A €2.5 million investment will fund 28 fellowships aimed at advancing research in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), male infertility, and solar panel sustainability, through the Research Ireland Industry Research, Development, and Innovation Fellowship (IRDIF) Programme.
The investment will enable researchers to undertake placements at 22 companies, working on a range of cutting-edge projects. These include AI applications for computational safety, sustainable materials for solar panels, a cell-sorting system to address male infertility, and the development of multi-modal drug compounds for ulcerative colitis.
The participating industry partners have committed to co-funding of over €1.7 million, ensuring a strong collaborative effort between academia and industry to drive innovation.
James Lawless, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, praised the programme, noting, “Research Ireland’s IRDIF Programme is an excellent example of how academic research and industry expertise can work together to tackle critical challenges and deliver impactful solutions. This initiative not only strengthens our national research ecosystem but also emphasizes the importance of partnerships that foster innovation, ultimately driving societal and economic growth.”
Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO of Research Ireland, expressed her excitement for the new partnerships formed through the programme, stating, “The IRDIF Programme offers researchers unique opportunities to address industry-focused challenges, facilitating knowledge exchange that drives research excellence and enhances the competitive advantage of the companies involved.”
The fellowships, which last between 12 and 24 months, will support researchers working on diverse and groundbreaking projects across various industries. This year’s cohort includes 21 companies based in Ireland and one company based in Toronto, Canada.
Research Ireland, established in August 2024 through the merger of Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council, aims to foster innovation and support Ireland’s growing research and development landscape. This latest round of funding represents a key step in promoting collaboration between academia and industry for the advancement of science, technology, and innovation.
