1. The aim of Synergy Grants
Evaluation procedure
Frequent questions during discussions in the panel
Good reasons for optimism

2. The aim of Synergy Grants
No continuation of business as usual
Exceptionally competitive proposals
Ground-breaking, unpredictable results
Technologically innovative proposals
Cross-fertilizing disciplines
Evaluation of high ratio of expectations:accomplishments
Outcome more than just the sum of the Principal Investigators' individual contributions

3. Evaluation procedure
1. Principal investigator career stages varied widely: most were mid-career researchers, a few were close to retirement, a few would qualify for ERC Starter Grants
2. The large majority of applicants were excellent researchers at various career stages
The five Step 1 panel chairs reduced the 449 proposals submitted to 111, based on >4 independent reviews/proposal. These 111 were scrutinized additionally by external specialists in each field and by the Step 1 discipline panel members, who further reduced the number to 33 based on three criteria:
excellence of the applicants
excellence of the proposed science
synergistic excellence
Step 2 panel members selected 20 proposals for the final interview stage.
Interview
6. Detailed, better-justified budgets are essential for meaningful proposal evaluations.
7. In total, 8-10 independent reviews were available for the great majority of proposals.

4. Frequent questions during discussions in the panel
1. Clearly identify the synergy component: the end result or output should be significantly greater than the sum of individual components.
2. The scientific approaches should not be simply extensions of research already ongoing in the participating laboratories.
3. Given the competition in the fields, many groups do similar research. Identify areas that place the aims and team ahead of others.
4. The team should be complete. Avoid holes in the proposal.
5. New working arrangements among participants should be introduced, such that the scientific objectives go beyond the classical proposal.

5. There is nonetheless good reasons for optimism
The PI´s of 3 out of 24 successful applications were spanish