OREANDA-NEWS. Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced the participants for its Accelerator Programs in Darmstadt and Nairobi today. Almost 200 highly competitive applications from 47 countries were submitted for consideration. With this selection Merck sets the agenda with topics from Malaria diagnosis to identification of plant diseases using artificial intelligence.

Michael Gamber, Head of the Merck Innovation Center, is looking forward to what these teams can create. "With our selection for the Darmstadt and Nairobi Accelerator Program we set the agenda with topics of global importance, living up to the program's international orientation."

The ten most promising ideas for the Darmstadt Accelerator were invited to a pitch day. This was an opportunity for them to present their ideas before a selection of judges. The jury was made up of Merck employees, external venture capitalists and experts in start-up development. The selected teams addressed topics from mobile malaria diagnosis to waiting time in emergency rooms.

At the same time, the Start-up-companies for the Nairobi program were selected by Merck's local team in Africa. The Nairobi program is focused on digital health and the winning teams aim to add efficiency to healthcare in Africa. The topics range from maternal and infant mortality to the transportation of emergency patients.

Both accelerator rounds started in April and will end in July this year.