ERC Proof of Concept Grants

Proof of Concept grants provide support for previous and current ERC grantees who want to explore the commercial or societal potential of their work.

Who should apply

Current ERC principal investigators (PIs) or ERC PIs whose grants ended less than 12 months before the 1 January of the year of the work programme.

How it works

Proof of Concept grants support ERC PIs and can employ researchers and innovators of any nationality as team members. It is also possible to have one or more team members located in a non-European country.

What is funded

Research and innovation activities conducted in a public or private research organisation in one of the EU Member States or Associated Countries. Proof of Concept grants are awarded a lump sum of €150,000 for a period of 18 months.

How we can support you

We are the UK National Contact Point for ERC. You can email erc-uk@ukro.ac.uk for free information and advice.

You can attend our regular free events about ERC calls. Every event is recorded, so you can catch up on past recordings too.

Additional support for UKRO subscribers

If your organisation subscribes to UKRO, we can provide additional support. Check if your organisation is a subscriber.

While we cannot read proposals and comment on them directly, we do have resources available to help with proposal writing. Your UKRO European Advisor is available to signpost and advise on general questions you might have regarding your proposal.

Next steps

  1. Find out if you are eligible to apply, read about Starting Grants and what the funding covers by visiting the ERC website.
  2. Read about the financial support available in the current Work Programme to see if this is right for you.
  3. Look at what the ERC has funded in the past and see if your project fits the scale and ambition of an ERC grant.
  4. Familiarise yourself with the panels so that you can pick the right one for you. Note that all research areas are eligible.
  5. Speak to your host institution as early as possible.
  6. Apply on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
    If you do not already have an account, you need to register on the portal
    If your host institution needs a Participant Identification Code (PIC), register for one on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Contact us if you have any questions.

Jobs in ERC teams

ERC Principal Investigators (PIs) can use their grant to recruit researchers and team members for their projects. If you are interested in applying for one of these jobs, search on the EURAXESS portal using the ERC as a keyword. ERC jobs may also be advertised on other websites and journals.

If you find a job that interests you, apply directly to the PI and their host institution.

Last updated: 1 March 2024