Cyprus Research And Innovation Foundation Launches Funding Programs For Businesses

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 27, 2026

The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) has announced two pivotal funding initiatives designed to integrate advanced research with Cyprus’ vibrant business sector. These programmes, under the Proof of Concept and Research in Enterprises umbrellas, are set to transform research outputs into commercially viable products and services.

Transforming Research Into Market-Ready Solutions

The Proof of Concept programme is tailored to support the early-stage evaluation of technology applications emerging from research activities. With a dedicated budget of €1 million and individual projects eligible for up to €40,000 in funding, this initiative invites proposals until June 26, 2026, accelerating the translation of research ideas into practical industrial applications.

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Empowering Enterprise Innovation

The Research in Enterprises programme focuses on equipping Cypriot businesses to create or significantly enhance products, services, and production methods. Boasting a total budget of €2.4 million, with grants of up to €150,000 per project, this initiative is a strategic move to bolster the nation’s competitive edge by driving innovation within established enterprises. Submission deadlines for proposals under this scheme conclude on June 30, 2026.

Bridging The Gap Between Research And Business

Recognizing the critical need for collaboration, RIF has also introduced the MatchMe tool, a state-of-the-art platform that streamlines partner searches and facilitates joint project development between researchers and industry players. This tool enhances connections and fosters strategic collaborations, ensuring that research developments effectively address real-world business challenges.

A Strategic Vision For National Competitiveness

Director General Theodoros Loukaidis underscores the significance of these initiatives: “The connection of research with the country’s businesses, transforming knowledge into innovative products and services, is a key strategic objective that elevates national competitiveness.” This vision is further empowered by the MatchMe tool, which promises to close the longstanding gap between academic research and commercial application.

Next Steps For Innovators

Prospective applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals via the IRIS portal, the official submission platform for RIF programmes. With these robust initiatives, RIF is not only driving innovation but also reinforcing Cyprus’ position as a burgeoning hub for research-driven economic growth.

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Copyright Law Struggles To Keep Up With AI Training

by News Editor

August 24, 2026

Courts Are Still Applying Old Copyright Rules To AI

AI companies train models on enormous amounts of published material, including books, articles and academic research. Whether using that content without authors’ permission violates copyright law remains unresolved.

Much of the debate centres on fair use, which allows copyrighted material to be used without permission in certain circumstances. Courts consider factors such as the purpose of the use, how much material was involved and its impact on the original market.

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Anthropic Case Sets An Important Precedent

A major case involving Anthropic and a group of authors provided one of the clearest rulings so far. Judge William Alsup found that using copyrighted books to train AI models was lawful, comparing the process to people reading and studying literature before creating something new.

Anthropic was nevertheless ordered to pay $1.5 billion in a settlement. The penalty concerned books the company had obtained from illegal online libraries rather than the AI training itself.

For AI companies, that distinction could prove significant because it separates studying copyrighted material from directly copying it.

Competition Could Be The Key Issue

A case involving Thomson Reuters and Ross Intelligence offers a different perspective. A court ruled that Ross could not claim fair use after using Reuters’ copyrighted material to develop a competing AI-powered legal research platform.

The decision suggests courts may be less willing to consider AI training fair use when copyrighted content is used to build a product that directly competes with the original.

For authors, an unresolved question is whether AI-generated content should be considered competition for the works used to train these models.

The Law Has Yet To Catch Up

US copyright law predates generative AI by decades, leaving courts to apply old principles to new technology. Questions also remain over copyright protection for AI-generated works. In Thaler v. Perlmutter, a court ruled that material created entirely by AI cannot receive copyright protection.

Major AI companies remain involved in copyright litigation, and different courts could reach different conclusions. For now, there is no universal rule: the legality of AI training will depend on the circumstances of each case and how courts ultimately interpret copyright and fair use.

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