[European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en)

March 13, 2025 | September 18, 2025

€150,000 lump sum per grant for up to 18 months; total call budget €30 million (approx. 200 grants)

Enables ERC-funded researchers to bridge the gap between frontier research and early-stage commercial or societal innovation.

Only one proposal per PI per call; eligibility limited to ERC grantees with ongoing or recently completed (after Jan 1, 2024) main grants.

--- ## Description The ERC Proof of Concept (PoC) Grants are designed to support Principal Investigators (PIs) who already hold an ERC main grant (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, or Synergy) in exploring the commercial or social innovation potential of their ERC-funded research. The scheme funds activities that help bridge the gap between frontier research and early phases of market or societal application, including feasibility studies, business opportunity exploration, validation of practical applications, and clarification of intellectual property rights. The goal is to maximize the impact of ERC-funded research by enabling its translation into real-world products, services, or societal benefits. --- ## Due Dates - March 13, 2025: 1st cut-off submission deadline (17:00 Brussels time) - September 18, 2025: 2nd cut-off (final) submission deadline (17:00 Brussels time) *All proposals must be submitted before the relevant deadline. Only one proposal per PI per call is permitted; if multiple are submitted, only the first eligible proposal will be considered.* --- ## Funding Amount - Lump sum of **€150,000** per Proof of Concept Grant. - Grant duration: up to **18 months** (projects are expected to be completed within 12 months, but agreements are signed for 18 months to allow flexibility). - The lump sum covers all direct and indirect costs. - Total indicative budget for the 2025 call: **€30 million** (approx. 200 grants). --- ## Eligibility - **Principal Investigator:** Must be a PI in an ongoing ERC main grant or in a grant that ended after January 1, 2024. - **Host Institution:** Must be established in an EU Member State or Associated Country and engage the PI for at least the duration of the PoC project. - Public bodies, research organisations, or higher education institutions must have a gender equality plan in place. - **Nationality:** Open to researchers of any nationality and age, residing anywhere at the time of application. - **Restrictions:** - Only one PoC proposal per PI per call. - A maximum of three PoC grants may be awarded per main grant project (six for Synergy Grants). - Synergy Grant PIs require written consent from all PIs in the same project. - PIs with proposals previously rejected for research integrity breaches in 2023 or 2024 ERC calls are ineligible. --- ## Application Process - **Submission:** Applications must be submitted electronically via the [EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home). - **Proposal Components:** - Administrative form (Part A) - Technical annex (Part B, max. 10 pages, strict limits) - Host Institution support letter (mandatory template) - Ethics and security self-assessment (if applicable) - Letters of support or intent from stakeholders (optional, if relevant) - **Evaluation:** Single-stage, single-step peer review by independent experts. The sole criterion is excellence, assessed on: - Breakthrough innovation potential - Approach and methodology - Strategic lead and project management by the PI - **Open Science:** Immediate open access to peer-reviewed publications is required; data management plan must be established within six months if research data is generated. --- ## Additional Information - **Seal of Excellence:** Proposals passing all evaluation elements but not funded due to budget limitations may receive a Seal of Excellence. - **Reporting:** Only a final project report is required. - **No time sheets:** PIs are not required to submit time sheets for PoC projects. - **No detailed budget breakdown:** The grant is a fixed lump sum; justification of use of resources is narrative. --- ## External Links - [ERC PoC 2025 Call Details & Submission Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/ERC-2025-POC?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=16&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [ERC Work Programme 2025 (PDF)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2025/wp_horizon-erc-2025_en.pdf) - [Information for Applicants (PDF)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/information-for-applicants_he-erc-poc_en.pdf) - [Guide for Reviewers (PDF)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/experts/guide-for-peer-reviewers_he-erc-poc_en.pdf) - [FAQ – EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/faq) - [ERC PoC Grant Page](https://erc.europa.eu/apply-grant/proof-concept) - [National Contact Points](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | General PoC call queries | [erc-poc-applicants@ec.europa.eu](mailto:erc-poc-applicants@ec.europa.eu) | | Ethics support | [ERC-ETHICS-REVIEW@ec.europa.eu](mailto:ERC-ETHICS-REVIEW@ec.europa.eu) | | IT/Portal technical support | [IT Helpdesk](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/helpdesks/contact-form) | | General research enquiries | [Research Enquiry Service](https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/contact-us/research-enquiry-service_en) | | National Contact Points | [Find your NCP](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp) | | European Commission main line | +32 2 299 11 11 | ---

ERC Proof of Concept Grants

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