Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, today announced €8 million in prize phase funding for six research teams across four challenge programmes under the National Challenge Fund.
Funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Fund calls on researchers to identify problems related to Ireland’s Green Transition and Digital Transformation, and work directly with those most affected to solve them.
Minister James Lawless said:
“I am delighted to announce the second cohort of teams to receive prize funding under the National Challenge Fund.
These research teams are driving innovative projects that will help Ireland transition to a clean and secure energy system, strengthen our ability to anticipate and respond to flood risks, protect children by recognising and resisting grooming tactics, and advance our move towards an environmentally sustainable, climate-neutral economy.
I congratulate all the teams on their success in this highly competitive programme.”
The RENEW team, led by Professor Fabiano Pallonetto and Dr Amy Fahy of Maynooth University, with Societal Impact Champion Peter Hamilton, of Maynooth Sustainable Energy Community, has won the Energy Innovation Challenge.
RENEW is a low-cost, AI- and Internet of Things-enabled Home Energy Management System (HEMS) designed to reduce electricity costs for consumers and support Ireland’s transition to a flexible, low-carbon energy system. By promoting inclusive, user-friendly solutions that enable all households to participate in demand flexibility, reduce arrears, and lower bills, the team aims to ensure that no one is left behind in the transition to a low-carbon future.
Team StopFloods4.ie, led by Dr Indiana Olbert and Dr Thomas McDermott, University of Galway, with Societal Impact Champion Dr Ciaran Broderick of Met Éireann, have won the Digital for Resilience Challenge.
StopFloods4.ie is developing a cutting-edge, AI-powered flood forecasting and decision-support system which integrates meteorological, tidal, and river flow data. By transforming fragmented data into clear, actionable insights, the team aims to equip emergency managers and communities with the means to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to flood threats more effectively.
GroSafe, led by Dr Christina Thorpe and Dr Matt Bowden of Technological University Dublin, with Societal Impact Champion Fiona Jennings, Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, has won the OurTech Challenge.
GroSafe is a technology-enabled safeguarding platform designed to combat child grooming through education, support, and reporting. By empowering children and caregivers through this platform, the team aims to build societal resistance, reduce exploitation, and foster a culture of safe and trusted disclosure.
Traceless, led by Dr Yuanyuan Chen, Technological University of the Shannon and Professor Maurice Collins, University of Limerick, with Societal Impact Champion, Maurice Ryan of Green Belt Ltd, has won the Healthy Environment for All Challenge.
Traceless is developing fully biodegradable, durable, tree-supporting products with controlled-release fertilizers. The proposed solution can position Ireland as an innovation leader in green forestry practices that can be adopted globally, while enabling compliance with EU regulations on plastic reduction and improving soil health.
In addition to the prize award, there are two runner-up awards under the Healthy Environment for All Challenge. Bohemian is led by Dr David O’Connor, Dublin City University and Dr Jiayao Chen, University College Dublin, with Societal Impact Champion Dr Saji Varghese, Met Éireann, and Aidan Long, Irish Asthma Society. The second runner-up team, Restart, is led by Dr Ciprian Briciu-Burgina and Professor Fiona Regan, Dublin City University, with Societal Impact Champion Roy O’Connor, Dublin City Council.
Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO, Research Ireland, said:
“I congratulate all the teams being awarded further funding as part of the second round of the National Challenge Fund. This is a significant milestone for this programme, and the research teams it supports. The teams announced today have progressed their projects through deep collaboration with end-users and key societal stakeholders, and I look forward to seeing the teams scale and implement their solutions, delivering national impact over the coming years.”
EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, said:
“The National Challenge Fund demonstrates the real impact of strategic EU investment on Irish society. The prize funding awarded today will help research teams advance solutions to major challenges on the path to a more sustainable, safer and more resilient future. Protecting the environment and children, while upholding fundamental rights, remains a core priority for the European Commission. Research and innovation are key to a just transition to a climate-neutral society and a fair, safe digital world. The work supported today will help shape a better future for Ireland, Europe and the global community.”
Professor Fabiano Pallonetto, RENEW Team Lead, Maynooth University, said:
“We are honoured to receive Prize Phase funding under the National Challenge Fund. This support enables RENEW to scale its impact nationwide—accelerating the integration of renewable energy into Ireland’s power system and reducing energy costs for households and businesses. The funding also strengthens our collaboration with industry, government, and civil society, including key partnerships with Irish County Councils and international innovation networks focused on energy transition.”
