Breaking news

RIF Unveils €45.3 Million In 2025 Funding Calls To Boost Innovation

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 6, 2025

The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) has announced its main funding calls for 2025, with a total budget exceeding €45.3 million. The funding aims to strengthen Cyprus’ research and innovation ecosystem through targeted programs supporting business innovation, knowledge transfer, and international collaboration.

For the first time, RIF will provide funding for establishing production lines for innovative products and developing AI-driven solutions to address public sector challenges. Additionally, the Fast-Track Innovation program will accelerate the commercialization of new products and services.

Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram

Funding Priorities

The 2025 funding programs align with RIF’s five strategic pillars:

Research
Knowledge Transfer and Collaboration
Innovation
Internationalization
Infrastructure and Capabilities

Planned Calls by Quarter

Q1 2025

Innovate
Seed
Innovation Support Structures
New Product Development – Capacity Building
STEP – Setting up facilities and production lines for manufacturing innovative products/services
Fast-Track Innovation
European Partnership – EUROSTARS
Vision ERC
Horizon Europe – 2nd Opportunity – MSCA
AI in the Public Sector
R&I Internships
Events Sponsorships

Q2 2025

Research in Enterprises (ENTERPRISES)
Proof of Concept
Excellence Hubs (EXCELLENCE)
Post-Doc Fellowships
Cybersecurity Capability Enhancement

Q4 2025

BRIDGE2HORIZON

Further details on funding eligibility, proposal submissions, and deadlines are available on the RIF website.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

Google Escalates Capital Outlay Amid Surge in Cloud Demand

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 25, 2025

Robust Investment Strategy To Power AI Innovation

Alphabet Inc. has significantly revised its capital spending forecast for 2025, allocating an additional $10 billion to accommodate the burgeoning demand for its Cloud services. This strategic move reflects the company’s proactive approach to expanding its infrastructure, particularly in light of the accelerated adoption of AI-powered solutions.

Expanding Infrastructure To Meet Unprecedented Demand

In its second quarter earnings report, Alphabet highlighted a sharp increase in cloud revenues—up 32% to $13.6 billion. This surge has precipitated a $106 billion service backlog, as noted by Finance Chief Anat Ashkenazi during the post-earnings call. The majority of the additional capital expenditure is earmarked for enhancing technical infrastructure, with investments focused on servers and data center networking equipment. The company’s renewed forecast now stands at approximately $85 billion in capital expenditures for 2025, up from the previously projected $75 billion.

Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram

Strategic Expansion Amid A Tight Supply Environment

Ashkenazi pointed out the challenges posed by a tight supply environment, emphasizing that the accelerated pace of server deployments and data center construction is essential to keeping pace with client demand. As Google continues to enhance capacity quarter-by-quarter, further increased capital spending is anticipated in 2026 to capitalize on emerging growth opportunities across the organization.

Implications For Future Profitability

While these significant investments will position Google at the forefront of AI and Cloud technology, they also imply a measurable increase in expenses, potentially affecting short-term profitability. Nevertheless, this forward-looking expansion underscores Alphabet’s commitment to sustaining its competitive edge in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.