Proof of Concept - European Research Council
Proof of Concept - European Research Council supports ERC researchers in testing and validating ideas from their funded research to explore practical applications and commercial or social innovation.
Funder: European Research Council
Due Dates: March 17, 2026 (2026 first cut-off) | September 17, 2026 (2026 second cut-off) | March 10, 2027 (2027 first cut-off) | September 16, 2027 (2027 second cut-off)
Funding Amounts: €150,000 lump sum for 18 months; €60 million indicative budget per call
Summary: Supports ERC grant holders in exploring the commercial and social innovation potential of ideas arising from ERC-funded research.
Key Information: Proposals must draw substantially on an eligible ERC main grant; each PI may submit only one eligible proposal per call.
Description
The European Research Council’s Proof of Concept grant provides complementary funding to ERC Principal Investigators who want to translate discoveries from frontier research into commercial or social innovation. Administered by the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA), it funds further work not scheduled under the original ERC research grant, helping establish whether an idea can progress towards practical application.
Supported activities include testing, experimenting, demonstrating and validating ideas, along with research needed to address weaknesses uncovered during validation. Projects may investigate viability and technical issues, clarify intellectual property protection or knowledge-transfer strategies, engage industrial partners, societal or cultural organisations and policymakers, and assess potential end users. Pathways can include licensing, spin-outs, research collaborations, public engagement and policy contributions.
