Apply to the Merck Digital Sciences Studio

Applications Are Open for 2026

The Merck Digital Sciences Studio (MDSS) is a collaborative accelerator focused on investing, supporting, and mentoring emerging biopharmaceutical startups. The six-month acceleration program offers selected startups specializing in digital health and artificial intelligence direct access to Merck’s experts and personalized mentoring from a network of experts in residence. Through the MDSS network, selected participants enjoy privileged access to key industrial partners, enabling them to make revolutionary advancements 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, only submit non-confidential information in English. By making a submission, you agree that your materials are non-confidential and open to be reviewed by MDSS Operators and Investors.

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).

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