Editor’s note: This promotional article was supported by Merck. We believe in transparency in our publishing and monetization model. Read more here.

Innovation means the changing from the past to the future step by step. While the Merck Group celebrates its 350^th birthday, they not only are the witnesses of this era, but also the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company, the world’s leading technology company in fields like healthcare, life sciences, and performance materials.

While the 5-year-old TechCrunch International Innovation Summit may seem young in comparison, behind the 60,000+ viewers, 2800+ start-ups, there are the dreams and enthusiasm for the next decade and the next hundred years.

At the Summit, Merck China will launch the Merck China Accelerator to explore China’s innovation ecosystem. A comprehensive technology innovation platform, the accelerator will showcase the history and future integration of innovative entrepreneurs around the world on the stage of TechCrunch International Innovation Summit 2018.

Six directions, three major areas

The first phase of the Merck China Accelerator’s recruitment campaign was launched on October 15, 2018, and will continue till January 25, 2019. Merck will screen potential start-ups to give support to their business. The selected start-ups will get to join the Merck China Innovation Center in Shanghai and will have the opportunity to work with Merck’s China business unit.

The Merck China Accelerator will focus on three major areas: medical health, performance materials, and life sciences, including artificial intelligence, big data, bio-sensing technology, interactive interfaces, liquid detection technology, and the Internet of Things.

On November 19th, the Merck China Accelerator will join hands with the TechCrunch International Innovation Summit Entrepreneurship Competition to provide more professional guidance to entrepreneurs through its strong strength in the global pharmaceutical and health industry. The TechCrunch International Innovation Summit will also help the participating start-ups to better move through the Merck China Accelerator with exclusive quality cooperation resources across 25+ countries and regions, 80+ investors and mentors, as well as 30+ domestic and international media exposures

On November 20th, Merck China will be at the main forum of TechCrunch International Innovation Summit and discuss the theme of “Overseas Group’s Enterprise Innovation Strategy in China”, sharing how Merck Group can leverage its global resources to develop its professional advantages.

Multi-dimensional ecological integration

Merck has a history of more than 80 years in China. Today, China’s innovation environment and rapid development provide Merck the opportunity to grow together with the country. As one of Merck’s most important strategic countries in the world, China has become another global innovation center for Merck. Through Merck China Accelerator, Merck China will provide an international platform for the development of start-up companies and strong corporate resource support. Merck’s insights into the industry and the cutting-edge technologies of start-ups are combined to create an innovative cooperation model that helps outstanding entrepreneurs and startups to take advantage of both sides while accelerating the global marketplace, creating a win-win situation.

As a benchmark enterprise for industrial internet innovation services, TechNode relies on its solid innovation ecology and unique international innovation resources. TechNode has already established cooperation with many domestic and foreign enterprises, such as CITIC Group, Unilever, BMW, Peugeot, Google, Amazon, AXA, and MasterCard TechCrunch International Innovation Summit acts as a connector between China and the global science and technology ecosystem. This cooperation with TechNode and Merck China Accelerator will fully integrate the existing advantages of both parties, bring more breakthroughs to the innovation industry in China and the world, realize the cross-border of technology and the industry, and collide more sparks.