Successful research makes Europe a better place to live by improving healthcare, developing sustainable agriculture methods and creating innovative products and services.
Every year the EU supports more than 200,000 businesses through business loans, microfinance, guarantees and venture capital.
Small and medium business funding
Accessing funding is an issue all small and medium businesses (SMEs) face during their development. Europe’s programme for SMEs, COSME, is designed to make it easier to access finance in all phases of business development, from creation to expansion.
Innovative Irish companies can also apply for EU funding and support for breakthrough projects with a market-creating potential under the EIC Accelerator (previously called the SME Instrument).
The EIC Accelerator allows Europe's brightest and boldest entrepreneurs to step forward and request funding for breakthrough ideas with the potential to create new markets or revolutionise existing ones.
The European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) has a dedicated SME window offering up to a total of €5.5 billion of either funding resources or guarantee capacity.
Financing tools and advisory services for innovators are also provided by InnovFin, a joint initiative launched by the European Investment Bank Group (EIB) and EIF in cooperation with the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme for research and innovation.
EIC Accelerator funding opportunities
COSME, Europe’s programme for small and medium-sized enterprises
Research funding
Research funding plays a key role in innovating to achieve the European Commission's sustainability goals outlined in the Green Deal and the EU's digital transition.
Horizon Europe (2021-2027) is the European Union’s key funding programme for research and innovation, with a budget of more than €93.5 billion. The programme is built around three main pillars – excellent science, global challenges and industrial competitiveness, and innovative Europe.
Ireland enjoys a strong track record in European Framework Programmes, winning €1.2 billion in funding through Horizon 2020 (2014-2020), the predecessor to Horizon Europe. Between 2021 and 2024, Irish organisations secured €910 million in Horizon Europe funding.
As well as funding business-based research, the EU supports researchers at all stages of their careers and academic training. Research Ireland is the national contact point for EU research funding and can help with the application processes.
EU research and innovation in Ireland
Funding opportunities and guidelines
All about EU funding programmes
Information on the types of funding available, an overview of the main funding programmes and how EU funding is managed.
Funding procedures and guidelines
Useful information on eligibility, and the application and selection procedures for EU funding.
Financial Transparency System (FTS)
Find out who receives European Commission funding every year in Ireland and across the EU, including the amounts, purposes and locations of the recipients.
Find information on funding and tendering opportunities and find out how to participate.