Tyndall National Institute’s EU Programmes Team has played a pivotal role in surpassing €83 million in competitively won European research funding.
This milestone, which includes a coordination role in 20 projects, is a remarkable achievement that highlights Tyndall’s growing influence within Horizon Europe and the broader European funding landscape.
The EU Programmes Team supports researchers with grant applications, build high‑impact partnerships, and ensure Ireland’s deep-tech research community plays a leading role in shaping Europe’s scientific and technological future.
Over the past several years, the EU Programmes Team has guided researchers through complex European calls, providing strategic advice, proposal development support, and partnership-building expertise. Their work spans Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, and a range of strategic European partnerships and initiatives.
The team has helped researchers link with industry leaders, universities, and innovation networks across Europe. This collaborative approach has been instrumental in securing funding across areas such as microelectronics, photonics, AI, quantum technologies, cybersecurity, energy systems, and sustainability.
These projects bring significant investment to Ireland, creating new jobs, supporting early‑career researchers, and strengthening deep-tech innovation ecosystems across the country. They also position Tyndall as a trusted partner in Europe’s collective effort to build resilience, competitiveness, and scientific leadership.
Driven by its EU Programmes Office, Tyndall is coordinating two major European initiatives – ICOS² and the INFRACHIP Research Infrastructure project – while also playing a key partner role in the European Chips Skills Academy.
As the coordinator for ICOS², Tyndall will lead the highly anticipated follow-up to the successful ICOS project. This initiative will continue to advance Europe’s semiconductor and smart systems capabilities, fostering deep collaboration across international research consortia. In parallel, Tyndall is coordinating the INFRACHIP Research Infrastructure project. This programme provides researchers and innovators with vital access to state-of-the-art semiconductor facilities, testbeds, and technical expertise. Complementing its infrastructure leadership, Tyndall is also bringing its expertise to the European Chips Skills Academy (ECSA) project. ECSA addresses the critical talent shortage in the semiconductor industry by developing comprehensive training and education frameworks.
Professor Giorgos Fagas, Director of Strategic Development, Tyndall said: “Surpassing €83 million in European funding is a significant milestone for Tyndall and reflects the exceptional capability of our EU Programmes Team. Under the leadership of Cian Ó Murchú, recently formally appointed as Head of the ‘EU and Strategic Programmes’ group, the team’s strategic approach to building partnerships and supporting our researchers has strengthened our position within Horizon Europe and across the wider European Research Area. This success is about enabling impactful collaboration, advancing critical technologies, and ensuring Ireland plays a leading role in Europe’s innovation future.”
Dr Cian Ó Murchú, Head of EU and Strategic Programmes, Tyndall said: “Securing the coordination of ICOS² and INFRACHIP, alongside our coordination of 20 projects in total, perfectly illustrates Tyndall’s comprehensive approach to advancing Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem. We are not just facilitating access to world-class research infrastructure and forming global scientific partnerships; we are actively cultivating the talent required to ensure Europe’s future technological sovereignty and global competitiveness.”
The ongoing work of the EU Programmes team will continue to widen participation, empower new researchers, and ensure that Tyndall remains at the forefront of European scientific collaboration.
