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

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.

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.

UnitedHealth Removes DEI Mentions From Website Amid Growing Shift In Corporate Policies

UnitedHealth Group has significantly reduced its public focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by removing related content from its website. 

The reasons for these changes remain unclear, and it’s uncertain whether the removal signals a shift in the company’s policies or simply a change in the language used. A UnitedHealth spokesperson, Tyler Mason, commented that the company continues to support a collaborative environment and mutual respect, which remain integral to its culture and mission to expand access to healthcare services.

The move coincides with a broader trend among major corporations, especially in the tech industry, retreating from DEI programs. This shift is partly in response to executive orders from the Trump administration targeting DEI initiatives in companies receiving federal funding. Some tech giants, including Google and OpenAI, have already scrubbed DEI-related content from their sites.

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