between the enterprise and research sectors are saving lives and improving health outcomes. The funding available is also enabling companies and research institutions across the country to recruit top-level graduates to work on their ground-breaking technologies. Research graduates themselves have ready access to a steady supply of opportunities for employment or even to develop their own spin-out enterprises. The fund is helping to foster an entrepreneurial ethos in our third level institutions that is turning knowledge into solutions that improve lives, drive innovation and ultimately ensure both economic and societal progress and prosperity.”

The largest award to date under the DTIF, of almost €12 million, was secured for the exciting N-LIFT project which aims to overcome treatment resistance in advanced or metastatic solid tumours that are no longer responding to therapy. The consortium of Lift BioSciences, Hooke Bio and University of Galway will advance the N-LIfT platform to launch the first human trial of IMAN therapy, targeting treatment-resistant advanced solid tumours. This hugely important project will have the potential to save many lives.

A second project – Ventripump– was awarded €9.3 million which aims to develop this comprehensive medical device platform to treat cardiogenic shock, which will be the first significant innovation in a market where mortality rates have remained too high over the past few decades. The consortium of CardiacBooster, Integer Holdings and Fire1, will develop and validate Ventripump as the gold standard specification to treat cardiogenic shock. This project holds significant promise for improving health outcomes and preventing loss of life.

A third project – MIMRAD 5D – has been awarded €6.9 million in funding which will result in safer driving outcomes for all. The consortium of Provizio Limited, Robert Bosch Ireland Limited and University of Limerick will develop a compact, cost-effective imaging radar design combining Provizio’s AI perception, Bosch’s next-gen transceiver, and UL’s sensor fusion expertise for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) which will aim to prevent road death and casualties through a reduction in the number of road collisions or the seriousness of them.

Jenny Melia, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said: 

“The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund is about investing in bold ideas and ambitious partnerships that have the potential to deliver real impact – for our economy and for our society. The three projects announced today exemplify this ambition, with breakthroughs in cancer treatment, cardiac care and road safety that could save lives and transform global markets.

“Through the DTIF, we are supporting dynamic Irish companies to develop new intellectual property and to scale world-class innovation. The collaborative model is helping to anchor R&D talent in regions across the country and build strong foundations for future growth. Enterprise Ireland is proud to play a central role in delivering this programme, which continues to unlock transformative opportunities for Irish enterprise.”

DTIF Call 7 closed on 30 April 2025 and the remaining applications received are undergoing the eligibility checks and evaluation processes. A further DTIF call will be announced later this year.

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, Tourism 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.

To date, a total of €393 million has been allocated to 107 projects consisting of 404 collaborative partners across seven DTIF calls. These three projects will bring the total funding awarded to €422 million across 110 projects. Of the €28.2 million funding being awarded, approximately €22 million of it will be going to project partners outside of Dublin.

Prospective applicants can obtain detailed information on the fund and on the application process through enterprise.gov.ie/DTIF.

Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) Call 7 award details 

Project description

Consortium members

Research priority area

Regional location

Total DTIF award

N-LIfT: Neutrophil-based Leukocyte Infusion Therapy for Solid Tumours using Immunomodulatory Alpha Neutrophils (IMANs)

1. LlfT Biosciences

2. HookeBio

3. University of Galway

Health & Wellbeing

Galway and Clare

€11.9m

Ventripump: Developing and validating Ventripump as the gold standard specification to treat cardiogenic shock

1. Cardiacbooster Ltd

2. Foundry Innovation & Research 1 Ltd, TA Fire1

3. Integer Holdings Ltd, TA Brivant

Health & Wellbeing

Galway and Dublin

€9.3m

MIMRAD5D: Combining next generation RADAR SoC and MIMSO Software Defined antenna with 5D perception to deliver safer driving outcomes for all

1. Provizio Limited

2. Robert Bosch Ireland Limited

3. University of Limerick

ICT

Clare, Dublin and Limerick

€6.9m

ENDS