Irish businesses and research organisations have a new opportunity to secure funding for innovative technology projects, with Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD announcing a new €40 million competitive funding call under the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF).
The eighth competitive DTIF call opened for applications on 1 October 2026 and will remain open until 3 February 2027. The fund is designed to support the development and commercialisation of disruptive technologies through collaboration between Ireland's research community and industry.
DTIF aims to help enterprises develop, adopt and scale technologies with the potential to deliver significant commercial and societal impact. Since the fund was launched in 2018, it has supported 131 collaborative projects, with awards averaging approximately €4 million per project.
The latest funding round provides an opportunity for ambitious businesses and research partners to work together on projects that can move innovative ideas from research and development towards commercial application.
Investment in disruptive technology also creates demand for people with the skills needed to develop, implement and manage new solutions. As businesses adopt emerging technologies, employees may need to strengthen their capabilities in areas such as data, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, research and development, project management and technology leadership.
For companies investing in innovation, professional training can play an important role in helping teams understand new technologies and apply them effectively. Training can also support managers and business leaders as they assess how emerging technologies could affect processes, customer services and future business models.
The DTIF programme places collaboration at the heart of its approach, bringing businesses and research institutions together to develop technologies with commercial potential. This creates opportunities for knowledge exchange while supporting the development of specialist research and technical expertise.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD highlighted the importance of connecting Ireland's research base with enterprise ambition as technology continues to change rapidly.
Enterprise Ireland is hosting regional Disruptech events to provide information about the fund and give prospective applicants opportunities to connect with potential collaboration partners.
Remaining events listed for the current funding call include Mullingar on 13 October at Mullingar Park Hotel and Dublin on 15 October at the Aviva. The Dundalk event took place on 1 October at the Gateway Hotel.
Consortia may submit applications from the 1 October 2026. Prospective applicants can obtain detailed information on the fund, regional ‘Disruptech’ events, and on the application process through the dedicated webpage on the Department’s website at https://enterprise.gov.ie/dtif/
As investment in disruptive technologies increases, organisations will need to consider both the technology itself and the people responsible for putting it into practice. Building digital capabilities across teams can help businesses make better use of new technologies while supporting employees as their roles change.
For HR and Learning and Development teams, this makes technology-focused training an increasingly relevant part of organisational skills planning. Courses covering areas such as AI, digital transformation, data analytics, cybersecurity and innovation management can help organisations prepare their teams for new technology-driven projects.
CorporateTraining.ie features professional training options for businesses and individuals looking to develop the skills required in a changing business environment. From digital and technology training to management, leadership and professional development, organisations can explore courses suited to their skills requirements.
Explore professional training courses on CorporateTraining.ie and find opportunities to develop the skills your organisation needs for innovation and growth.
