The Innovation Partnership Programme encourages Irish-based companies to work with Irish research institutes resulting in mutually beneficial co-operation and interaction. Companies can access expertise and resources to undertake research towards the development of new and improved products, processes, services, and generate new knowledge and know-how. The participating company benefits in terms of its growth, the evolution of its strategic research and development and the creation of new knowledge that it can use to generate commercial advantage. The research institute benefits in terms of developing skill sets, intellectual property and publications.
What is the Innovation Partnership Programme?
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.
Who is Eligible?
A manufacturing or internationally traded services company with an operating base in the Republic of Ireland that wishes to collaborate with one or more research institutes, also based in the Republic of Ireland, is eligible to participate.
Any company that is 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.
Funding?
Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership Programme provides grants of up to 80% towards eligible costs of the research project. Funding from Enterprise Ireland will normally not exceed €200,000. Exceptions to this limit may be made for established clients of Enterprise Ireland and other State development agencies where the Innovation Partnership project and the follow-on activity will clearly lead to a significant increase in the company’s employment and/or sales and exports. Grant funding to projects involving early stage companies and High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) clients will normally be capped at €100,000.
What type of research does this fund Support?
Project types can be grouped as subsets of either Industrial Research or Experimental Development. The ‘Full Grant Rate’ CANNOT exceed 80% for Industrial Collaborative Research and 60% for Experimental Collaborative Development.
Industrial Research is planned research and investigation aimed at discovering brand new knowledge. This new knowledge may be useful in developing new products, processes or services, or in bringing about a significant improvement to existing products, processes or services.
Experimental Development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience directed towards producing plans & arrangements or designs for new, altered or improved products. This work leads to a product which could be commercialised without significant additional development.
Company Contribution
All Innovation Partnership projects require the company partner to provide minimum cash contribution of 20% of the total project cost. In all cases, the company partner must have the resources to contribute its share of the funding for the research and to fund the commercialisation of the research, when completed.
Application Process
There are two phases associated with an Innovation Partnership application.
- In Phase 1, there are two options.
– Option 1 is to submit an Outline Proposal Document.
– Option 2 is to apply for an Innovation Partnership Feasibility Study.
- Phase 2 is a Full Application
How and when can I apply?
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.
Where can I download the Application Form?
Guidelines, Frequently Asked Questions and Application Forms are available to download here.