INTERTRADEIRELAND’S INNOVA PROGRAMME ANNOUNCES €11M FUNDING FOR ALL-ISLAND R&D

Up to €1m each available for 17 North-South collaborative partnerships

InterTradeIreland today announced €11m of funding support for Innova, its all-island collaborative R&D programme.

Innova’s pilot phase funded eight cross-border projects for companies like Alltech, Dunbia, Biotrin, Randox, Aepona and Rococo. Projects included those aimed at developing treatments for cancer, severe acute pancreatitis, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and hygiene management systems to reduce the spread of MRSA and C Difficile.

Expressions of Interest are now being sought for Innova, which will commence in early 2009 and will fund up to 17 North-South partnership projects, including 2 unique, larger scale projects (flagship projects). Eligible companies may receive up to €300,000 each and flagship companies up to €500,000 each.

“Collaborative R&D is essential to the future success of both economies on the island,” said Liam Nellis, chief executive of InterTradeIreland, launching the new phase.

“Besides funding support, Innova offers an opportunity to accelerate new product development with a company in the other jurisdiction while working within a controlled, protected environment.

“It allows the sharing of otherwise inaccessible knowledge, access to complementary technical expertise and assistance in the search for a suitable technology partner and managed introductory meetings.”

Up to 75% funding is available for industrial research projects and up to 60% for experimental development projects.

All all-island innovative collaborative R&D projects will be considered for Innova. Projects from life and health sciences, polymer & plastics, ICT and food sectors are particularly welcome. All applications will be considered on merit.

Alltech, a Kentucky-based multinational with its Irish headquarters in Dublin, is working with Dunbia, the Dungannon meat processor, to develop an organic supplement which can be added to animal feed and effectively delivered to the consumer in red meat.

“The Innova funding enabled us to put this through a commercial system and take it beyond the laboratory – that is a big thing,” said John Thornton, Alltech Manager Ireland.

“We could do this very easily in a scientific environment, but without Innova we probably couldn’t have tested it on a commercial scale.  The next move is to upscale the operation to a couple of thousand animals and put that through a rigorous testing regime.”

Two diagnostic companies, Randox from Crumlin, Co Antrim, and Biotrin International of Dublin, were partnered to develop a new test which distinguishes between two types of acute pancreatitis, allowing earlier diagnosis.

Philip Lowry, divisional R&D manager for Randox, says that funding enabled them to proceed with development that would not otherwise have been possible.

“Once we have completed development work, there are worldwide opportunities for the product,” he went on.  “Biotrin already have a host of contacts, while we have distributors in 130 countries with contacts in clinical chemistry laboratories.”

Companies are requested to register their Expression of Interest by October 24 by clicking on to www.intertradeireland.com/innova or by contacting Bernadette Doran on 028 30834148 (048 From Ireland).

 

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