ERC Starting granty se zaměřují na podporu nezávislé kariéry vynikajících mladých vědců ve fázi, kdy vytvářejí vlastní výzkumný tým nebo program. Po formální stránce mohou být žadateli výzkumní pracovníci jakéhokoli věku či národnosti, kteří získali Ph.D. v rozmezí 2 až 7 let před fixním datem 1. 1. roku, k němuž se vztahuje aktuální pracovní program ERC (tj. 1. 1. 2021 pro výzvy v rámci pracovního programu roku 2021). Hlavní řešitel se musí zavázat, že bude na ERC projektu pracovat alespoň z 50 % celkového úvazku a alespoň 50 % času bude působit v členském státě EU nebo zemi přidružené k rámcovému programu. Výše finanční podpory může činit až 1,5 mil. € na dobu pěti let. V odůvodněných případech lze žádat o dodatečné financování ve výši 1 mil. €.
The ERC Starting Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they are starting their own independent research team or programme. Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.
Starting Grants may be awarded up to a maximum of EUR 1 500 000 for a period of 5 years. The maximum size of the grants is reduced pro rata temporis for projects of a shorter duration. (This does not apply to ongoing projects).
Additional funding up to EUR 1 000 000.can be requested in the proposal to cover the following eligible costs when these are necessary to carry out the proposed work: (a) "start-up" costs for Principal Investigators moving to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere as a consequence of receiving the ERC grant and/or (b) the purchase of major equipment and/or (c) access to large facilities and/or (d) other major experimental and field work costs, excluding personnel costs.
The Principal Investigators shall have been awarded their first PhD at least 2 and up to 7 years prior to 1 January 2022. Cut-off dates: PhD awarded from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019 (inclusive).
A competitive Starting Grant Principal Investigator must have already shown the potential for research independence and evidence of maturity, for example by having produced at least one important publication as main author or without the participation of their PhD supervisor. Applicant Principal Investigators should also be able to demonstrate a promising track record of early achievements appropriate to their research field and career stage, including significant publications (as main author) in major international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journals, or in the leading international peer-reviewed journals of their respective field. They may also demonstrate a record of invited presentations in well-established international conferences, granted patents, awards, prizes, etc.