Innovation Cup Looking for Contestants

As a participant in our Innovation Cup, you get a chance to network with top students from around the world, work in teams to develop new innovative ideas for unmet medical need, and build a business case with support from experienced professionals. We are offering shared prizes of €20,000 for the winning team, €5,000 for the runner-up and €3,000 for third place. Selected top performing participants could get an offer for a permanent employment. And to make things even more interesting, options to implement the best business plans will be evaluated.

The Innovation Cup summer camp takes place 20-26 July, 2024, near Frankfurt, Germany. Your travel, accommodation and food expenses are paid for by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

Applications for the 2024 Innovation Cup closed on 31 January 2024.

How does it work?

As part of the Innovation Cup, selected applicants join a week-long summer camp, to work together in a highly stimulating environment.

• Work as part of a team to generate new ideas in the fields: oncology, immuno-oncology, autoimmunity, small molecules drug discovery, protein engineering and screening, digitalization.
• Evaluate your ideas from a technical and business perspective and build a convincing business plan
• Learn the essentials about R&D within the pharmaceutical industry
• Network with the brightest students from all over the world
• Understand how products can be successfully discovered, developed, and brought to market
• Get to know Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and learn about career options

A jury consisting of our senior researchers and managers as well as external experts will pick the winning business plans for first and second place.

On the last day of the summer camp, a conference with alumni of previous Innovation Cup editions will be organized. Learn what alumni are doing today and expand your network of top innovators.

Following the Innovation Cup, options to implement the best business plans are evaluated. We will keep you posted.

Travel, accommodation and food expenses are paid for by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.