Merck’s African Satellite Program in Nairobi 2018 (Win $3,000 and trip to the Innovation Center in Darmstadt)

Merck’s African Satellite Program kicks off in Nairobi, Kenya. East African startups have the chance to pitch for a collaboration project with Merck. In its efforts to widen and open new channels for collaborating with startups across the African continent, the Accelerator is establishing a diverse startup network across the continent.

Their target group is early stage startups located in East, West, and Southern Africa that present innovative solutions aligned with their focus areas of healthcare, life science, performance materials, and other business fields such as bio interfaces and agritech. The Satellite Program involves a series of pitch events and hackathons hosted alongside various partners in Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria.

Benefits

• The best startups will be invited to a 3-days bootcamp at Mettā, Nairobi that will culminate with a pitch event to quickly explore and validate potential for co-creating and collaborating with existing innovation projects.
• The winning team stand to benefit from a cash prize of $3,000, a one-year membership at Mettā, Nairobi, and an all-expenses covered trip to the Innovation Center in Darmstadt, to pitch for a partnership with them.

Eligibility

They are looking for startups that fulfill the following criteria:

• Early stage startups with no more than 4 years in existence
• Startups in the fields of Healthcare, Life Sciences, Performance Materials and other search fields such as Biosensing and Interfaces, and Precision Farming. More info at the bottom of this page
• Startups with at least 2 co-founders
• Founders that are available on May 15-18 to attend the bootcamp in Naiorbi, Kenya, if selected

Application

For startups based in East Africa, their Nairobi Applications are open from March 15 to May 5, 2018.

If you and your team are tempted by cash prizes, support for your startup, and the chance to collaborate with them, then why not pitch your idea to them? Apply now!