Horizon Europe Motion Plan to spice up Irish SME participation

The Authorities technique has a renewed concentrate on bettering Eire’s SME involvement in Europe’s €95bn analysis and innovation programme.

Eire’s Authorities has launched a “strengthened” model of the Horizon Europe Motion Plan, Eire’s gateway to a €95.5bn EU funding programme targeted on analysis, innovation and funding to deal with world challenges for the years 2025 to 2027. 

The Motion Plan, introduced by the Minister for Additional and Greater Training, Analysis, Innovation and Science James Lawless, TD, will set out measures designed to construct on Eire’s efficiency in Horizon Europe. In September 2025, Eire reached a milestone of €1bn in secured funding. 

Noting that Eire’s increased academic establishments have carried out strongly in Horizon Europe, Lawless is of the opinion that this success, which demonstrates scale of alternative, will be replicated by the nation’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). 

Commenting on the announcement, Lawless mentioned it is vital that “Eire’s enterprise base, particularly small and medium companies, have the notice, assist and clear pathways to totally profit from Horizon Europe”.

Core pillars

Wanting forward, the plan – which was developed with key analysis and innovation companions within the Horizon Europe focus group, together with nationwide assist community members and better training representatives – will concentrate on 4 core priorities.

The primary of those is the additional improvement of upper training establishment engagement by way of tailor-made institutional helps, stronger post-award help efforts and enhanced alignment with analysis priorities.

The second is the enhancement of SME participation and efficiency by focused engagement, improved visibility of monetary assist, and stronger hyperlinks between SMEs, increased training establishments and analysis centres. 

The third precedence is to encourage extra Irish-led coordination roles, lowering administrative burdens, increasing mentoring and coaching, and strengthening incentives. 

Lastly is the goal of attracting and supporting newcomers, together with early-career researchers and first-time candidates, by mentorship, creating networks and bettering profession sustainability helps.

Lawless mentioned: “Eire has already secured €1bn in Horizon Europe funding, with two years nonetheless remaining within the programme. This Motion Plan will assist each our increased training establishments and our small and medium‑sized enterprises to strengthen their participation, improve efficiency and maximise the impression of EU analysis and innovation funding.

“The subsequent part of our nationwide effort should see SME participation develop considerably. It’s important that Eire’s enterprise base, significantly small and medium companies, have the notice, assist and clear pathways to totally profit from Horizon Europe. 

“Equally, our increased training establishments play an important position in driving excellence, collaboration and innovation. This Motion Plan commits to strengthening each, guaranteeing that Eire’s analysis and enterprise communities succeed collectively.”

Earlier this month, it was found that, for the primary time since 2018, annual enterprise capital funding into Irish expertise SMEs fell, in response to the Irish Enterprise Capital Affiliation Enterprise Pulse report. 

The report, revealed in partnership with Irish legislation agency William Fry, indicated that funding in 2025 fell by 23pc to €1.1bn – a decline from 2024’s report €1.48bn. A complete of 186 offers have been accomplished in 2025, down from 217 in 2024 – a drop of 14pc.

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