Are you going to apply for ERC Starting Grant in October 2026?

This webinar is only open to researchers and EU advisors at Norwegian institutions. It is reserved for those who submit an application to the Starting Grant deadline in October 2026. ERC Starting Grants are aimed at researchers with up to ten years’ experience after PhD. This is a change from previous years when Starting grants were aimed at researchers 2-7 years after PhD.

After the registration deadline, you will receive a final confirmation on whether you have secured a spot in the webinar. We allocate a portion of the spots to researchers and advisors at institutions with limited ERC experience if there is high interest.

In the webinar, you will receive information and advice on how to write your project proposal to maximise the chances of success in the highly competitive ERC Starting Grant scheme.

You will gain practical insights into how to plan and formulate a strong proposal, with a focus on tailoring the application to ERC's expectations and avoiding common pitfalls. The course combines presentations, examples, and interactive exercises.

The webinar will be held in English.

Programme

10:00 – 10:55    Welcome and Introduction to the ERC Starting Grant – Fundamentals & 2026 Work Programme Updates

11:00 –  12:00   Characteristics of Competitive ERC Starting Grant Proposals

12:00 – 12:30    Lunch Break

12:30 – 13:25    Drafting your Project and the Proposal Forms

13:30 – 14:00    Q&A and Key Takeaways

Course instructor:

The webinar is presented by Innovayt, an innovation consultancy with extensive experience in EU funding. Morten Kröger, Partner and Co-founder at Innovayt, will be the course instructor.

Morten has over 25 years of experience in EU research policy, grant writing, and evaluation. He has reviewed numerous ERC proposals, conducted a substantial number of training seminars and mock interviews, and has worked with applicants across a wide range of scientific disciplines.

His deep insight into ERC expectations and evaluator mindsets ensures a practical and strategic approach to successful proposal writing.