Merck’s African Satellite Program kicks off with Nairobi

The Merck Accelerator is establishing a diverse startup network in Africa, in its efforts to widen and open new channels for collaborating with startups across the continent.

Merck’s target group is early-stage startups located in East, West, and Southern Africa that present innovative solutions aligned with Merck’s focus areas of healthcare, life science, 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.

The Accelerator Satellite in Nairobi and its benefits

The first series of events will be launched in Nairobi, Kenya in partnership with Mettā, Nairobi. Economic reforms across several East African countries have helped the area to become the most financially inclusive and integrated region in Africa. The region’s increasing economic growth is reflected in the rising number of outstanding startups it is producing.

Nairobi’s innovation scene has long been a major hub for the African continent, and thanks to these flourishing startups, is set to develop still further. The region’s varied entrepreneurial landscape lays the foundation for an infrastructure that triggers novel ideas in many industries. Merck Accelerator is excited to keep build on its already established e-health community focusing on healthcare innovations across East Africa, and fostering partnerships with startups.

Applications for Nairobi, are open from March 15. The best startups will be invited to a 3-days boot camp at Mettā, Nairobi that will culminate with a pitch event to quickly explore and validate the potential for co-creating and collaborating with Merck’s existing innovation projects. The winning team stands to benefit from a cash prize of $ 3,000, a one-year membership at Mettā, Nairobi, and an all-expenses-covered trip to Merck Innovation Center in Darmstadt, to pitch for a partnership with Merck.

Inspired? Apply now!