The UK National Contact Point for the European Research Council (ERC) is pleased to announce an upcoming webinar for researchers applying for the 2026 ERC Proof of Concept Grant call on 11th December 2025.
This online session will provide detailed guidance on the application and evaluation processes, along with practical advice on how to design a strong proposal that effectively demonstrates the innovation of your ERC-funded research. The webinar will also feature a live Q&A.
The session will last approximately two hours, including a short break midway and you must use the link below to register.
The event is open to all interested researchers. However, please note that eligibility for the ERC Proof of Concept Grant is restricted to Principal Investigators whose ERC main frontier research grant is ongoing or ends on or after January 1, 2025. ERC evaluated, but UKRI guarantee grantees are not eligible for this call.
Participants will gain an overview of the submission process and evaluation criteria, insights into the proposal structure and key issues to consider during project design as well as a clearer understanding of how to align their research outcomes with the goals of the Proof of Concept scheme.
The webinar will feature guest speakers
- Professor Andrea Di Falco | University of St Andrews who will share his experience of securing an ERC Proof of Concept Grant
- Line Fredslund Volkers | Call Coordinator ERC for the Proof of Concept call at the European Research Council
- Claire Griffin | UK National Contact Point for European Innovation Council (EIC) and European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) will advise how to apply for EIC Transition funding, based on your ERC Proof of Concept project results.
- Dr Antonino Puglisi | UK National Contact Point for the ERC
We warmly invite you to attend this informative event and strengthen your understanding of how to translate ERC research excellence into impactful innovation.