Merck's EMEA Advance Biotech Grant at BIO-Europe
Take your company to new heights with Merck's EMEA Advance Biotech Grant Program
Through their EMEA Advance Biotech Grant Program, Merck recognizes stand-out emerging biotech companies and helps them navigate their path to commercialization. Delivered as a dynamic challenge, five selected biotech companies will have the opportunity to present their breakthroughs to Merck's Grant representatives and the overall BIO-Europe audience.
About Merck's EMEA Advance Biotech Grant
Merck understands the challenges emerging biotech companies face in the quest to push the next generation of drugs to market. This is why they have developed the Advance Biotech Grant programs which occurs on regular basis in different regions of the world. These programs award grant recipients with products, services and consultation support to advance production and help accelerate their path to commercialization.
Company Eligibility & Prizes
Ten (10) companies will be selected to proceed to an interview round with Merck. Following the interviews, five (5) companies will be chosen to advance to the present at BIO-Europe. The winner and two (2) finalists will be selected on stage at BIO-Europe.
To be considered for the grant, Merck would like to see a description of your company's therapeutic focus, clinical strategy, and clear business strategy that outlines where Merck can help you overcome challenges and address gaps in expertise to bring your innovation to the finish line.
Please review Merck's Terms and Conditions here.
Product Criteria
- Have at least one biologics in the pipeline
- Must be developing new modalities or therapeutics products or offering an innovative service in:
- mAbs
- ADCs
- mRNA
- Gene Therapy
- Cell Therapy
- Vaccines
- No program reaches PIII (or above development stages)
Company Criteria
- Established over the last 10 years
- Less than 100 employees
- No more than €10 million in sales
- Looking for clinical support and solution within their processes
Exclusion Criteria:
- Any local, state, provincial or federal or other government or government agency or any officials or employees thereof
- Any affiliates of Sponsor or any employees of Sponsor or its affiliates and their immediate family and household members
- Healthcare organizations (HCOs), including hospitals, healthcare professionals (HCPs) and employees thereof
- Companies that do not have wet lab capabilities or rely fully on outsourcing for their manufacturing capabilities.
Country Criteria
To be eligible for the program, the entity must be a biotechnology company located or do substantial business in one of the following countries (the “Territory”):
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom.
Companies that conduct business and possess legal business entities in the countries listed, are also invited to apply
Is your company located outside of the listed countries? You may still qualify! Companies that conduct business and possess legal business entities in the countries listed, are also invited to apply.
Prizes
Program Winner:
- €148,400 in Bioprocessing technologies
- M Ventures consultation, including contract testing services
- One-year subscription to Emprove® Premium
Runner-Ups
- €20,000 in Bioprocessing technologies
- M Ventures consultation
Application timeline
Below you can review the application process and important deadlines.
September 7, 2026
Final day to submit your application.
September 8, 2026
Starting on this date, our team, together with Merck, will carefully review and consider all applications submitted.
September 14, 2026
Beginning on September 14, Merck will schedule interviews with the 10 companies chosen to move into this round.
September 28, 2026
Companies that have been selected to move to the live presentation round at BIO-Europe will be notified.
Congratulations to the 2025 winner!
Congratulations to Stemmatters, the winner of the 2025 Merck EMEA Advance Biotech Grant at BIO-Europe in Vienna.
We would also like to congratulate the runners up TROYA Therapeutics and Mesenbio.
Term and Conditions
Please review Merck's Terms and Conditions here.