From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Published on 12 February 2025
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless has today announced a multi-annual ‘Accelerating Research to Commercialisation’ (ARC) Hub investment programme to fast-track the commercial potential of scientific research across Ireland.
The new programme establishes two new Research Ireland ARC Hubs – the ARC Hub for Therapeutics and the ARC Hub for ICT. With funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Government of Ireland, the two hubs have been awarded a combined budget of €63.84 million.
Speaking at the announcement, Minister Lawless said:
“The Research Ireland ARC Hubs for Therapeutics and ICT represent a new model for regional innovation and entrepreneurial training that will catalyse a step-change in the translation of cutting-edge, publicly-funded research towards impact at a regional level.
“The ARC Hubs will enhance and accelerate the commercialisation of research to create new products, processes and services.”
Research Ireland’s Interim CEO Celine Fitzgerald said:
“The Research Ireland ARC Hub Programme is a gamechanger in terms of driving regional development through commercialisation of research. The two ARC Hubs unveiled today – Therapeutics and ICT respectively – will create regional entrepreneurial ecosystems in two critically important sectors for the Irish economy.
“Accelerating the overall journey to impact will be achieved by enabling researchers with novel ideas to become future entrepreneurs, with the Hubs providing an integrated approach to research funding, entrepreneurial training and access to networks and supports.”
The ARC Hubs are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027, one of two ERDF programmes in Ireland. The ERDF aims to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion across all European regions.
Maciej Berestecki, European Commission Spokesperson, said:
“The European Commission welcomes this strategic investment to be co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The ARC Hubs offer an integrated approach which will not only accelerate the commercialisation of research but also improve regional competitiveness.
“By embedding entrepreneurial approaches into the research and innovation ecosystem, groundbreaking ideas can be developed and lead to tangible economic and societal benefits for all regions across Ireland.”
Notes
About the Research Ireland ARC Hub Programme
The ARC Hub programme is administered by Research Ireland. The objectives of the Programme are to:
- drive regional development by accelerating novel, cutting-edge research, towards commercial impact readiness, in areas aligned with Ireland’s Smart Specialisation Strategy for Innovation 2022-2027 (S3) and respective regional strategic priorities
- develop a cohort of entrepreneurial scientists and engineers with the skills to realise commercial opportunities from research activities
- enhance and accelerate the translation of research to impact through the commercialisation process
- successfully transition Research Ireland-funded research projects into existing national and international closer-to-market supports, as appropriate
About the ERDF
The ARC Hub Programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under two European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Regional Programmes – the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027 and the Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-2027. The ERDF aims to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion across all European regions. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is designed to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union. It aims to do this by correcting imbalances between regions enabling investments in a smarter, greener, more connected and more social Europe that is closer to its citizens.
About the ARC Hub for Therapeutics
Led by Prof. Vincent Kelly of Trinity College Dublin, in collaboration with University College Dublin, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, and involving investigators from research bodies throughout Ireland, the ARC Hub for Therapeutics accelerates translational research in the fields of small molecule therapies, biological therapies, biomaterials, biomarkers with therapeutic potential and in advanced therapy medicinal products.
About the ARC Hub for ICT
Led by Prof. Sarah Jane Delany of TU Dublin and involving investigators from research bodies throughout Ireland, the ARC Hub for ICT accelerates translational research in ICT and AI to commercialisation, aiming to drive digital transformation across healthcare, education, infrastructure, sustainability, and data management.
About Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland
Established on 1 August 2024, Research Ireland is Ireland’s new national competitive research and innovation funding agency, which amalgamates the activities and functions of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC).
Source: gov.ie
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
