Science Foundation Ireland in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland (EI), is pleased to launch the Technology Innovation Development Award (TIDA) 2018.

The SFI TIDA Programme is designed to enable researchers to focus on the initial stages of an applied research project which may have a commercial benefit if further developed. The TIDA programme enables researchers to demonstrate the technical feasibility of an applied research project directed toward the development of a new or innovative technology, product, process or service that has potential for further commercial development.

The SFI TIDA programme is aligned with a number of key Government RD&I strategies including Innovation 2020, the National Policy Statement on Entrepreneurship in Ireland and Project Ireland 2040.

Innovation 2020 is Ireland’s five-year strategy on research and development, science and technology. This strategy sets out the roadmap for continuing progress towards the goal of making Ireland a Global Innovation Leader, driving a strong sustainable economy and a better society, underpinned by excellent research that is defined within six designated enterprise themes.

Disruptive Technologies Initiatives

Following on from Innovation 2020, the Irish Government recently launched National Development Plan 2018-2027 (Project Ireland 2040), which is the overarching policy and planning framework for the social, economic and cultural development of Ireland from 2018 to 2040. As a part of the Project Ireland framework, strong emphasis has been placed on supporting Disruptive Technologies Initiatives to ensure that the Irish public gains substantial societal and economic benefits from ground-breaking scientific research and innovation.

Fostering Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is recognised as a powerful driver of economic growth and job creation. Innovation 2020 describes Ireland’s strategic vision to be a Global Innovation Leader and highlights the important role of entrepreneurship in the translation of knowledge between Research Performing Organisations and enterprise to deliver economic and societal impact. Furthermore, the National Policy Statement on Entrepreneurship in Ireland sets out strategic objectives to support this ambition. In this context, it is important that a flourishing entrepreneurial culture in Research Performing Organisations is encouraged through the provision of supports that allow researchers to realise new and emerging opportunities for innovative ideas and to encourage researchers to pursue those opportunities by considering entrepreneurship as an alternative career path. In particular, SFI would like to encourage female researchers to apply to this programme.

Towards achieving these objectives and in support of other national initiatives, SFI is seeking to fund researchers who are at the initial stages of developing a new or innovative technology, product, process or service with strong commercial potential. Given recent focus on disruptive technologies, SFI would especially encourage researchers to consider the disruptive potential of their proposals where appropriate.

Objectives of the TIDA Programme

  • To demonstrate the feasibility of an innovative idea for further commercial exploitation
  • To build demonstrators/prototypes
  • To develop awareness of entrepreneurship and the commercialisation process
  • To encourage movement from academia into enterprise activities
  • To improve existing industrial processes

Programme Remit

For this call, proposals must either be aligned to one of the 14 Refreshed Priority Areas 2018-2023 (listed below) that are positioned within six enterprise themes (ICT, Health and Medical, Food, Energy, Manufacturing and Materials, Services and Business Processes) outlined in Innovation 2020, or to any other area under SFI’s legal remit where there is convincing evidence that there will be significant potential for economic and/or societal impact.

  • Future Networks, Communications and Internet of Things
  • Data Analytics, Management, Security, Privacy, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (including Machine Learning)
  • Digital Platforms, Content and Applications, And Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
  • Connected Health and Independent Living
  • Medical Devices
  • Diagnostics
  • Therapeutics
  • Food for Health
  • Smart and Sustainable Food Production and Processing
  • Decarbonising the Energy System
  • Sustainable Living
  • Advanced and Smart Manufacturing
  • Manufacturing and Novel Materials
  • Innovation in Services and Business Processes
  • Other Research Areas with Significant Potential for Economic and/or Societal Impact

Key Dates

Call Launch 30th April 2018
Webinar 16th May 2018, 14:00 Dublin Local Time
Abstract Deadline 30th May 2018, 13:00 Dublin Local Time
Deadline for Full Proposal Submission 22nd June 2018, 13:00 Dublin Local Time 
Funding Decision November 2018

Eligibility

Under the TIDA 2018 call, proposals will be accepted from two different categories of applicant:

(A) Independent Investigator – Lead Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) on a competitively awarded, internationally peer reviewed research grant secured/active over the last 5 years (2013 – 2018)

(B) Postdoctoral researchers (with a maximum of 8 years’ postdoctoral experience) currently funded under a competitively awarded, internationally peer reviewed research grant.

For further details on specific eligibility criteria and the application procedure, please review the TIDA 2018 call documentation for further details.

Funding

Duration: 12 months
Award Size: €100,000 direct costs

How to apply

All proposals are to be submitted via SESAME, SFI’s online grants and awards management system. If accessing SESAME for the first time, researchers should contact their local Research Office to be set up on this system. View SESAME User Guides or read the SESAME FAQs.

Please note that SFI is expecting a very high application rate to this programme and has limited SESAME helpdesk resources. To avoid any delays in submission, researchers should familiarise themselves with the SESAME system and online help resources provided well in advance of the SFI and institution internal call deadlines.

Abstract Submission

Researchers intending to act as a Lead Applicant on a proposal must first contact the Research Office of the intended host institution and provide preliminary information through a completed version of the Abstract Sheet found in Appendix D of the TIDA 2018 call document.

Research Offices must provide SFI with a list of the Lead Applicants from their institution, and the associated titles and abstracts (using the Excel template) by email (TIDA@sfi.ie) no later than the 30th of May 2018, 13:00 Dublin Local Time.

Call Documentation

TIDA 2018 Call Document (PDF)

TIDA 2018 FAQs (last update May 2018) (PDF) 

TIDA 2018 review process (PDF)

TIDA 2018 Abstract Sheet (Word)

Host Institution Research Office Abstract Spreadsheet (xlsx)

CV Template (Word)

SFI reserves the right to make amendments to the documents if required. Please ensure that you are referring to the most recent version of the Call document and FAQs. Research Offices will be contacted in the event of any updates to the call document.

Information Webinar

TIDA 2018 Webinar: SFI hosted a webinar on Wednesday 16th May from 14.00 - 15.00 which outlined the details of the TIDA programmes.

Programme Queries

For programme-related queries please contact: TIDA@sfi.ie