Innovation Partnership Programme

Overview
The Innovation Partnership Programme can help you to take your business to the next level. Enterprise Ireland can help your company to access the latest skills and expertise from research institutes throughout Ireland.
The Innovation Partnership Programme can provide up to 80% of the cost of research work towards the development of new and improved products, processes or services, or generate new knowledge and know-how.
In an independent survey of companies that participated in the Innovation Partnership Programme:
- 96% of respondents would be willing to recommend the Programme to other businesses.
- 71% of participant companies surveyed said that their objectives were largely or fully achieved.
- Each €1 of funding invested by Enterprise Ireland in Innovation Partnerships delivered €7.71 Net Turnover Impact at the company side.
Innovation Partnership Video - take a look at what some of the companies say about the programme >>>
Am I eligible?
The company must be a registered client of one of the following state development agencies: Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Local Enterprise Office, Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The company must have the full support of their assigned Development Adviser/Agency Contact to participate in the programme. This support must be confirmed before any application forms are submitted. Clusters of companies and/or research institutes are welcome to apply to the programme.
Maximum funding available
Our Innovation Partnership brochure provides the essential details on funding, eligibility and key dates.
Identifying a Research Partner
Whatever sector that your company is in, from Big Data to Medical Devices and beyond, you can find research partners through the Research Map of Ireland.
How to apply
- Our Guidelines (published below) help you through the application process and our Frequently Asked Questions aim to answer any additional queries that you may have. Our application forms are below.
- Contact the Innovation Partnership Team to discuss your idea.
Call close dates
- Outline Proposals and Feasibility Proposals can be submitted at any time.
- FULL Innovation Partnership Proposals can be submitted following a review of an Outline Proposals or a positive outcome of a Feasibility Study.
Below is the schedule for FULL Innovation Partnership Proposals for 2021.
Innovation Partnership Schedule 2021
Full Proposal Submission | | IRCC Funding Decision |
1st December 2020 | | 20th January 2021 |
5th January 2021 | | 17th February 2021 |
2nd February 2021 | | 24th March 2021 |
2nd March 2021 | | 21st April 2021 |
6th April 2021 | | 19th May 2021 |
25th May 2021 | | 21st July 2021 |
6th July 2021 | | 18th August 2021 |
3rd August 2021 | | 22nd September 2021 |
7th September 2021 | | 20th October 2021 |
5th October 2021 | | 17th November 2021 |
2nd November 2021 | | 15th December 2021 |
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Covid-19 Impact on Current IPP Projects - Exceptional Budget Funding Extension
Enterprise Ireland is introducing an exceptional funding mechanism for cost extensions applicable to ongoing Innovation Partnership projects seeking funding due to the Covid-19 closedown. Only projects in their final stage, (within 3 months of their end date) or in exceptional circumstances, can apply and only Covid-19 related justifications will be considered.
To be eligible for the personnel cost extension, the personnel involved should not have been officially deployed to undertake other tasks during the time originally allocated to the Innovation Partnership project throughout the impacted period.
The company partner(s) will have to agree to an additional contribution (cash or in-kind) in order to maintain the overall Enterprise Ireland funding rate as originally approved.
Applications, with endorsement from the company partner(s), are to be submitted to Enterprise Ireland by the Principal Investigator. Download the Application Form (.docx).
Contact us
For more information on the Innovation Partnership Programme, please email ipp@enterprise-ireland.com
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)