A number of government departments and agencies including Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the Marine Institute, Research Ireland and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland all offer an extensive range of programmes and supports to promote investment in RD&I and to aid companies and RPOs in their RD&I journey. These are in addition to European initiatives such as IPCEI and Horizon Europe.
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Enterprise Ireland
IDA Ireland
Local Enterprise Office (LEO)
Marine Institute
Research Ireland
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
Wind Energy Ireland
How businesses are innovating in the offshore wind sector
Innovation in the offshore wind sector
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine aims to lead the sustainable development of the agri-food, forestry and marine sector and to optimise its contribution to national economic development and the natural environment.
The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027 is a successor to the European Maritime, Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2014-2020 and supports the EU common fisheries policy (CFP), the EU maritime policy and the EU agenda for international ocean governance.
The Irish EMFAF Programme will invest €258.4 million, co-funded with €142.4 million by the European Union and €116 million by the Government of Ireland, in the Irish seafood sector. It aims to strengthen the resilience of the seafood sector, through environmentally sustainable and climate smart actions, and to support its green transition and digitalisation.
For more information, visit European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.
Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland (EI) has a number of mechanisms that they can use to support qualifying projects. EI encourage any client companies seeking innovation supports to get in contact – as always, such supports are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Some examples of innovation supports:
Research, Development and Innovation Fund
EI’s company R&D supports provide support for research, development, and technological innovation relevant at all stages of company development, to enable companies to progress from undertaking an initial research project to higher level innovation and R&D activities.
Funding support is available for eligible RD&I projects in order to develop new products or services. The project must involve the resolution of some technical challenge, be non-routine or represent a ‘step-up’ for the company in terms of the level of RD&I capability.
Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF)
DTIF, a government fund administered by EI, plays an important role supporting enterprises in Ireland to exploit the enterprise opportunities associated with ‘disruptive technologies’ by de-risking collaborative projects. The projects can avail of the funding to develop and deploy their disruptive innovative technologies on a commercial basis. All projects include collaborations between start-ups, SMEs, multinationals and academic institutions and must include at least one SME.
High-Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Feasibility Study Grant
EI’s High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) team provides hands-on support and advice to entrepreneurs and early-stage companies that are considered by EI to have the potential to achieve international sales and create employment with an innovative product, service or technology.
EI also offers programmes to increase the level of collaborative R&D activity between industry and academia. These programmes include:
The Innovation Voucher
The Innovation Voucher initiative facilitates company access to knowledge providers in the third-level colleges and is often the first step for a company on their innovation journey. It provides vouchers worth €10,000 to small businesses to introduce them to innovation, linking them with a network of knowledge providers, North and South of the border.
Innovation Partnership Programme
Innovation Partnerships offer financial support to companies engaging in collaborative research projects with Irish Universities and Technological Universities. EI provides grants of up to 80% towards eligible costs of the research project.
The Technology Centre Programme
The Technology Centre Programme supports the establishment and maintenance of nine centres aimed at developing close interactions with the Gael Offshore Network’s almost 100 companies. The intention being the transferral of knowledge and skills about technologies of direct relevance to business. It allows industry groups to set a commercially valuable research agenda that academic researchers in the technology centre will deliver on.
Technology Gateways
Technology Gateways provides for the support of applied research networks in Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology. The new European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Tech Gateways Programme has been launched, with 17 Gateways now in place. Credit Gateway in Dundalk is particularly relevant as it provides technological expertise in the field of Wind & Distributed Energy; Zero Carbon & Energy Optimisation; and Energy Integration to generate solutions for the close to market needs of Irish industry and business sector.
The New Frontiers Programme
The New Frontiers programme provides training, support and mentoring to entrepreneurs who wish to accelerate the development of their new business.
The European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Programme
The European Digital Innovation Hubs programme, which has been supported since 2022, involved the establishment of four EDIHs that are intended to stimulate the broad uptake of AI, high performance computing, cybersecurity and as well as advanced digital skills and other digital technologies by industry (particularly SMEs). They are ‘one stop shops’ providing access to technical expertise and experimentation, innovation services such as financing advice, and the training and skills development necessary for a successful digital transformation.
Information on specific EDIH’s:
European Digital Innovation Hub - CeADAR
European Digital Innovation Hub - FactoryxChange
European Digital Innovation Hub - Data2Sustain
European Digital Innovation Hub - ENTIRE
EI also seek to realise the commercial potential of Ireland’s research community through several targeted programmes:
Incubator Space Programmes
Incubator space programmes support the cost of building and management of incubator centres associated with Universities, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities.
