Proof of Concept Israel, March 2014 PoC Call coordination

1. The European Research Council Proof of Concept Israel, March 2014 PoC Call coordination

2. Points to be covered • What is Proof of Concept • PoC evaluation process • How to write a good proposal • Statistics

3. What is Proof of Concept (I) • Objective: • Maximize the value of the excellent research by funding further work to verify innovation potential. • To create an efficient way of moving excellent ideas towards their first steps in the direction of the marketplace. • What kind of activities are financed: • technical validation • market research • clarifying IPR strategy • investigating business opportunities • Initial expenses for start-up

4. What is Proof of Concept (II) Eligibility: Holders of an ERC grant with an idea substantially drawn from an ERC-funded project. A Proof of Concept Grant may be awarded more than once per ERC funded project but only one Proof of Concept Grant may be in effect at any one time for the same ERC project Amount: up to €150,000 per grant.Up to 18 months NO EXTENTIONS! Outcome: A "package" to be presented to venture capitalists, companies or social entrepreneurs.

5. PoC : Evaluation Process RECEPTION OF PROPOSALS BY THE ERC ELIGIBITY CHECK REMOTE EVALUATION EVALUATION RESULTS PANEL MEETING COMMUNICATION TO APPLICANTS REDRESS

6. PoC : Evaluation Process RECEPTION OF PROPOSALS BY THE ERC • Through the Participant Portal • Send a complete proposal before the deadline. Make sure the correct attachments are there: • HI letter • Part B • Submit a proposal as soon as possible to avoid IT problems. The proposal can be re editable later!

7. PoC : Evaluation Process ELIGIBITY CHECK

8. PoC : Evaluation ProcessElegibility check (I) • Perform by ERCEA ScientificOfficers • Eligible Project • The proposal must becomplete and submittedbefore the deadline. • Proof of Concept grants look to build upon ideas which draw substantially from research that has been or are currently funded by the ERC • Eligible Principal Investigator • All Principal Investigators benefitting from an ERC frontier research grant, that is either ongoing or where the project has ended less than 12 months before the publication date of this call.( 11th December 2013)

9. PoC : Evaluation ProcessElegibility check (II) • Eligible Host Institution (ApplicantLegalEntity) • The host institution must engage the Principal Investigator for at least the duration of the proof of concept activity and must be established in a Member State or an Associated Country. • A Proof of Concept Grant may be awarded more than once per ERC funded project but only one Proof of Concept Grant may be in effect at any one time for the same ERC project . • A proposal can be. declare ineligible al any stage of the evaluation

10. PoC : Evaluation Process REMOTE EVALUATION

11. PoC : Evaluation ProcessRemote Evaluation • Experts are not researchers!!!! • 5 reviews/proposal • No discussions between reviewers • Remote, using WebEva • PASS/FAIL mark on each criterion • Succinct explanatory comment for each mark

12. PoC : Evaluation ProcessRemote Evaluation • Not a scientific evaluation of the idea ! • Activities should NOT be • “aimed at extending the original research or […] overcoming technical obstacles”. • Activities should be • “at the very early stage of turning research outputs into a commercial or socially valuable proposition”.

13. PoC : Evaluation ProcessRemoteevaluation • Only the material that is presented within this limit will be evaluated !!

14. PoC : Evaluation ProcessCriterium failed

15. PoC : Evaluation Process EVALUATION RESULTS PANEL MEETING

16. PoC : Evaluation ProcessRanking • Proposals which fail a criterion will not be ranked • Ranking :by the number of pass marks awarded by peer reviewers to criterion 1 (Excellence- Innovation potential), then by the number of pass marks awarded to criterion 2 (Impact), then by the number of pass marks awarded to criterion 3 (Quality and efficiency of the implementation). • Proposals will be funded up to depletion of budget • 7,5M€ for each deadline = ~50 proposals • 25% success rate

17. PoC : Evaluation Process COMMUNICATION TO APPLICANTS

18. PoC : Evaluation ProcessFeedback to applicants • Feedback to Applicants • Status of their proposal (Retained, Rejected, Failed) • Scores + Comments • Ethical/Security screening • Granting

19. PoC : Evaluation Process REDRESS

20. PoC : Evaluation ProcessRedress Who? PI / PI host institution Deadline? within 1 month of feedback How? online form Scope? Formal review = procedural errors only No scientific judgment No evaluation of the proposal on the substance Successful redress ≠ financed project !

