The National Challenge Fund is a €65M research fund established under the Government’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, that will support academic researchers to work with government, enterprise, public sector organisations and societal stakeholders to address national priorities for Ireland. This fund will be coordinated and administered by Science Foundation Ireland.
The initiative will address key national challenges in the areas of Green Transition and Digital Transformation. It aims to foster collaboration between government departments, agencies, enterprise, the academic research community, and societal stakeholders to identify challenges and mobilise action to address green transition and digitalisation targets set at government level.
To address complex challenges, stakeholders, beneficiaries and end-users should be involved in the co-creation of research activities and should inform the expected outputs and outcomes to ensure that they are meaningful and relevant, and to ensure a full understanding of the issues relating to the adoption and scaling of solutions to achieve impact. It will be expected that solutions are inclusive, equitable and sustainable and adhere to the principles of responsible research and innovation.
The National Challenge Fund will consist of eight challenges, which aim to fund approximately 90 research teams with funding of up to €250k over a duration of 18 months to develop their ideas. Under each challenge stream, a number of teams will then be awarded follow-on funding of up to €500k and compete for Prize Awards of up to €2M.
The first challenges under the National Challenge Fund, the 2050 Challenge and Future Digital Challenge, will launch in August 2022.
Launch - Q3 2022
Ireland’s National Climate Objective commits to pursue and achieve no later than 2050, the transition to a climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy. While many solutions already exist, there is an urgent need and opportunity for technological innovation to accelerate and navigate this transition to achieve this long-term ambition.
The 2050 Challenge seeks transformative, forward-looking solutions to current and future challenges in Ireland becoming climate neutral and resilient by 2050.
As illustrative examples, the National Climate Action Plan and the Climate Change Advisory Council highlight the following areas where there is a need for technological innovation:
Solutions may be proposed in any sector and must demonstrate the potential for transformative impact in achieving Ireland’s transition to a climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy.
This broad thematic call is the first of a number of calls that will seek solutions to support Ireland’s Green Transition. Applicants to this call are particularly encouraged to consider novel, forward-looking solutions that could contribute to meeting 2050 objectives.
Launch - Q4 2022
Restoring and maintaining a resilient environment is an inextricable component of the Green Transition and essential for the creation of a healthy and secure future. Environmental degradation exacerbates climate change, threatens health, increases the risk of natural disaster, accelerates biodiversity loss and destabilises societies.
The Healthy Environment for All Challenge seeks solutions to ensure clean and healthy air, water and soil for humans, animals and plants.
Under this Challenge, applications would be considered in areas including but not limited to:
Launch - Q4 2022
The urgency to accelerate the transition to a clean energy system has never been clearer with existential threats posed to society by climate change and energy security. Increasing the pace of action in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is essential, with research and innovation playing a central role.
The Energy Innovation Challenge seeks solutions to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a clean and secure energy system.
Under this Challenge, applications would be considered in areas including but not limited to:
Launch - Q2 2023
At the heart of the Green Transition and Digital Transformations is imagining how we will live in the future. As society is transformed, we must create sustainable and inclusive ways for all people to live, be productive and creative, as well as to thrive in balance with nature, the environment and our planet.
The Sustainable Communities Challenge seeks solutions that will support a sustainable future for Ireland’s urban and rural populations.
Under this Challenge, applications would be considered in areas including but not limited to:
While the Sustainable Communities Challenge falls under the Green Transition stream of the National Challenge Fund, it is acknowledged that many potential solutions will also be aligned with the Digital Transformation.
Launch - Q2 2023
Greenhouse gases from the agricultural sector represent the largest contribution to Ireland’s Emissions Inventory, but where there remain significant challenges in achieving reductions while maintaining productivity. There are opportunities for innovation across the food value chain, from production to consumption to ensure a sustainable food system for all.
The Future Food Systems Challenge seeks solutions for sustainable, productive and resilient food systems.
