A new report reveals how the ERC Proof of Concept (PoC) Grants are turning frontier research into real-world solutions. With just 1% of the ERC’s total budget - €259 million between 2014 and 2023 - some 1700 PoC projects have delivered impressive results in innovation, commercialisation and cross-sector impact.
Available exclusively to ERC grantees, PoC funding helps bridge the gap between breakthrough discoveries and their early use in society or the market. Health biotechnologies and medical technologies lead the way (43% of the portfolio), often combining with advances in artificial intelligence, materials science, and manufacturing.
Other strong areas include advanced materials (17%), AI and ICT (13%), quantum technologies (12%), and green innovation (10%). Social innovation and creative sectors are also supported (5% of projects).
Some outcomes have gone far beyond their original scientific goals. For instance, algorithms initially developed in astronomy to study supernovae have been adapted for the automated detection, characterisation, and monitoring of skin lesions. Advances in astrophysics are now also contributing to cancer detection and medical imaging.
Maria Leptin, ERC President, said: ‘Proof of Concept Grants may be small in size, but their impact is big. They help researchers take bold steps beyond academia, turning scientific breakthroughs into real-world solutions. This report shows just how powerful, and often serendipitous, the link between excellent research and innovation can be when we support curiosity-driven ideas with the right tools.’
PoC grants often act as a launchpad for further public and private investment. Former PoC grantees have attracted over €200 million in follow-up funding, notably through the European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition scheme. Nearly half of all successful EIC Transition applicants previously held an ERC PoC grant.
