ERC Proof of Concept Grant

The ERC Proof of Concept Grants aim to maximise the value of the excellent research that the ERC funds, by funding further work (i.e. activities which were not scheduled to be funded by the original ERC frontier research grant) to verify the innovation potential of ideas arising from ERC funded projects.

Who Can Apply?

Proof of Concept Grants are on offer only to Principal Investigators whose proposals draw substantially on their ERC funded research.

All Principal Investigators in an ERC frontier research project, that is either ongoing or has ended less than 12 months before 1 January of the call’s year, are eligible to participate and apply for an ERC Proof of Concept Grant. For example, the deciding date for eligibility for the 2021 ERC Proof of Concept call is 1 January 2021.

Principal Investigators may submit only one proposal under Work Programme. If multiple submissions are made at different cut-off dates under the Work Programme, only the first eligible proposal will be considered.

Applicants will need 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.

More than one Proof of Concept Grant may be awarded per ERC funded frontier research project but only one Proof of Concept project may be running at any one time for the same ERC frontier research project.

Size of ERC Proof of Concept Grant: The financial contribution will be awarded as a lump sum of € 150,000 for a period of 18 months.

The ERC expects that normally proof of concept projects should be completed within 12 months. However, to allow for those projects that require more preparation time, projects will be signed for 18 months.

The lump sum offered will cover the beneficiaries' direct and indirect eligible costs for the project.

Further information: PoC Useful Links