Fri. Aug 1st, 2025

Enterprise Ireland, the national export agency responsible for helping Irish businesses to grow and expand into new markets, has launched a new Proof of Concept Fund. This fund is designed to support research and development (R&D) activities and help Irish startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to de-risk their innovative ideas and speed up their route to market. The new fund is a key component of Enterprise Ireland’s strategy to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in Ireland, and to help Irish businesses to compete on a global scale. By providing financial support for R&D activities, the fund will enable Irish companies to develop new products, services, and processes that can help them to differentiate themselves in the market and achieve sustainable growth. The fund will also help to address the key challenge faced by many Irish startups and SMEs, which is the difficulty in accessing funding to support the development of new ideas. The Proof of Concept Fund will provide grants of up to €150,000 to support the development of innovative ideas, and will be open to applications from Irish startups and SMEs across all sectors. The fund will be administered by Enterprise Ireland, and will be subject to a competitive evaluation process to ensure that only the most innovative and promising projects are supported. The launch of the new fund is a significant development for the Irish startup and SME sector, and is expected to have a major impact on the country’s innovation ecosystem. It is also expected to help to drive job creation and economic growth in Ireland, by supporting the development of new businesses and the expansion of existing ones. The fund is a key part of the Irish government’s strategy to drive innovation and entrepreneurship, and to help Ireland to become a global leader in the development of new technologies and products. The Irish government has set a target of increasing the number of startups and SMEs in the country, and the new fund is a key component of this strategy. The fund will also help to support the development of new industries and sectors in Ireland, such as fintech, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy. By providing financial support for R&D activities, the fund will enable Irish companies to develop new products and services that can help them to compete in these emerging sectors. The launch of the new fund has been welcomed by the Irish startup and SME sector, which has long been calling for more support for innovation and entrepreneurship. The fund is expected to be highly competitive, and will be subject to a rigorous evaluation process to ensure that only the most innovative and promising projects are supported. The application process for the fund will be open to all Irish startups and SMEs, and will be administered by Enterprise Ireland. The fund will provide grants of up to €150,000 to support the development of innovative ideas, and will be focused on supporting projects that have the potential to drive significant economic growth and job creation in Ireland. The new fund is a significant development for the Irish innovation ecosystem, and is expected to have a major impact on the country’s ability to drive innovation and entrepreneurship. It is also expected to help to establish Ireland as a global leader in the development of new technologies and products, and to drive economic growth and job creation in the country. The fund will be subject to ongoing evaluation and review, to ensure that it is meeting its objectives and delivering value for money. The launch of the new fund is a key component of Enterprise Ireland’s strategy to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in Ireland, and to help Irish businesses to compete on a global scale. By providing financial support for R&D activities, the fund will enable Irish companies to develop new products, services, and processes that can help them to differentiate themselves in the market and achieve sustainable growth. The fund will also help to address the key challenge faced by many Irish startups and SMEs, which is the difficulty in accessing funding to support the development of new ideas. The new fund is a significant development for the Irish startup and SME sector, and is expected to have a major impact on the country’s innovation ecosystem.

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