Dr Indiana Olbert, StopFloods4.ie Team Lead, University of Galway, said:
“We are delighted and honoured to be selected for the Prize Phase of the National Challenge Fund: Digital for Resilience. This success reflects the collective efforts of our cross-sector team. StopFloods is a collaborative project strongly supported by the Flood Forecasting Centre at Met Éireann, Cork City Council, and local authorities nationwide, and we are grateful for their contributions. We also thank Research Ireland for mentoring and training that helped shape our solution. With support over the next two years, we will complete a state-of-the-art AI-based compound flood forecasting system that will strengthen community resilience and improve preparedness for growing flood risks.”
Dr Christina Thorpe, GroSafe Team Lead, Technological University Dublin, said:
“We are thrilled to be selected for the Prize Phase of the Our Tech National Challenge Fund. GroSafe is built on collaboration, and our progress would not have been possible without the insights of over 2,000 stakeholders, including more than 600 young people, and the invaluable partnership of our societal impact champion, the ISPCC. We are also very grateful for the support of Research Ireland, whose training and mentoring in design thinking and theory of change have been central to shaping GroSafe into a meaningful, technology-enabled solution to build societal resilience against child grooming.”
Dr Yuanyuan Chen, Traceless Team Lead, Technological University of the Shannon, said:
“We are delighted to have entered the prize phase of the National Challenge Fund to pioneer the development of fully biodegradable tree-supporting products. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do at TUS, as well as developing solutions that impact real world problems. I would like to thank our project partners UL and Greenbelt for their vast knowledge and expertise. We are proud that Traceless is the result of such a partnership and focus. The NCF has majorly supported us in the creation of our products that ensure sustainable growth while helping to preserve the environment and eliminate microplastic and chemical pollution.”
Teams receiving prize phase funding are as follows:
Energy Innovation Challenge
The Energy Innovation Challenge focuses on supporting research teams in developing solutions that will accelerate Ireland’s transition to a clean and secure energy system.
RENEW – Renewable Energy through Networking, Education, and building a strong community Will for sustainability
Lead: Prof. Fabiano Pallonetto, Maynooth University; Co-lead: Dr Amy Fahy, Maynooth University; Societal Impact Champion: Peter Hamilton, Maynooth Sustainable Energy Community
Digital for Resilience Challenge
The Digital for Resilience Challenge focuses on supporting research teams to address the challenge of enhancing Ireland’s capabilities in crisis prediction & response.
StopFloods4.ie – Novel approaches for forecasting multi-hazard hydrological events
Lead: Dr Indiana Olbert, University of Galway; Co-lead: Dr Thomas McDermott, University of Galway; Societal Impact Champion; Dr Ciaran Broderick, Met Éireann
OurTech Challenge
The OurTech Challenge focuses on supporting research teams to address the challenge of enhancing the connections between government, communities, and people.
GroSafe – A Technology Enabled Solution for Building Societal Resilience against Grooming
Lead: Dr Christina Thorpe, TU Dublin; Co-lead: Dr Matt Bowden, TU Dublin; Societal Impact Champion: Fiona Jennings, Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
A Healthy Environment for All Challenge
The Healthy Environment for All Challenge gives academic research teams a unique opportunity to contribute to Ireland’s transition to an environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy.
Prize Team
Traceless – Developing fully biodegradable tree-supporting products with controlled release of fertilizers and pesticides to avoid microplastic and chemical pollution
Lead: Dr Yuanyuan Chen, Technological University of the Shannon; Co-Lead: Professor Maurice Collins, University of Limerick; Societal Impact Champion: Maurice Ryan, Green Belt Ltd
Runner Up Teams
Bohemian – Biological and chemical aerosol monitoring and modelling
Lead: Dr David O’Connor, Dublin City University; Co-Lead: Dr Jiayao Chen, University College Dublin; Societal Impact Champion: Dr Saji Varghese, Met Éireann and Aidan Long, Irish Asthma Society
Restart – Rapid bactErial Sensing for a healThy wAter enviRonmenT
Lead: Dr Ciprian Briciu-Burgina, Dublin City University; Co-Lead: Prof. Fiona Regan, Dublin City University; Societal Impact Champion: Roy O’Connor, Dublin City Council