Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
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.
Detailed Call Description
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 after 1 January 2024 are eligible to apply. For further information please see the ERC Work Programme 2025.
The 2025 cut-off dates are as follows:
- 13 March 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time
- 18 September 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The financial contribution will be awarded as a lump sum: €150.000
Thematic Categories
- Education and training
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Educational Institutions
- Legal Entities
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
Eligible Principal Investigator:
Principal Investigators in an ongoing ERC main grant, or Principal Investigators in an ERC main grant that has ended after 1 January 2024, are eligible to apply, subject to any restrictions provided in Annex 3 to this ERC Work Programme 2025 . Principal Investigators may submit only one proposal under this Work Programme Proof of Concept call. If an applicant submits also a proposal at the next cut-off date within the same year, only the first admissible and eligible proposal will be considered.
A Principal Investigator whose proposal was rejected on the grounds of a breach of research integrity in the calls for proposals under Work Programmes 2023 or 2024 may not submit a proposal to the ERC-2025-PoC call.
Synergy Grant Principal Investigators are eligible to apply to the Proof of Concept call only with the written consent of all Principal Investigators in the same Synergy Grant project. Principal Investigators in the same Synergy Grant project can each submit one Proof of Concept application under this Work Programme.
Eligible Host Institution:
The host institution (Applicant Legal Entity) must engage the Principal Investigator for at least the duration of the Proof of Concept project, as defined in the grant agreement, and must be established in a Member State or an Associated Country as a legal entity created under applicable national law (see also “Eligible countries’ below).
To be eligible, legal entities from a Member State or Associated Country that are public bodies, research organisations, or higher education institutions (including private research organisations and private higher education institutions) must have a gender equality plan or an equivalent strategic document in place for the duration of the project. The gender equality plan or equivalent must fulfil the mandatory requirements listed in Annex 5 to this ERC Work Programme 2025 .
Eligible Countries:
The conditions specific to the ERC are described in the ERC Work Programme 2025 , under the heading Admissibility and Eligibility criteria and in Annex 3. An overview is provided below:
The ERC actions are open to researchers of any nationality who intend to conduct their research activity in any Member State or Associated Country. Principal Investigators may be of any age and nationality and may reside in any country in the world at the time of the application.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia,
P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Persons:
Dr Kalypso Sepou
Head of European Programmes Department
Telephone: +357 22 205 066
Email: kalypso@research.org.cy
Dr Ioannis Theodorou
Scientific Officer
Email: itheodorou@research.org.cy
Katerina Karakasidou
Scientific Officer
Email: kkarakasidou@research.org.cy