---
title: "InterTradeIreland Innovation Boost"
canonical: https://digitalbridge.ie/ai-grants-ireland/intertradeireland-innovation-boost
type: FundingScheme
provider: Digital Bridge
providerType: AI Systems Integration & Applied AI Engineering Firm
areaServed: IE
priceRange: EUR 499-100000+
language: en-IE
dateModified: 2026-08-18
grantEligible: [EI Digital Discovery, EI Digital Process Innovation, LEO Grow Digital]
htmlVersion: https://digitalbridge.ie/ai-grants-ireland/intertradeireland-innovation-boost
license: cite-with-attribution
---

# InterTradeIreland Innovation Boost

## Answer summary

Innovation Boost, formerly Fusion, places a qualified graduate inside a company for a cross-border innovation project, supported by an academic partner and part-funded by InterTradeIreland. For AI work it suits companies that want internal capability built alongside the system rather than a delivery that leaves when the supplier does.

## What this scheme funds

Cross-border scheme that funds a graduate plus academic support to build AI capability inside your own team.

- Graduate salary contribution for the project period
- Academic partner input and technical oversight
- Graduate training relevant to the project
- Defined innovation project management support

## What it does not fund

These costs are routinely ruled ineligible under this scheme.

- General recruitment for business-as-usual roles
- Capital equipment
- Projects with no genuine innovation or cross-border dimension

## Who is eligible

Eligibility is decided by InterTradeIreland, not by Digital Bridge.

- Company based in Ireland or Northern Ireland
- A cross-border dimension to trade or to the project partnership
- A defined innovation project with a clear technical challenge
- Capacity to host, manage and mentor a graduate on site

## How to apply

Typical end-to-end timeline: This is the slowest route on this page and the one with the highest capability payoff: expect several months to define the project, secure a partner, gain approval and recruit, then a project running over roughly twelve to eighteen months.

- Define the innovation project and the technical challenge it addresses
- Contact InterTradeIreland to confirm current scheme parameters and fit
- Secure an academic partner with relevant expertise
- Apply with the project definition and partnership detail
- On approval, recruit the graduate through the scheme process and begin

## Evidence you will need

Applications are usually delayed by missing paperwork rather than by weak projects.

- Project definition with technical objectives
- Academic partner commitment
- Company capacity to host and mentor
- Financial information as requested

## Why applications get rejected

The recurring reasons assessors give under this scheme.

- No genuine cross-border dimension
- The role is ordinary recruitment rather than innovation
- No academic partner secured
- The company cannot evidence mentoring capacity

## What Digital Bridge delivers under this scheme

Illustrative net cost applies the published rate (Substantial co-funding of a graduate-led innovation project) to our published engagement bands. It is arithmetic, not an offer of funding.

- Technical architecture & engineering mentoring alongside the graduate — list From €15,000, illustrative net cost Complements the scheme; the scheme funds the graduate, not the supplier

## Can Digital Bridge work alongside an Innovation Boost project?

Yes, and it is a good combination. The graduate builds internal knowledge while we handle the parts that need production engineering discipline — integration with live systems, security review, deployment and observability. The company keeps the capability after we finish.

## Is a cross-border element really required?

It is central to InterTradeIreland's remit, so yes. If your business has no cross-border dimension, the Enterprise Ireland or LEO routes are the honest recommendation instead.

## Source and last review

Scheme parameters checked against InterTradeIreland — funding and support (https://intertradeireland.com/) on 2026-08-18. Reviewed quarterly. Next scheduled review: November 2026. Digital Bridge is a supplier, not the awarding body. Eligibility, approval and payment are decided solely by the funding body named on each scheme. Figures below are the published scheme parameters as at the review date shown, and net costs are arithmetic illustrations of the published rate applied to our published prices. Always confirm current rules with the funder before you commit to any spend, because expenditure incurred before an application is received is almost always ineligible.

