Taoiseach, First Minister and deputy First Minister Pledge Support to $20 million Transatlantic U.S.-Ireland Research Translation and Commercialisation Initiative, funded by U.S. National Science Foundation, the Government of Ireland and Department for th

The U.S.-Ireland Research Translation and Commercialisation initiative will identify research under the themes of cybersecurity, energy and sustainability, telecommunications, sensors and sensor networks, and nanoscale science and engineering. These themes reflect shared priorities and areas of established research strength across Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United States.

It will assist in the development of bespoke training programmes for researchers who have worked on these projects, to upskill them in advancing their research along the translation and commercialisation path. There will also be an opportunity for selected teams to receive further funding to catalyse the creation of start-ups focused on the outcomes of their research.

The launch of this research translation expansion initiative coincides with the 20th anniversary of the U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership, which was formally established in 2006. Based on the principles of the Good Friday Agreement – equality, partnership and mutual respect – it promotes high-quality, collaborative research across the three jurisdictions. Over the past two decades, the Partnership has supported 107 collaborative research projects, securing £144m or €170m or $196m in combined government funding and delivering significant scientific, economic and societal benefits.

Built on a shared commitment to excellence and collaboration, the Partnership has played a central role in strengthening research capability, fostering innovation and deepening cross-border and transatlantic relationships.

The U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership promotes collaborative, innovative research projects involving partners from all three jurisdictions, with each project requiring balanced participation and excellence in research quality. Its success is underpinned by the active involvement of government departments, funding agencies and the research community, and is guided by a Steering Group with representation from all three jurisdictions and nine funding organisations.

In Ireland, partners include the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Research Ireland, the Health Research Board, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In Northern Ireland, partners include the Department for the Economy, Health & Social Care NI and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. In the United States, support is provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of State.

The Partnership is also supported by a Secretariat provided by InterTradeIreland, the cross-border trade and business development body, which is the only organisation with a direct legislative mandate to lead all-island economic collaboration. InterTradeIreland’s unique and trusted position connects business, government and academia, and it actively facilitates collaboration and drives economic growth across both jurisdictions.

The launch of this new U.S.-Ireland Research Translation and Commercialisation Initiative marks a significant milestone for the U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership and signals a strong, shared commitment to the future of transatlantic research collaboration and innovation-led economic growth.