Horizon Europe newsletter

Pilot Photonics awarded €10.4m from European Innovation Council (EIC)
Congratulations to Pilot Photonics which has been approved for a recommended investment of up to €10.4m from the Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator. This support comes at a critical stage for the integrated photonics firm as demand grows for advanced photonic chip technologies. The funding will support Pilot Photonics’ next phase of growth, including product qualification, high-volume manufacture, and expansion of the team in Ireland and internationally. Read more here.

Horizon Europe Implementation Day

An in-person Horizon Europe Implementation Day took place in Dublin on Thursday, 18 June. We had presentations from European Commission speakers attending in person (Julien Dulot, DG Research and Innovation and María Sáenz, Funding & Tenders Portal Team, DG Research and Innovation) and via video link from Brussels. Topics included simplification, managing Horizon Europe grants, preparing for financial audits and technical reviews, and bringing research results to market. We had 80 people in attendance including members of Research and Finance Offices working on projects in a pre-award and post-award capacity.

Following the Horizon Europe Implementation Day, Enterprise Ireland hosted an informal meeting with the Commission representatives, National Contact Points and representatives from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.

Pictured above, L-R: Angeline McGarrigle, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science; Sergio Fernando-Ceballos, Enterprise Ireland; Julien Dulot, European Commission; María Sáenz, European Commission; Kevin Burke, Enterprise Ireland; Martha Cahill, Enterprise Ireland; Brigid Burke, Enterprise Ireland.

ERC Scientific Council hosted by Research Ireland

Last month, Research Ireland welcomed Professor Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council (ERC), and members of the ERC Scientific Council to Dublin for the Forum on the Future and Impact of European Research, Science and Technology, taking place during the Council’s visit to Ireland. The ERC Scientific Council met with Ireland-based ERC awardees, researchers, policymakers, industry leaders and national stakeholders to reflect on the future of European research, scholarship and innovation.

Pictured above, L-R: Patrick Lansley, ERC National Contact Point, Research Ireland; Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO, Research Ireland; Maria Leptin, President of the ERC; Maria Nash, ERC National Delegate.

The visit coincided with the announcement that five Ireland-based researchers have been awarded ERC Advanced Grants. Read more about the awardees from University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin here.

Tyndall National Institute

Enterprise Ireland’s National Contact Points visited Tyndall National Institute in Cork at the end of June. It was an opportunity to hear directly from Principle Investigators in the Institute about ongoing and future activities.

On the day, a number of different Tyndall teams covering areas such as Quantum, Agritech, Energy, Medtech and Materials highlighted key projects and future plans.

NCPs also had an opportunity to learn about the three Chips JU Pilot Lines that Tyndall are involved in (NanoIC, FAMES, PIXEurope) as well as I-C3, the Irish Chips Competence Centre, which is supporting startups and SMEs with design, production, funding and training.

A big thank you to Louise Burgoyne of Tyndall Institute for organising an interesting and informative event!

Walton Institute's 30th anniversary celebrations

The Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU) marked its 30th anniversary on 29 June, celebrating three decades of excellence in ICT research, innovation and industry collaboration, including successes in several EU framework programmes.
The event also commemorated five years since the institute’s transition from the Telecommunications Software & Systems Group (TSSG) to the Walton Institute.

Representatives from government, industry and the research community attended the milestone celebration.

Pictured L-R: Eugene Crehan, South East Technological University; Claire Whelan, Enterprise Ireland; Deirdre Kilbane, Walton Institute; David Denieffe, South East Technological University; Gerard Hurley, Waterford Chamber; Stephen O’Reilly, Enterprise Ireland.

Updates from your National Support Network team

In this issue of the Horizon Europe Ireland newsletter, we have updates from:

Irene Castellano, NCP for Health, on major health challenges facing Europe and engagement opportunities during Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council.
Bob Flynn, National Delegate for Climate, Energy and Mobility, on regulation and innovation in connected and automated mobility.
Brigid Burke, Programme Manager for Enterprise Ireland's Horizon Europe grants, on a new support for Work Package leaders in Horizon Europe Pillar 2 proposals.

Scroll down to read the full articles.

Get in touch
If you want to find out more about Horizon Europe opportunities, you'll find contact details for our National Support Network team in this directory. Not sure who to speak to? Email us for more information.

Horizon Europe Implementation Day

Top Left, L-R: Michael Murphy, Enterprise Ireland; Sergio Fernando-Ceballos, Enterprise Ireland; Deirdre Caden, Trinity College Dublin; Kevin Burke, Enterprise Ireland; James Walsh, Enterprise Ireland.
Top Right, L-R: Emmanuelle Fitzsimons, Trinity College Dublin; Maiara Lima, Trinity College Dublin.
Bottom Left, L-R: María Sáenz, European Commission; Julien Dulot, European Commission.
Bottom Right, L-R: Emily Jeffers Johnson, Trinity College Dublin; Florence O' Regan, Trinity College Dublin.

Irene Castellano Pellicena , National Contact Point (NCP) for Horizon Europe Cluster 1 – Health, Health Research Board

Whilst Ireland hosts the EU Presidency, possibilities arise for people across Ireland to engage with Europe in meaningful ways. As part of the Presidency an opportunity exists for Irish experts to showcase the country's leadership in health research and innovation and the impact of Horizon Europe funding. Irene highlights future research opportunities and the need for sustained investment in health innovation across Europe to address major health challenges. Read the full article here.

Bob Flynn, National Delegate and National Contact Point (NCP) for Horizon Europe Cluster 5 - Mobility, Enterprise Ireland

The States Representatives Group recently met in London for the CCAM event to discuss connected and automated mobility at EU and national levels. The meeting provided a platform for information sharing, strategy alignment, and collaboration across Europe’s RDI sector. Read more about this and the upcoming SESAR Innovation Days in December here.

Brigid Burke, National Contact Point (NCP) for Horizon Europe Legal and Financial rules, Enterprise Ireland

A newly enhanced Horizon Europe Coordinator Support Grant now offers up to €6,250 to support Work Package Leaders in developing high-quality proposal contributions and strengthening project submissions. In this update, Brigid outlines the benefits of this additional funding, explains who is eligible to apply, and highlights how the support can help researchers maximise their impact and success in Horizon Europe proposals. Read the full article here.