Under this Challenge, applications would be considered in areas including but not limited to:
Launch - Q2 2023
The Future Digital Challenge focuses on supporting research teams to address the challenge of creating and applying disruptive digital technologies that will contribute to our national recovery and resilience. The challenge provides researchers with an opportunity to work with societal stakeholders to identify digital transformation opportunities, co-create solutions and demonstrate the impact potential that new digital products, processes or services can have in creating a more inclusive and sustainable society. In doing so, the Future Digital Challenge will build leadership in deep tech and, by demonstration of impact potential, inform future approaches, research priorities and policy on how digital transformation can enhance our society and economy.
Technologies
Under this challenge, researchers are invited to develop innovative and sustainable products, processes or services, based on cross-cutting digital technologies including, for example: Sensors; Mobile Communication Systems; Internet of Things (IOT); Data (incl., Small, Big, Open) and Analytics (incl., Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning); Distributed Ledger Technology (e.g., Blockchain); XR (i.e., Mixed Reality); Simulation and Digital Twins.
Areas of Interest
Applications that identify challenges from any sector are welcome, however, particular focus should be placed on sectors where digitalisation can bring transformational opportunity. Such areas include (along with illustrative examples of high-level research questions):
Given the need for solutions to create value, researchers are encouraged to collaborate across disciplines to gain deeper understanding of issues and develop more complete value propositions (e.g., environmental, social or economic).
Launch - Q4 2022
Given the power of modern digital technologies, in particular, the potential to gather and analyse large amounts of data from multiple, disparate, sources, the Digital for Resilience Challenge focuses on supporting research teams to focus on the challenge of enhancing Ireland’s capabilities in crisis prediction & response. The challenge provides researchers the opportunity to explore development of new digitally enabled methods, models and tools to gain deeper insights and better understanding of the origins and potential impacts on future environmental, social or economic scenarios, in order to better prepare for future shock events.
The Digital for Resilience Challenge will build national capacity in crisis prediction & response and, by demonstration of impact potential, inform national risk management strategies and policy on how our society and economy can be more resilient.
Areas of Interest
Applications are encouraged to focus on the challenge of enhancing Ireland’s capability in crisis prediction & response. Specifically, how digital technologies (e.g., multi-scale or agent-based modelling and simulation, AI and machine learning, digital twins) can be used to anticipate, monitor and manage shock societal, economic and environmental events (e.g., pandemics, supply/demand disruptions, flooding).
Given the need for solutions to create value, researchers are encouraged to collaborate across disciplines to gain a deeper understanding of issues and develop more complete value propositions (e.g., environmental, social or economic). Under the Digital for Resilience Challenge, consideration should also be given to the principles of equity, inclusion and diversity, and how these can be reflected in research and form part of measures and recommendations on future resilience.
The complexity and ubiquity of digital technologies calls for digital products, processes and services to be ethical. Solutions developed as part of the challenge should ensure trust, privacy and security are considered and incorporated at all stages from design to deployment.
Launch - Q4 2022
The OurTech Challenge focuses on supporting research teams to address the challenge of enhancing the connections between government, communities and people. The challenge provides researchers the opportunity to explore how digital technologies could enhance government processes and functions, create new value for the public through people-centric digital-first public services, and new ways to strengthen the connections between people, their communities and with government (both local and national).
The OurTech Challenge will support several national strategies relating to digital transformation in, for example, the public service, and more broadly around the application of AI for societal good. The challenge will also, by demonstration of impact potential, inform national strategies and policies on how our society can be more resilient.
Areas of Interest
Applications are encouraged to focus on the challenge of strengthening the connections the between people, communities, and government based on principles of trust, privacy and security. Under this challenge, areas of interest include (along with illustrative examples of high-level research questions):
If you would like to find out more about the National Challenge Fund or explore opportunities to become involved, please contact Dr Stephen O’Driscoll (Digital Transformation Lead) or Dr Darragh O’Neill (Green Transition Lead) at challenges@sfi.ie.