Today, the European Research Council (ERC) has awarded 135 grants in the third round of its €20 million Proof of Concept competition, which awards the most promising innovation projects by existing ERC grantees with up to €150 000 in funding.
Announcing the grants at the a press conference about attracting talent to Europe at the World Economic Forum in Davos EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Carlos Moedas said: “There can be no sustainable environment for European innovation without scientific excellence. Proof of Concept grants help researchers bridge the divide between academia and the market. They support the frontier science that leads to innovation with real-life applications, creating new opportunities for European jobs and products.”
The grants, which can be used to establish intellectual property rights, or look for business opportunities, will seek to develop such innovative products like customised cancer treatments based on DNA information, develop super-hard graphene fibres weaved by bionic silkworms, and support the restoration of medieval architectural processes.
