Enterprise Ireland
Agile Innovation Fund
aka AIF
Fast-track Enterprise Ireland R&D grant of up to EUR150,000 (50% of costs) for projects completing within 12 months.
Up to EUR150,000 (45-60% cofunded depending on company size)
Last reviewed May 2026
What this scheme funds
The Agile Innovation Fund is Enterprise Ireland's low-friction R&D grant for projects that can be delivered in 12 months or less. It funds up to 50% of eligible R&D project costs (60% for small and 45% for medium companies under General Block Exemption Regulation rules) to a ceiling of EUR150,000 in grant. Eligible costs include staff time on the R&D project, externally-sourced research, prototype materials, and travel directly attributable to the project. The approval process is genuinely fast - decision is targeted within four weeks - and AIF is the right tool when an EI client needs to validate a specific product idea, run a defined experiment, or build a working prototype before committing to a larger R&D programme. Projects above the AIF threshold or longer than 12 months should use Enterprise Ireland's standard R&D Fund.
Cofunding
40-55% cofunding by company (size-dependent)
Application window
Submit via your EI Development Adviser - decisions targeted within four weeks
Who can apply
- •Enterprise Ireland client (HPSU, Established SME, Scaling, etc.)
- •Project genuinely involves resolution of scientific or technological uncertainty
- •Project can be completed within 12 months of approval
- •Engaged EI Development Adviser for pre-application discussion
How it typically funds software
- •AI / ML model development sprints where the outcome is genuinely uncertain
- •Building a working prototype to test a novel architecture or integration
- •Targeted experimentation that informs a larger R&D programme
Worth knowing
AIF and the R&D Tax Credit can be stacked - the grant lowers the cash cost of the R&D, and the credit refunds the corporation tax on the remaining cost basis (with usual netting rules applied).
Software categories this can fund
Related grants
Revenue Commissioners
R&D Tax Credit
30% refundable tax credit on qualifying research and development expenditure, claimed via the company's annual corporation tax return.
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Innovation Voucher
EUR5,000 voucher that funds a small business to work with a registered higher-education or research institution on an innovation question.
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Knowledge Development Box (KDB)
Effective 10% corporation tax rate (raised from 6.25% under Finance Act 2022) on profits from qualifying intellectual property developed through R&D activity in Ireland.