ERC Proof of Concept Grants (ERC-2024-POC)

Call updates

14 January 2025

EVALUATION RESULTS of the ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum Grant 2024 - second (and last) cut-off deadline: 17 September 2024 at 17:00 (Brussels local time)

Call for proposals: ERC-2024-PoC - ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANT

Published: 16 November 2023

Available Budget: 20.100.000 € (initial budget: 15.000.000 € + 5.100.000 € additional budget)

In accordance with the call conditions of the ERC 2024 Work Programme, the ERCEA, assisted by independent experts, has completed the evaluation of proposals submitted to the above call. The names of the experts that evaluated Horizon Europe proposals are published, collectively for each part of Horizon Europe and once per year, on the FUNDING & TENDERS PORTAL .

The results of the evaluation are as follows:

Number of submitted proposals: 399

Number of inadmissible proposals: 1

Number of ineligible proposals: 21

Number of withdrawn proposals: 0

Number of above-threshold proposals [1]: 360

Number of proposals retained for funding [1]: 134

Number of proposals in the reserve list: 5

Funding threshold [2]:

Total budget requested for proposals retained for funding: 20.100.000 €

We informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals on 9 January 2025.

A Seal of Excellence has been awarded to the 226 proposals that have received a pass mark in all three of the evaluation elements set out in this Work Programme, but cannot be funded due to lack of budget available to the call.

[1] The number of proposals that can finally be funded depends on the final available budget and the completion of the formal procedures needed to conclude grant agreements.

[2]: Proposals with the same score were ranked according to the priority order procedure set out in the call conditions (ERC-2024-Work Programme).

The first grant agreements are expected to be signed around February 2025.

Information on the selected projects will be published on CORDIS after signature of the grant agreements.

For questions, please contact the Research Enquiry Service.

ERC Proof of Concept Call Coordination

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Dear Applicants,

The final results for the second evaluation round of the 2024 Proof of Concept call (ERC-2024-PoC call) have been released on 9th January 2025.

The deadline for redress is 8th February 2025.

Best regards,

ERC PoC Call coordination team

18 September 2024

ERC-2024-POC (HORIZON-ERC-POC) – Deadline 2 (cut-off 20240917):

The ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANT Call for proposals – second cut-off deadline – (ERC-2024-PoC-DL2) has closed on 17 September 2024 at 17:00 (Brussels local time).

A total of 399 proposals were submitted in response to the second and final deadline (17 September 2024) of the ERC 2024 Proof of Concept Call. In total, this represents 20% more PoC proposals to the 2024 call (728) than to the three deadlines of the 2023 call (608 proposals).

Evaluation results are expected to be communicated in January 2025.

The ERC-2025-PoC call will be published on 13 November 2024 and open for submission on the Funding & Tender opportunities Portal, with 2 cut-off dates (deadlines): 13 March 2025 and 18 September 2025 (17:00:00 time zone Brussels time).

Jun 28, 2024 3:10:34 PM

EVALUATION RESULTS of the ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum Grant 2024 - first cut-off deadline:

Call for proposals: ERC-2024-PoC - ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANT
Published: 16 November 2023
1st cut-off deadline: 14 March 2024 at 17:00 (Brussels local time)
Available Budget: 15.000.000 €

In accordance with the call conditions of the ERC 2024 Work Programme, the ERCEA, assisted by independent experts, has completed the evaluation of proposals submitted to the above call. The names of the experts that evaluated Horizon Europe proposals are published, collectively for each part of Horizon Europe and once per year, on the FUNDING & TENDERS PORTAL .

The results of the evaluation are as follows:
Number of submitted proposals: 329
Number of inadmissible proposals: 0
Number of ineligible proposals: 5
Number of withdrawn proposals: 3
Number of above-threshold proposals [1]: 295

Number of proposals retained for funding [1]: 100
Number of proposals in the reserve list: 25

Number of proposals beyond budget: 170

Funding threshold [2]: 0

Total budget requested for proposals retained for funding: 15.000.000 €

We informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals on 28 June 2024.

A Seal of Excellence will be awarded to the 195 proposals that have received a pass mark in all three of the evaluation elements set out in this Work Programme, but cannot be funded due to lack of budget available to the call.

[1] The number of proposals that can finally be funded depends on the final available budget and the completion of the formal procedures needed to conclude grant agreements.

[2]: Proposals with the same score were ranked according to the priority order procedure set out in the call conditions (ERC-2024-Work Programme).

The first grant agreements are expected to be signed around October 2024.

Information on the selected projects will be published on CORDIS after signature of the grant agreements.

For questions, please contact the Research Enquiry Service.

Mar 18, 2024 11:05:24 AM

ERC-2024-POC (HORIZON-ERC-POC) - Deadline 1 (cut-off 20240314):

A total of 328 proposals were submitted in response to the first intermediate deadline of this call (14 March 2024). This represents 200 proposals more (156%) than for the 2023 first cut-off. This increase is mainly explained by the fact that for the 2024 call, there are only 2 deadlines (instead of 3 for the past 2023 call). In comparison, 325 proposal were submitted to the first and second deadline of the 2023 PoC call taken together.
The second and final deadline for submission is 17 September 2024 at 17:00 (Brussels local time).

NB: According to the ERC Work Programme 2024, Principal Investigators may submit only one proposal under the Work Programme 2024 Proof of Concept call. If further submissions are made at different cut-off dates, only the first admissible and eligible proposal will be considered. 

Nov 16, 2023 3:54:14 PM

The submission session is now available for: ERC-2024-POC(HORIZON-ERC-POC)

ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS

ERC-2024-POC

Programme: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Call: Call for proposals for ERC Proof of Concept Grant (ERC-2024-POC)
Type of action: HORIZON-ERC-POC HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
Type of MGA: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]
Deadline model: multiple cut-off
Opening date: 16 November 2023
Deadline dates: 14 March 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
17 September 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time

Objectives
The ERC Proof of Concept Grants aim at facilitating exploration of the commercial and social innovation potential of ERC funded research and are therefore available only to Principal Investigators whose proposals draw substantially on their ERC funded research.

Scope:
Size of ERC Proof of Concept GrantsThe financial contribution will be awarded as a lump sum of EUR 150 000 for a period of 18 months. The ERC expects that normally proof of concept activities should be completed within 12 months. However, to allow for those projects that require more preparation time, the grant agreements will be signed for 18 months. Extensions of the duration of proof of concept projects may be granted only exceptionally.

The lump sum will cover the beneficiaries' direct and indirect eligible costs for the project: if the project is implemented properly the amounts will be paid regardless of the costs actually incurred. The lump sum has been designed to cover the beneficiaries’ personnel costs, subcontracting, purchase costs, other cost categories and indirect costs.

Profile of the ERC Proof of Concept Eligible Principal Investigator

All Principal Investigators in one of the main grants are eligible to participate and apply for an ERC Proof of Concept Grant. Principal Investigators in an ongoing main grant or in a main grant that has ended less than 12 months before 1 January 2024 are eligible to apply. For further information please see the ERC Work Programme 2024.