The European Research Council’s Proof of Concept (PoC) Grants 2025 showed how frontier research can move far beyond the laboratory to address urgent global challenges
Supporting 300 researchers across 23 European countries, the programme helps ERC grantees test practicality, explore commercial pathways and prepare innovations for real-world applications.
From humanitarian aid and disaster resilience to medicine and sustainable technology, the 2025 projects show how fundamental science can translate into tangible societal benefits.
Monitoring war destruction to strengthen humanitarian response
One PoC project addresses a challenge in conflict zones: quickly and reliably assessing war-related destruction. Led by Andre Groeger at the Barcelona School of Economics, the MonWaDes project combines very high-resolution satellite imagery with advanced machine learning to automate damage detection.
Current assessments often depend on manual analysis and eyewitness reports, which are slow, costly and incomplete. Groeger’s approach uses novel neural network architectures capable of analysing temporal changes and adapting across regions, addressing the problem of spatial domain shift.
Initially focused on Ukraine, the system is designed to work globally, supported by training data from multiple conflict zones and validated through real-world case studies.
Collaboration with the United Nations Satellite Centre ensures the model is practical for humanitarian operations and has the potential to improve emergency response, post-war recovery, and accountability.
Affordable earthquake protection for vulnerable communities
Another project focuses on reducing the devastating human toll of earthquakes in low-resource settings.
Michalis Vassiliou at the National Technical University of Athens is developing a low-cost seismic isolation method for masonry buildings, which are common and highly vulnerable in many developing regions.
Instead of expensive materials and complex systems, the project explores a simple mechanical solution using rubber balls rolling on concrete conical surfaces. An innovative variation uses cement-filled, upcycled tennis balls, combining affordability with circular economy principles.
The method will be tested through shake-table experiments and durability studies, with design guidelines and engineering tools developed for real-world use. A prototype building in Cuba will demonstrate the technology’s potential to make earthquake-resistant housing accessible where it is needed most.
Learning from nature to heal the human heart
In medicine, a PoC project led by Jane Reznick at the University Hospital Cologne draws inspiration from an unlikely source: the naked mole-rat. Unlike humans, this small mammal can regenerate heart tissue after injury, removing scar tissue and restoring function.
Building on earlier ERC research, the project focuses on a protein that appears after heart injury in naked mole-rats and promotes healing while reducing scarring. The goal is to translate this discovery into a therapy delivered during standard heart attack treatment. Preclinical studies in pigs, whose hearts closely resemble those of humans, will assess safety and effectiveness. If successful, the approach could significantly improve recovery after heart attacks and reduce long-term heart failure.
Cutting energy loss with new coating technologies
Energy efficiency and sustainability are central to a project led by Maria Clelia Righi at the University of Bologna. Her work addresses the enormous energy and material losses caused by friction and wear in machines.
Using a process known as tribosynthesis, Righi’s research creates carbon-based coatings through mechanical stress rather than heat. This eliminates the need for vacuum chambers and high temperatures, making the process cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
The PoC project aims to bring this technology closer to industrial use in sectors such as automotive, aerospace and medical devices, offering both economic and environmental benefits.
Faster, safer diagnosis of kidney disease
Advances in medical imaging are the focus of a project led by Erik Vilain Thomsen at the Technical University of Denmark. His team is developing a new ultrasound system capable of imaging the smallest blood vessels throughout the entire kidney in seconds.
By combining an innovative acoustic lens with advanced image reconstruction, the system enables high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging without radiation or contrast agents.
This could allow earlier detection of diseases such as cancer and diabetes, improve monitoring, and reduce the need for invasive procedures. The technology also opens pathways for industrial collaboration and future medical innovation in Europe.
Together, these Proof of Concept projects demonstrate how ERC-funded research can move decisively from discovery to application, delivering solutions with real impact on society, health and sustainability.
