Promoting quality research is one of Europe’s objectives. For this reason, and in order to meet the criteria of scientific excellence, the European Commission offers research staff the ERC (European Research Council) call for proposals under Pillar I of the Horizon 2020 programme, called “excellent science”.
This call promises research of the highest quality, in which the applicant is the one who proposes the subject of the research, and this bottom-up approach is key to the creative and cutting-edge nature of the ERC scheme. It is the European Commission’s bid to challenge the brightest minds, rewarding ideas that will position Europe as an international reference for excellence in future research.
The key to success: our experience
The prestige that this call brings to research careers results in high competition for ERC funding and recognition. It is therefore essential to be aware of its peculiarities and evaluation criteria. This is where Kveloce R&D&I’s experience comes into play.
In recent years, we have dedicated a great deal of effort to our training and specialisation in all aspects related to the ERC call for proposals, accumulating valuable experience. Our work methodology allows us to offer a comprehensive service that aims to get the best out of each application and project we work with, helping to highlight its groundbreaking and excellent character, as well as its impact on European Science, essential criteria to get an ERC project funded.
What services do we offer?
- Application preparation. Our team for the preparation of proposals for European programmes has a working group specialised in the ERC programme.
- Review services. Strategic review of the first part (B1) and/or full project (B2) and development of recommendations for improvement. We offer complementary services such as linguistic review and graphic support.
- Mock interviews. For those researchers who pass the first filters and reach the interview phase, we offer a specific service, which includes the performance of mock interviews as well as ad-hoc training to carry out the defence of the project in the most efficient and communicative way possible.
Results based on success
Since 2018, we have specialised in optimising our services for the ERC programme. Over four years, we have accompanied more than 87 researchers, with 15 of them obtaining funding in a highly competitive programme with success rates below 8.4% in some typologies (horizoneuropa.es).
In the 2022 call, we experienced a significant increase in success, with 11 proposals funded, bringing together talent from leading research entities, including:
In total, the grant received by these researchers in the last successful call amounts to approximately 38 million euros, distributed across all ERC categories (Starting (StG), Consolidator (CoG), Advanced (AdG) and Synergy Grant (SyG)).
In the 2023 call, still to be evaluated, our services have increased by 15% compared to the previous year, so we are convinced that new successes related to pending resolutions are on the horizon.
Our commitment to serving our clients
The researchers with whom we have had the opportunity to collaborate in this latest ERC call highlight our proximity, our knowledge of the call, the added value we offer both in cross-cutting aspects and in those related to European policies, and the advice we offer in terms of scientific communication. The following are some of the evaluations made by researchers who have received our services and have been funded:
“I liked it because it gave me the feeling that my interview was being unravelled from many points of view”.
“The whole process has been very easy with you, I don’t think it can be improved in my case.”
“The best return [that society] can have from an ERC is communication (…) and you are able to translate it, because you are able to prepare an optimal project”.
“Thank you because this service really helps, (…) a closer treatment, which is appreciated, with more complicity”.
It is important to mention that we have always been grateful for the work and collaboration with people and entities committed to the dissemination and promotion of this programme in Spain, among which we would like to mention the FECYT, the Madri+D Foundation, and the international project offices of institutions with a clear commitment to the ERC call such as the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
We are clear about our next steps. We want to offer our services to a wider public, reaching out to all talented researchers in Spain and abroad. We aspire to enable excellent and cutting-edge research through its financing with competitive European funds, with which to contribute added value to the welfare of the global citizenry.