The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) has announced two new funding calls aimed at bringing research closer to businesses in Cyprus through targeted innovation programmes.

The calls fall under the Proof of Concept and Research in Enterprises programmes, designed to support the development and commercialisation of research outcomes.

The Proof of Concept programme focuses on the preliminary exploration of industrial applications for technologies or know-how emerging from research activities.

At the same time, the Research in Enterprises programme targets the creation or substantial improvement of products, services and production methods by Cypriot businesses.

Both programmes aim to support the development of innovative products and services while promoting the commercial exploitation of research results generated by research organisations.

They also seek to strengthen collaboration between the research community and the business sector, bridging a long-standing gap in the innovation ecosystem.

In this context, RIF also introduced the MatchMe tool, designed to facilitate partner search and collaboration development between businesses and research organisations.

The tool enables stakeholders to identify common interests, connect with potential partners and explore opportunities for joint projects.

The total budget for the Proof of Concept programme amounts to €1 million, with maximum funding of up to €40,000 per project.

The deadline for proposal submissions under this programme is June 26, 2026.

The Research in Enterprises programme has a total budget of €2.4 million, offering funding of up to €150,000 per project.

The submission deadline for this programme is set for June 30, 2026.

“The connection of research with the country’s businesses with the aim of transforming knowledge into innovative products and services constitutes a key strategic objective, as it contributes to strengthening the country’s competitiveness,” said director general Theodoros Loukaidis.

“Our funding programmes are now further strengthened with the MatchMe tool, which helps research organisations and businesses come closer and develop collaborations that provide solutions to real challenges,” he added.

Interested parties are invited to submit their proposals through the IRIS portal, the official submission platform for RIF programmes.