Portugal launches AI² agency to streamline research and innovation funding

The Portuguese government announced that the new Agência para a Investigação e Inovação (AI²) will replace the former Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and the Agência Nacional de Inovação (ANI). Secretaries of State for Science and Innovation, Helena Canhão, and for the Economy, João Ferreira, said the agency will operate under joint oversight of both ministries and will avoid any disinvestment in science, stressing that “não vai haver desinvestimento”.

AI² is intended to cover the entire knowledge cycle, from basic research to commercialisation, and will be guided by a five‑year multi‑annual contract‑program to be finalised by the end of 2026. The agency will focus on three pillars: bottom‑up funding of institutions, doctoral scholarships and projects; strategic, mission‑oriented programmes; and promotion of innovation aligned with European programmes such as Horizon Europe. The government aims to raise research and innovation investment to around 3 % of GDP, split between public and private sources, and to increase the participation of companies in the funding ecosystem.

The new structure is presented as a “new agency” rather than a simple administrative merger, with the goal of improving agility, predictability and impact of public funding while maintaining existing competitive calls and evaluation based on scientific excellence.