Objectives

The ERC Proof of Concept Grants aim at facilitating exploration of the commercial and social innovation potential of ERC funded research and are therefore available only to Principal Investigators whose proposals draw substantially on their ERC funded research.

Which activities can be financed?

The ERC PoC Grant would help among others:

• testing, experimenting, demonstrating and validating the idea;
• conducting research required to carry out the above activities and to address the weaknesses uncovered by them;
• establishing viability, technical issues and overall direction;
• clarifying IPR protection or knowledge transfer strategy;
• involving industrial partners, societal or cultural organisations, policymakers or any other potential stakeholder supporting the translation of research results into innovation;
• assessing potential end users of the expected innovation.

Scope:

Size of ERC Proof of Concept Grants: The financial contribution will be awarded as a lump sum of EUR 150 000 for a period of 18 months. The ERC expects that normally proof of concept activities should be completed within 12 months. However, to allow for those projects that require more preparation time, the grant agreements will be signed for 18 months. Extensions of the duration of proof of concept projects may be granted only exceptionally.

The lump sum will cover the beneficiaries' direct and indirect eligible costs for the project: if the project is implemented properly the amounts will be paid regardless of the costs actually incurred. The lump sum has been designed to cover the beneficiaries' personnel costs, subcontracting, purchase costs, other cost categories and indirect costs.

Profile of the ERC Proof of Concept Eligible Principal Investigator

- All Principal Investigators in one of the main grants are eligible to participate and apply for an ERC Proof of Concept Grant.

- The Principal Investigators in an ongoing main grant or in a main grant that has ended after 1 January 2024 are eligible to apply. 

- The Principal Investigator must be able to demonstrate the relation between the idea to be taken to proof of concept and the ERC frontier research project (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced or Synergy) in question.

- Principal Investigators may submit only one proposal under this Work Programme Proof of Concept call.

Eligible Host Institution:

The host institution (Applicant Legal Entity) must engage the Principal Investigator for at least the duration of the Proof of Concept project, as defined in the grant agreement, and must be established in a Member State or an Associated Country as a legal entity created under applicable national law (see also "Eligible countries' below).

To be eligible, legal entities from a Member State or Associated Country that are public bodies, research organisations, or higher education institutions (including private research organisations and private higher education institutions) must have a gender equality plan or an equivalent strategic document in place for the duration of the project. The gender equality plan or equivalent must fulfil the mandatory requirements listed in Annex 5 to this ERC Work Programme 2025 .

In case of interest, please click on "m'interessa" and we will contact you.