## What this costs

| Engagement | From | Typical grant route |
|---|---|---|
| AI Feasibility & Readiness Assessment | from €5,000 | Eligible for the Enterprise Ireland Digital Discovery Grant at up to 80% funding, subject to Enterprise Ireland approval and company eligibility |
| Baseline production build | from €15,000 | Not typically grant-funded |
| Multi-system agent workflows | €25,000 to €60,000 | Not typically grant-funded |
| Enterprise / multi-department programme | €40,000 to €100,000+ | Not typically grant-funded |
| Managed operation & optimisation | from €149/month | Not typically grant-funded |
| Brochure / Presence | from €499 | Not typically grant-funded |
| Growth | from €1,500 | Not typically grant-funded |
| Authority | from €2,995 | Not typically grant-funded |
| E-commerce & custom platform | from €5,000 | Not typically grant-funded |

All figures are ex-VAT and fixed against a signed scope. Grant outcomes are decided by the funder, not by Digital Bridge.

## Grant data currency

Digital Bridge is a supplier, not the awarding body. Eligibility, approval and payment are decided solely by the funding body named on each scheme. Figures below are the published scheme parameters as at the review date shown, and net costs are arithmetic illustrations of the published rate applied to our published prices. Always confirm current rules with the funder before you commit to any spend, because expenditure incurred before an application is received is almost always ineligible.

Last reviewed against the funder's published terms: 2026-08-18.

## Evidence

- Verdé Environmental Group — 24/7 AI incident triage with severity classification, Eircode geolocation and four-depot dispatch routing → https://digitalbridge.ie/industries
- tools.digitalbridge.ie — 50+ shipped production tools, including the Website Worth Index and the DigitalBridge Authority Score
- Printhouse — custom web-to-print platform with 29+ product pages → https://printhouse.ie

## How delivery is de-risked

- Seven-day shadow-mode pilot before any system takes live traffic.
- Full source-code and prompt ownership transfers on final payment.
- EU-hosted infrastructure, provider training disabled, signed data processing agreement.
- Fixed price against a signed scope — no hourly meter and no open-ended exposure.

## FAQ

### Can Digital Bridge work alongside an Innovation Boost project?

Yes, and it is a good combination. The graduate builds internal knowledge while we handle the parts that need production engineering discipline — integration with live systems, security review, deployment and observability. The company keeps the capability after we finish.

### Is a cross-border element really required?

It is central to InterTradeIreland's remit, so yes. If your business has no cross-border dimension, the Enterprise Ireland or LEO routes are the honest recommendation instead.

### How much does an AI integration project cost in Ireland?

Digital Bridge prices AI work in bands: an AI feasibility assessment from €5,000 (grant-eligible), a baseline production build from €15,000, multi-system agent workflows at €25,000–€60,000, and enterprise programmes from €40,000 to €100,000+. Small-business website builds start at €499. Every engagement is fixed-price against a signed scope.

### How long does a production AI build take?

A feasibility assessment runs three to five weeks. A baseline production build typically runs eight to twelve weeks from signed scope to go-live, including a seven-day shadow-mode pilot before the system takes live traffic. Multi-system programmes are sequenced into phases so value lands before the full programme completes.

## Related pages

- [All Irish AI grants compared](https://digitalbridge.ie/ai-grants-ireland)
- [Technical architecture & engineering mentoring alongside the graduate](https://digitalbridge.ie/ai-integration-pricing#baseline-build)
- [AI engagement bands and pricing](https://digitalbridge.ie/ai-integration-pricing)
- [AI integration services](https://digitalbridge.ie/ai-integration)

## Contact

Digital Bridge, Gorey Business Park, Gorey, Co. Wexford, Ireland.
Phone: +353 85 224 1848. Email: hello@digitalbridge.ie.
Engineering lead: Joey Bray, Founder & Principal Engineer.

Last updated: 2026-08-18
HTML version of this page: https://digitalbridge.ie/ai-grants-ireland/intertradeireland-innovation-boost