The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the results of the last round of its 2024 Proof of Concept Grant competition and has secured funding for 134 innovative projects across 20 European countries. Each project will receive €150,000 in funding to bridge the gap between cutting-edge scientific research and early commercialisation – a reinforcement of Europe’s commitment to fostering innovation.
These additional 134 grants bring the total number awarded under the 2024 work programme to 245, and represent combined funding of €36.75 million. The Proof of Concept scheme is a core part of Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme.
ERC President Maria Leptin underlined how important this grant is in the pursuit of innovation: “These Proof of Concept grants will enable more ERC grantees to advance their research results towards the market. It is useful support on their path towards commercialization and scale-up. It puts the light on something often forgotten or not understood: basic science is the fundament for much of the innovations we benefit from today. With greater global competition, therefore, it is imperative for Europe to raise its game and increase investment in curiosity-driven top research as a means of enhancing our competitiveness.”
Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands lead the pack in hosting these projects, with 15 grants each. Spain and the UK follow closely with 14 projects, while Israel received 12, Belgium 11, and France 10. Other countries benefiting from this funding include Denmark (6), Austria (5), Sweden (4), Ireland (3), and several nations with one or two grantees each, such as Croatia, Finland, and Turkey.
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