How We Support Innovation

Rethinking your products and services is the key to unlocking commercial success. Businesses that are innovating and doing things differently are more likely to expand and grow. Specialist support brings added confidence to this process, making it all the more productive and effective by converting this knowledge into commercial reality and ultimately increased turnover.

InterTradeIreland has a number of support structures in place for business innovation and growth. The Business Explorer programme provides support by funding a suitable academic professional or industry specialist to work with an SME to explore innovative solutions to business challenges or innovative techniques to develop an idea further. Innovation Boost can provide further support by helping to fund a high calibre science, engineering or technology project manager and partnering you with a third level institution with specific expertise.

Synergy is an InterTradeIreland programme that’s designed to increase SME participation in innovative networks of entrepreneurs, academics, policy makers, corporates and third sector participants. It aims to scale cross-border collaboration, using cluster and network development supports to increase the impact of programmes with economic benefit to Ireland and Northern Ireland.

A further opportunity for businesses from Ireland and Northern Ireland is the Horizon Europe pan European research fund that requires partnership across a minimum of 3 European Nations. InterTradeIreland is the perfect channel to access Horizon Europe funding and is uniquely positioned to help you find collaborative partners across the island, North and South. The US-Ireland R&D Partnership links researchers across Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United States. This collaborative approach helps to accelerate innovation in a number of key sectors including health, energy and sustainability.

For the innovators out there, we have the expertise and support available to help you unlock commercial success.