The European Research Council (ERC) is an independent funding organization established by the European Union to support fundamental research. The ERC aims to promote scientific excellence specifically by providing funds for innovative, pioneering, and high-risk research projects.
Established in 2007, the ERC is funded under the Horizon Europe Program and contributes to the development of new and groundbreaking ideas by supporting Europe’s brightest scientists. By encouraging scientific risk-taking, the ERC enables researchers to explore new scientific frontiers.
To promote scientific excellence in Europe.
To support creative and innovative research.
To provide funding for young researchers at the beginning of their careers.
To enable interdisciplinary studies.
To encourage risk-taking in scientific research.
The ERC offers various support programs tailored to researchers at different career stages:
Starting Grants: Provides financial support to talented researchers at the start of their careers to help them develop independent projects.
Consolidator Grants: Aims to strengthen the projects of scientists who have already taken significant steps in their research careers.
Advanced Grants: Supports high-risk and innovative projects by recognized leading scientists who are pioneers in their fields.
Synergy Grants: Encourages multiple researchers to work together to find solutions to major scientific problems.
Proof of Concept Grants: Contributes to turning findings from ERC projects into commercial opportunities or social benefits.
