Apply to the Merck Digital Sciences Studio

Applications Are Open for 2026

The Merck Digital Sciences Studio (MDSS) is a nine-month accelerator that invests in and supports early-stage startups developing digitally enabled technologies for drug discovery, pre-clinical, and clinical development.

Selected startups gain direct access to Merck experts, personalized mentoring from Centech advisors, and a SAFE investment from the Merck Global Health Innovation Fund (GHI), in collaboration with regional partners The Venture Collective (United States) and CQDM (Canada). Through this collaborative approach, MDSS connects innovators, researchers, and industry leaders to accelerate breakthroughs in health technology.

Applications are now open for our 2026 cohort!

We are looking for startups building the next wave of discovery, preclinical, and translational medicine approaches aligned with Merck's therapeutics areas of focus.

Please submit your application in English and include only non-confidential information. By submitting your application, you agree that your materials are non-confidential and may be reviewed by MDSS Operators and Investors.
‍

Eligibility Criteria

Early-stage startup operating in the digital biopharma sector
Availability from March to November 2026, including participation in three to four key in-person events (held in Montréal, Canada, or New Jersey, United States)
Legally incorporated in the United States or Canada

Program Benefits

$100K USD SAFE investment
Direct mentoring from Merck and Centech experts
Targeted workshops and coaching with industry leaders
Access to Merck’s R&D, investor, and partner networks
Up to $120K USD in OVHCloud credits
Collaboration within a strong founder and alumni community

Program Timeline

October 27, 2025 – Applications Open
November 28, 2025 – Applications Close
December 2, 2025 – Selection Period Begins
February 27, 2026 – Finalist Selection Completed
March 2026 – Program Kick-off

Company NameWebsite

Point of Contact

Name

Title

Who are the founders? (People who hold 15% or more of the company equity at incorporation)Company Address

Street Address

City

State / Province / Territory

Country

Company Registration

Incorporation Status

Incorporation State / Province / Territory

Incorporation Date

How many FTEs do you have?

How much have you raised to date? (USD)

At what valuation? (USD, uncapped = 0)

What is your annual burn rate? (USD/yr)

How mature is your product?

What area(s) will you have near-term impact?ctrl-click to select multiple areas

Referrals / COI Declaration

How did you hear about MDS Studio?

If referred to MDS Studio, who let you know?

Do you have any conflicts of interest?Are any of your company's founders or officers currently employed, or have plans to be employed, by Merck and/or collaborators of MDSS?

Describe your company's mission (In 128 Characters or Less)What problem are you aiming to solve? (In 1024 Characters or Less)What is your solution to this problem? (In 1024 Characters or Less)How is your solution technically unique, validated (e.g., publications) , and protected (e.g., patents)? (In 512 Characters or Less)Why is your team the right fit to solve this problem with this solution? What is your origin story? (In 512 Characters or Less)Describe your business model (In 512 Characters or Less)Please tell us about your traction (e.g., customer discovery, revenue, other accelerator programs) (In 512 Characters or Less)Describe your plans for our potential investment (In 512 Characters or Less)What three major milestones would you aim to accomplish while in our program? (In 512 Characters or Less)Is at least one founder able to be in-person for events during the cohort period?Please upload a non-confidential pitch deck (PDF format only, 10MB or less).

Upload File

Max file size 10MB.

Uploading...

fileuploaded.jpg

Upload failed. Max size for files is 10 MB.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.