Proof of Concept
The ERC Proof of Concept Grant helps ERC grantees turn their research discoveries into real-world innovations by funding further testing, validation, and demonstration of ideas from their ERC projects.
Funder: European Research Council
Due Dates: March 17, 2026 (1st cut-off) | September 17, 2026 (2nd cut-off)
Funding Amounts: €150,000 lump sum per grant, project duration up to 18 months
Summary: Supports ERC grantees to bridge research and innovation by validating, demonstrating, or exploring the commercial or societal potential of ideas from their ERC-funded projects.
Key Information: Only current or recent ERC main grant holders (ending on/after Jan 1, 2025) are eligible; one application per call per PI.
Description
The ERC Proof of Concept Grant is a targeted funding scheme designed to help Principal Investigators (PIs) who already hold an ERC main grant (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, or Synergy) to explore and develop the innovation potential of ideas arising from their ERC-funded research. The scheme provides support for additional activities—such as testing, validation, demonstration, stakeholder engagement, or IPR/knowledge transfer strategies—that were not included in the original ERC grant, with the aim of translating research outcomes into real-world impact, whether commercial or societal.
The grant is intended to bridge the gap between frontier research and early-stage innovation, enabling ERC grantees to establish feasibility, address technical or market challenges, and position their ideas for further development, commercialization, or broader societal application.
