Report shows how ERC Proof of Concept Grants transform frontier research into real-world innovations

A newly published report highlights the impact of the ERC Proof of Concept (PoC) Grants in translating cutting-edge research into practical solutions for society and the market. Accounting for just 1% of the European Research Council’s total budget—€259 million invested between 2014 and 2023—these grants have supported around 1,700 projects, generating innovation, commercialisation, and cross-sector advances.

Exclusively available to ERC grantees, the PoC grants are designed to bridge the critical gap between groundbreaking scientific discoveries and their first applications outside the laboratory. Health biotechnologies and medical technologies are the most prominent beneficiaries, representing 43% of funded projects. These initiatives often intersect with breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, materials science, and advanced manufacturing.

Beyond healthcare, other strong contributors include the fields of advanced materials (17%), artificial intelligence and ICT (13%), quantum technologies (12%), and green innovation (10%). Social innovation and creative industries also feature prominently, accounting for 5% of all projects.

Notably, several initiatives have achieved far more than their original scientific intentions. One such example is a set of algorithms initially developed for astronomy—to study supernovae—that have been repurposed for fully-automated detection, characterisation, and monitoring of skin lesions. Similarly, advances from astrophysics have found new roles in cancer detection and medical imaging, underscoring the potential for scientific knowledge to cross traditional boundaries and generate transformative real-world impact.

The report can be downloaded here:

How ERC frontier research strengthens Europe’s competitiveness | ERC