Adoption of the doubling of 'start-up' funding for new international ERC Grantees

The doubling of 'start-up' funding for new international ERC Grantees establishing their laboratories or research teams in Europe— increasing from up to €1 M to up to €2 M —is formally adopted on 16/05/2025, announces the ERC the same day.

This change will take effect on 22/05/2025, coinciding with the opening of the ERC Advanced Grant competition. The Scientific Council intends to maintain this amount for all grant competitions in 2026 and 2027.

Maria Leptin, ERC President, states: “The ERC Scientific Council raised this 'start-up' funding to try to help researchers based in the US in their current situation, but it is of course open to everyone worldwide moving to Europe. Our goals remain unchanged, however. The ERC has, from the outset, offered attractive opportunities for top scientists, regardless of nationality, to carry out research in Europe. This goes hand in hand with the European tradition of openness and scientific freedom, and the support for independent researchers following their scientific curiosity.“

The ERC explains that "new ERC Advanced Grant recipient relocating…