The European Research Council (ERC) has just announced the names of the ERC grantees to be awarded Proof of Concept Grants. Funding for this first round of 2026, worth €27.3 million, will go to 182 researchers. Each grant is worth €150,000 and helps current and recent ERC grantees to explore the commercial or societal potential of their research findings.
Projects selected for funding
The new awarded projects will delve into a diverse range of topics, with 54% in physical sciences and engineering, 37% in life sciences and 8% in social sciences and humanities. For example, researchers will develop 3D-printed bioinspired electronics made from soft materials, create a tool to help doctors protect speech areas of the brain during epilepsy surgery, and advance a ready-made vaccine for breast cancer that could work for many patients, avoiding the need for personalised treatments. These and many other projects will explore how frontier research can be translated into practical applications.
Facts and figures
The competition attracted 554 proposals, representing a 15% increase compared to last year’s first round. One in three proposals was selected for funding in this round.
The new grantees will be based at universities and research centres in 21 EU Member States and associated countries, notably Germany (31 grants), the Netherlands (27 grants), Italy and France (both 18 grants), Spain (13 grants) and the UK (11 grants).
Next Proof of Concept Grant call
The ERC 2026 work programme includes two rounds of the call for Proof of Concept Grants with a total budget of €60 million.
The scheme is open only to researchers who currently hold, or have previously been awarded, ERC frontier research grants. These top-up grants help to explore the commercial or societal potential of the findings researchers made through their ERC projects. The objective is to enable ERC-funded ideas to progress on the path from ground-breaking research towards innovation.
Interested in applying for an ERC Proof of Concept? The next funding round is now open for applications, with the deadline of 17 September 2026.