21. How to write a good proposal • Read carefully the reference documents: • Work programme • Information for applicants • (everything can be found on the participant portal) • Talk to existing PoC grantees in your institution: • Did they get external help? • Why did they failed? • Look at the list of PoC Grantees published on ERC website. Talk to them!

22. How to write a Part B Section 1 • 7 Pages Maximun! • Section 1: The idea (max 1 page) • a) Succinct description of the idea : The description should be understandable for a non-specialist in the field • b)Describe the relationship with the ERC-funded project • This section will be used to determine the eligibility of the proposal.

23. PoC : How to write Part BSection 2 • Section 2: Early stage innovation strategy (max 2 pages) • a)Description of the innovation potential • b)Economic and/or societal benefits • c)Commercialisation process • d)Proposed plans for: • Competitive analysis • (where applicable) Technical testing • (where applicable) IPR position and strategy • (where applicable) Industry/sector contacts Criterium 1 Criterium 2

24. PoC : How to write Part BCriterium 1 • 1. Excellence (Innovation potential) • Does the proposed proof of concept activity greatly help move the output of research towards the initial steps of an innovation process leading to a new or significantly improved product, process or method of production, or form of organization or methodology (commercial innovation); or a new principle, a new piece of legislation, a new social movement, an intervention or a new form of participation (social innovation)?

25. PoC : How to write Part BCriterium 1-Tips • Try to answer the following questions: • State the expected output of youproject. Whyisyourproposalinnovative? • If you are going to improve a product,method, process…. how willyou do it? • Shortly mention how isitdonetoday and how willyourprojectwill do itbetter. • Do you know the state of the art in the industrysector?! Find out!

26. PoC : How to write Part BCriterium 2 • 2. Impact • 2.1 Is the project to be taken to proof of concept expected to generate economic and/or societal benefits which are appropriately identified in the proposal? • 2.2 Does the proposal indicate a suitable process designed either to generate a financial profit i.e. the commercialisation process to be followed (licenses to a new or existing company, a venture funded start-up, a spin-off company or other forms) or any other process designed to generate a social benefit? • 2.3 Does the proposal include sound plans for undertaking competitive analysis to find out features which make the proposed technology/product/process innovative or distinctive compared to other technologies/products/processes? (Including plans for analysing the competitive advantage of the technology/product/process vs. alternate technologies/products/processes that can meet the same market/societal needs). • 2.4 (Where applicable) Does the proposal include suitable plans for seeking confirmation of the technology/product/process (testing, technical reports) and a brief explanation of what testing is foreseen?

27. PoC : How to write Part BCriterium 2 • 2.5 (Where applicable) Does the proposal comprise suitable plans to clarify the IPR position and strategy, including an evaluation on whether there is an opportunity for creating intellectual property protection (in terms of patents or other forms of protection)or a freedom-to-operate analysis)31. This includes plans for sufficient protection to get the technology/product/process to market and attain at least a temporal competitive advantage. • 2.6 (Where applicable) Does the proposal include suitable plans for industry/sector contacts, appropriateness of receptor company/organization, ability to further the development of the technology/product/process? Activities aimed at attracting further funding from non-ERC sources once the ERC-funded activities end will also be considered, including activities aimed at identifying specific companies for further financial commitments. If there are no "hard" commitments for funding (i.e. letters of support or intent), demonstration of a solid roadmap for pursuing the funding needed for future commercialisation is included.

28. PoC : How to write Part BCriterium 2-Tips • Answer the first three questions (Compulsory): • Impact: who will benefit form your idea? Why? Name your final users • Generation of financial of social profit: We don't expect you to know how much profit you will made, but at least a process should be indicated….prove that you have been thinking about it! • Market research: PoC will provide funding for further market research, but an idea on how this will be carried on, is important. Know your competitors!