Knowledge Transfer Initiatives
Knowledge transfer initiatives, in particular KT Boost, support a network of dedicated staff placed within the commercialisation function of third-level institutions (Innovation Offices) to ensure that best use is made of research outputs with commercial potential.
EI Commercialisation Fund
EI Commercialisation Fund also supports researchers in Higher Education Institutions and RPOs to undertake research that has the potential to result in the commercialisation of new innovations by way of licenses to improve the competitiveness of Irish Industry or through the spin out of new start-up ventures.
Get in touch with EI to learn about these schemes:
IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland partners with investors to establish new business and to grow and expand operations in Ireland.
Support programmes can include the following:
- capital expenditure for development, construction and fit-out of new manufacturing facilities
- investment in energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives
- research and development of new products, services, and processes
- talent development and digitalisation to strengthen and upskill capability
- creation of high value employment
Support programmes are negotiated and agreed directly with IDA Ireland on a case-by-case basis.
IDA Ireland also supports clients engaging in other sources of competitive funding, providing technical advice for applications to the EU Innovation Fund and the Horizon EU program, as well as encouraging engagement with calls administered by other agencies listed here.
Find out more: IDA Ireland - National Enterprise Hub
There are two RD&I calls administered by IDA Ireland:
RD&I Feasibility Study
The RD&I Feasibility Study (up to 50% funding against eligible costs of research to a value of 2 million). Eligible costs include salary, capital items, consultancy, overheads, and other costs incurred as a result of the research project.
The RD&I Feasibility is an open call, with completed applications assessed monthly by the Investment Committee.
Feasibility projects cannot have a commercial output. They are designed to de-risk a larger project by answering a ‘go/no-go’ research question that must be understood before a larger investment in RD&I can be made.
RD&I support
The RD&I support (typically 10%-15% funding against eligible costs for industrial research and experimental development projects, up to a limit of 25 million in state aid). Eligible costs include salary, capital items, consultancy, overheads, and other costs incurred as a result of the research project.
The RD&I support is an open call, with completed applications assessed on a monthly basis by the Investment Committee.
RD&I supports cannot fund commercial activity. They can fund activity that is pre-industrial deployment.
More information on these RD&I supports: IDA Ireland RD&I Supports Brochure (PDF, 240KB)
Local Enterprise Office (LEO)
There are 31 Local Enterprise Offices located in Ireland. Each available to provide support for small businesses. LEO client companies are eligible to access a number of EI supports.
Explore RD&I supports available through your Local Enterprise Office
Agile Innovation Fund Grant
The Agile Innovation Fund is a support provided to small businesses and micro enterprises to enable them carry out research or to develop new business processes to expand their business. It’s available to clients of Local Enterprise Offices, and it can give rapid access to innovation funding.
The Agile Innovation Fund allows up to 50% in support for projects to a maximum total cost of €300,000 and has fast track approval.
Marine Institute
The Marine Institute’s legislated functions are “to undertake, to co-ordinate, to promote and to assist in marine research and development and to provide such services related to marine research and development that in the opinion of the Institute will promote economic development, create employment and protect the marine environment” (Marine Institute Act, 1991).
In the period from 2014 to 2024, the MI invested €5.9 million in funding for research under the ocean renewable energy theme. In 2024, the MI awarded €3.35 million under its industry-led call for 10 projects with investment under the research themes of €1.3 million Sustainable Seafood, €1 million Offshore Renewable Energy, €0.75 million Sustainable Seafood and ORE combined and €0.3 million Maritime Transport - Ports and Shipping.
National Marine Research Programme
As a Research Funder, the MI manages the National Marine Research Programme, which provides funding to the Irish marine sector through competitive calls.
Research funding is awarded on a competitive basis for ‘applied’ marine-related R&D in line with the objectives set out in national strategies.
The MI also administers and manages the following categories of funding:
Project Based Awards
Strategic Research Projects, Applied Research Projects, Demonstration Projects and Desk/Feasibility Studies.
Project Based Awards
Researcher Awards
Strategic Research Appointments, Research Capacity/Competency Building, Post-Doctoral Fellowships and PhD Scholarships.
Networking & Marine Research Communication Awards
Post Graduate Scholarship Programmes
Post Doctoral Fellowship Programme
Industry-Led Research Awards
Company Awards and Collaborative Awards.
Industry-led Awards
Infrastructure Awards
Infrastructure Acquisition and Access to Infrastructure, for example, Ship-Time on board the National Research Vessels and the SmartBay Test site in Galway Bay.
Infrastructure Programme
Research Ireland
Research Ireland, formerly Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), has extensive experience in effectively promoting deep collaboration between SMEs, multinationals and further and higher education institutes through several of its funding streams.
