ERC has published the outcomes of the last 2025 round of its Proof of Concept Grants

The European Research Council (ERC) has published the outcomes of the last 2025 round of its Proof of Concept Grants. In this round, 136 grantees will each receive €150 000, supporting them in exploring their research to turn into practice. With these awards, the total number of Proof of Concept Grants under the ERC 2025 Work Programme reached 300, representing an overall budget of €45 million.

The ERC’s 2025 Work Programme included two rounds of the Proof of Concept call. In total, 879 proposals were evaluated. The 300 new grantees will work in 23 EU Member States and associated countries. The highest number of projects will be carried out in Germany (51 grants), Spain (42), Italy (33) and United Kingdom (31).

Proposals selected for funding in the second round of the 2025 Proof of Concept Grant call.

Proposals selected for funding in the first round of the 2025 Proof of Concept Grant call.

Final List of funded proposals of the 2025 Proof of Concept Grant call.

For information.

In 2025, ERC Proof of Concept Grants supported a wide range of projects that show how frontier science can open new routes to innovation. They include using satellite images and artificial intelligence to assess damage caused by war, and developing new ultrasound techniques that allow doctors to see the smallest blood vessels in an entire human kidney in real time. Other projects explore affordable ways to protect buildings from earthquakes in vulnerable regions, regenerative treatments inspired by the unusual biology of the naked mole-rat to help repair damaged hearts, and new methods to reduce friction and wear in machines by creating protective carbon layers during normal use.