Are YOU ready for an ERC Proof of Concept grant?

The next deadline for an ERC Proof of Concept (PoC) grant application is 19 September 2019, giving all Principal Investigators in an ERC frontier research project a new chance at exploring the commercial or societal potential of their work. Since a PoC is significantly different in scope than the frontier research projects (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced and Synergy), we noticed some misconceptions about the proper timing of a PoC application or what constitutes a strong proposal. In this article, we present an overview that addresses some of the concerns we’ve seen related to the PoC over the past couple of years.

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1. I am not eligible anymore. The most common misconception is the fact that PIs are not aware they are still eligible for a PoC. The guidelines mention that “all principal investigators in an ERC frontier research project, that is either on going or has ended less than 12 months before 1 January, are eligible to participate and apply for an ERC Proof of Concept grant.” Therefore, the PI of a grant that has, for instance, finished on 31 January 2018, is still eligible to apply on 19 September 2019. The only caveat is that a PI can only apply once per year, at any of the three cut-off dates. Therefore, if you are a PI whose frontier grant finished in 2018 and you already applied for a PoC in January or April, you are unfortunately not eligible to apply in September.

2. I would rather apply in the last year of my ERC grant. The second most common misconception we encountered when discussing potential PoC projects with PIs is that you can only get one PoC project per frontier grant. For that reason, some PIs prefer to apply for a PoC in the last year of their frontier or in the following year after it has finished, thinking their project is stronger because they have more data to back up their idea. However, that is not always the case. The guidelines state that “more than one Proof of Concept grant may be awarded per ERC funded frontier research project but only one Proof of Concept project may be running at any one time for the same ERC frontier research project.” At Bee Granted, we have an extensive track record in supporting PIs in multiple successful ERC PoC applications.

3. I don’t have a prototype or product. Advanced development is not a prerequisite for successful ERC PoC applications. It is sufficient to apply with a concept based on an idea that was developed within the ERC frontier research project, that has commercial or societal potential. Prototyping, technical validation, preliminary patent applications, feedback from stakeholders/potential end-users are all activities that fall under the scope of ERC PoC funding. What is paramount is presenting a comprehensive story of how an idea can be developed into an actual product or service and how the ERC PoC funding would facilitate that. At Bee Granted, we have the ideal expertise that blends technical understanding with business strategy vision steered towards innovation.

4. I don’t have the commercial network. Although strong commercial links represent an advantage, the lack of such a network can be mitigated against through a strong plan for business development. One of the aims of the PoC is to increase the commercial exposure of the applicants. Showing reviewers that the PI is aware of this shortcoming and presenting them a clear plan of how additional stakeholders will be included in the project will put proposals on par with others with an extensive network. In addition, working together with Bee Granted ensures exposure to various companies and organizations that cover multiple points in the value chain.

5. I will diminish my chances for other ERC grants if I get a PoC. A PoC grant does not reduce the chances of obtaining additional ERC frontier research funding. On the contrary, having one or more PoCs would highlight your ambition to put your results in the hands of end-users, thereby creating impact for them and Europe at large. In addition, a PoC is a very prestigious grant to get. One or more on your track record would improve your chances for additional funding.

At Bee Granted, we develop ERC PoC projects from start (concept ideation) to finish (submitted deliverable, the feasibility report). We write the PoC proposal, find suitable partners, structure the work plan in an appropriate way, perform the market research and business development activities within the project and remain involved beyond writing the feasibility report (end point of the ERC PoC project), by supporting the excellent projects with setting up a spin-off company and offering interim venture management. If you want to get some feedback on your ERC PoC idea or learn more about what we could do for you, please send us a message through the contact form or info@beegranted.eu.