Current research programmes that support cutting edge research in the areas of energy, climate and sustainability include:
Strategic Partnership Programme
The Strategic Partnership Programme is a flexible mechanism for academic researchers to build strategic collaborations with key stakeholders such as industry, other funding agencies, charities, philanthropic organisations, higher education institutes (HEIs), or a combination of any of these. The scheme aims to support stand-alone research initiatives of scale with strong potential for delivering economic and societal impact to Ireland, in partnership with key stakeholders.
RD&I Fellowship
The RD&I Fellowship programme seeks to support academia-industry interactions to address industry‐informed challenges. Awards under this programme can be made to academic researchers (at faculty, postdoctoral and late-stage PhD level) wishing to spend time in industry worldwide through the temporary placement of academic researchers with an industry partner.
Infrastructure Award
The Research Infrastructure Programme supports the research community in building and sustaining the required infrastructural capacity to accomplish high-quality, high-impact and innovative research in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics that demonstrably enhance and support enterprise competitiveness and societal development in Ireland.
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
SEAI has responsibility for energy sector RD&I funding in Ireland. SEAI has a strong legacy of supporting research in the onshore wind sector. Support for offshore wind through the SEAI RD&D programme exceeds €10 million since 2019.
For more information visit Offshore Renewable Energy - SEAI.
International Energy Agency (IEA) Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCPs)
SEAI is the national contracting party to the IEA’s TCPs. Among these, the Wind TCP, Ocean Energy Systems (OES) TCP and Hydrogen TCP are relevant for ORE and Ireland is member to each.
SEAI represents Ireland on the executive committees of these research programmes and appoints and co-ordinates Irish researchers involvement on the tasks and annexes of the global co-ordinated research priorities identified by the TCPs.
Horizon Europe
SEAI is also the national contact point for the Horizon Europe Pillar 3 – Innovation Europe and the Horizon Europe Energy Cluster – Cluster 5 – which is dedicated to climate, energy and mobility. There are two destinations dedicated to energy within Cluster 5.
Find out more: Horizon Europe Innovation Business Training - National Enterprise Hub
Destination 3: Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply, which has a focus to deliver impact across three main areas: global leadership in renewable energy; energy systems, grids and storage; and carbon capture, utilisation and storage
Destination 4: Efficient, Sustainable and inclusive energy use, with a focus on innovations that boost energy efficiency and reduce energy demand across buildings and industry
SEAI also advises on the Clean Energy Technology Partnerships funding.
Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility - European Commission
SEAI National Energy RD&D Funding Programme Call
The annual SEAI National Energy Research Development and Demonstration Funding Programme call is open to industry, third-level education bodies and public and semi-state bodies. There is an emphasis on collaboration between academia and industry or public and semi-state bodies or both.
Successful projects can be funded for up to €1 million over a 4-year period. In 2022, OW-related projects were funded €3 million, and in 2023 that rose to €4.3 million.
Further consideration is being given to expanding the SEAI supports schemes to include large pilot renewable projects.
SEAI has a national energy research database that includes all energy-related funded projects, including not only all SEAI funded projects but also externally funded energy-related projects, and currently lists 28 offshore wind related projects (ongoing or completed projects).
National Energy Research Database: National energy research database
Industry Access Programme
SEAI initiated a pilot Industry Access Programme in 2021 to provide a pathway for the early-stage development of Irish ORE technologies. The main aim of the access programme was to ascertain the size and strength of the ORE technology pipeline in Ireland and advance them to higher TRLs such that they would be ready for open sea testing.
Since 2022, it has been a full support scheme with a budget for 2023 of €70,000, having been €50,000 in its first two years. Lir National Ocean Test facility has engaged with 33 Irish ORE development companies who are below TRL 4 as part of the Industry Access Programme.
In the evaluation process priority is given to new applicants. The steady number of applications shows the strong demand for a call.
European projects
SEAI takes part in research projects that support the development of ORE through coordination, facilitation or infrastructure development.
Recent European projects include the OPIN (Ocean Power Innovation Network) and AFLOWT (Accelerating the market uptake of Floating Offshore Wind Technologies).
For AFLOWT, SEAI jointly chaired (with the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems) the advisory board which produced the Floating Offshore Wind Development Plan in 2023.
More information on European funding: EU funding for offshore renewables
Wind Energy Ireland
Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) have a membership of over 200 companies in the wind industry in Ireland and overseas. They facilitate cooperation and insight-sharing between industry players and researchers.
WEI’s research project partnerships specialise in:
- communicating and disseminating the project to spread awareness to a broader audience.
- identifying, engaging & exploiting key stakeholders
- hosting project events & workshops
For more information visit WEI - Funded Research.