29. PoC : How to write Part BCriterium 2-Tips • (where applicable) Technical testing – Pre demonstration is allowed . Explain the test foreseen. • (where applicable) IPR position and strategy – pre patents filed? If not, patent plan? • (where applicable) Industry/sector contacts – do you know the people you have to reach? Name them! If not, prove that you have a plan to reach them.

30. How to write a Part B Section 3 • Section 3: Proof of Concept Plan(max 2 pages) • Plan of the activities • Project-management plan • Description of the team • Section 4: Budget table + resources ( 1 page + table) • Resources (incl. project costs) 25% indirect cost !!! • Justification Evaluation Criterium 3

31. PoC : How to write Part BCriterium 3 • 3. Quality and efficiency of the implementation (Quality of the proof of concept plan) • 3.1 Is the proposed proof of concept based on a sound approach for establishing technical and commercial feasibility of the project? • 3.2 Does the proposal provide a reasonable and acceptable plan of the proposed activities against clearly identified technical and commercial objectives? • 3.3 Is a sound project-management plan presented in the proposal, including appropriate risk and contingency planning? • 3.4 Does the proposal demonstrate that the proposed activities will be conducted by persons well qualified for the purpose? • 3.5 Is the budget requested necessary

32. PoC : How to write Part BCriterium 3-Tips • Present the plan having in mind the technical and the commercial needs. ( Do not mess it up) • Write a management plan! Do not forget to mention the risk and contingency! • Don't waste too much space in people's CVs. Make it short. • Justify the budget items. Subcontracting in PoC is allowed. Give names of subcontractors ( they will be deleted later but are important for the evaluation).

33. PoC : How to write Part BGeneral Tips • Invest some time on your idea. If you have a good idea with good innovation potential, the plan can be modified! • Take a look at the market, try to identify beforehand the competitors and who will benefit from it. • Experts also expect external help, you are researchers no business people! • Submit your proposal, you will get feedback from experts • No re-submission restrictions!

34. ERC Proof of Concept Evolution of Success rates and Budget used

35. ERC Proof of Concept 2011-2012-2013Success rates by domain

36. ERC Proof of Concept 2013- DL2 Distribution of grants by HI country

37. PoC 2011-2013 : % of PoC grants vs % of ERC main grants - HI country (at time of call publication)

38. ERC Proof of Concept 2013- DL2 Success rate by HI country

39. PoC 2011-2013 – % awarded vs % submitted – HI country

40. PoC 2013 DL2: Example of successfulproposalsPI: Elisabeth Binder (StG 2011- LS5)HI: Max Planck Institute (DE) • FKBP2Drug -Development of FKBP51-Inhibitors to treat stress-related disorders: assessment of feasibility. Reason for the project Stress-related mood disorders are predominantly treated by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which have been developed over 40 years ago. These drugs are still limited by poor and delayed efficacy (therapeutic onset >4-6 weeks, >30% non-responders) and by severe side effects (weight gain, sleep disturbances). The solution proposed: In the current ERC Starting Grant the PI identified that inhibition of FKBP51 might work faster and without side effects than current antidepressants.

41. PoC 2013 DL 2 : Example of successfulproposalsPI: AditiLahiri (AdG 2010 – SH4)HI: Oxford Univ. (UK) • FlexSR- Flexible speech recognition System. From AdG to PoC Convert a research tool of the existing ERC project into a working single-word Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) demonstration system to attract speech technology companies to use this method in commercial ASR systems. Solution The proposed method would be able to define the recognition vocabulary of a language and would allow much faster and more (i) robust speech recognition (single words) for a (ii) wide range of speakers (iii) withouttraining, (iv) easy extension to any spoken language of the world, and (v) low production costs.

42. PoC 2014 : Evaluation Calendar • Call published in December 13 • 2 deadlines : • April 1st • October 1st • Main Changes: • Increase budget to € 15 million • Change in the evaluationcriteria • Change in the ranking system of the sucessfulproposals

43. Thank you for your attention

44. Thank you for your attention