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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.

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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.

Microsoft Bets Big On South Africa With $297M AI And Cloud Investment

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 7, 2025

Microsoft is doubling down on its commitment to South Africa, pledging an additional 5.4 billion rand ($297 million) by 2027 to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure in the country.

The announcement, made by Vice Chairman Brad Smith in Johannesburg, comes ahead of a key South African investment conference and adds to the 20.4 billion rand Microsoft has already poured into Africa’s most industrialized economy.

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Driving Growth Through AI And Talent

Beyond boosting infrastructure, Microsoft is making a play for South Africa’s digital future. Over the next year, the tech giant will fund certification exams for 50,000 young people, equipping them with in-demand digital skills to fuel economic growth and innovation.

South Africa has struggled with sluggish economic expansion—averaging under 1% growth annually for more than a decade—and is actively courting private-sector investment to accelerate momentum.

Big Tech’s Race For Africa

Microsoft was an early mover in South Africa’s cloud computing race, launching data centers in Johannesburg and Cape Town long before Amazon and Google entered the market. The company is now ramping up capacity with a new facility in Centurion, Gauteng, while also spearheading a $1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya.

President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the move, calling Microsoft’s investment a vote of confidence in South Africa’s economic potential. “This company really has an African heart,” he said, underscoring the country’s efforts to position itself as a prime destination for global tech investment.