European Research Council: 12 French Grantees, Including Two Alumni, Awarded Proof of Concept Grants

The Proof of Concept grant program is part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme. According to the ERC’s website, its aim is to help scientists “bridge the gap between the results of their frontier research and the early stages of commercialization or societal use.” Established in 2007 by the European Union, the ERC is the EU’s primary funding body for “excellent frontier research.” It supports “creative researchers of any age or nationality” conducting research across Europe.

Researchers from Over 30 Countries

“Over €20 million to turn cutting-edge science into practical solutions.” That’s how the ERC described this round of grants, which span a wide range of topics. All selected projects are led by researchers who currently hold or have recently held a main ERC grant—Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, or Synergy (awarded within the past year).

These experienced scientists are based at universities and research centers in 21 EU member states or associated countries, including France, Germany, Spain, the UK, and the Netherlands. Among the winners are 29 researchers of German nationality, 20 Spanish, 17 Italian, and others from 29 different countries.

In total, 480 applications were submitted, and more than 30% were selected for funding in this first round. A second round of PoC awards will be announced in 2025, bringing the total budget for the year to €45 million. Applications for the next round are open until September 18.

Two Alumni Among the French Winners

Among the 12 French grantees, six are hosted by the CNRS, two by Inserm, one by the Institut Pasteur, one by Armines (France’s first research institution focused on industry collaboration, partnered with 48 research centers), one by UNESCO, and one by Claude Bernard University Lyon 1.

Notably, two are alumni:

• Valentina Emiliani, a research director at CNRS, was awarded a grant for her project "Two-photon miniaturized integrated neuro-optical photon system for neuronal circuits investigation in freely moving primates." She studied in Rome before completing her postdoctoral research at the Jacques-Monod Institute in France.
• Hugo Bisio Sabaris, a CNRS researcher, was recognized for his project "AI-driven discovery of broad-spectrum antivirals targeting Nucleocytoviricota factories via phase separation modulation." He studied in Uruguay and later pursued postdoctoral work at the Information Génomique et Structurale Lab (a joint CNRS–Aix-Marseille University research unit).

Impressive Results in Innovation

A report cited by the ERC highlights how Proof of Concept grants have successfully translated cutting-edge science into real-world solutions. With just 1% of the ERC’s total budget—€259 million between 2014 and 2023—around 1,700 PoC projects have achieved “impressive results” in innovation, commercialization, and cross-sector impact.

According to the report, PoC grant recipients are five times more likely to file for patents than recipients of standard ERC research grants. Many have gone on to launch startups, partner with SMEs, or secure follow-up funding. This year’s selected research topics reflect this drive for innovation. For example, projects include using AI to better predict conflict risk, reducing the environmental footprint of paracetamol production, developing tools to detect market distortions in electricity trading, and designing a portable device to capture and detect PFAS—so-called “forever chemicals”—in water.