EIC Corporate Day with Merck: what happened and why it matters

On 30 September 2021 the European Innovation Council organised a Corporate Day with Merck, the global science and technology company active in chemical, pharmaceutical and life science businesses. Two EIC beneficiaries who took part, Swiss 3D in vitro model specialist InSphero and German pathology AI company Mindpeak, report that the matchmaking led to tangible business follow-ups with Merck. The episode offers a practical case study of how curated corporate-startup matchmaking can accelerate early partnerships. It also highlights the limits of headline metrics and the need for independent outcome tracking.

Participants and the immediate results

InSphero and Mindpeak were among a cohort of EIC-funded companies invited to pitch and meet Merck representatives during the event. Both firms describe a steady stream of follow-up activity. InSphero says it moved quickly to address a specific safety testing need inside Merck and is now working with several Merck groups. Mindpeak records several follow-up meetings and cites the event as the clear entry point to Merck contacts.

What the companies say about follow-up outcomes

Both companies describe a fast-moving, scientifically focused engagement with Merck after the event. Jan Lichtenberg, co-founder and CEO of InSphero, told the EIC that the company is now working with multiple groups inside Merck, especially in the safety area. He described negotiations as quick and science driven and said InSphero provided a solution to a very specific need that the corporate had identified. Felix Faber, founder and CEO of Mindpeak, said the online Corporate Day produced several follow-up meetings with Merck representatives and that the event was a good opportunity to open that dialogue.

Programmes and services that enabled the engagement

Why corporates and startups join these events

For startups the attraction is access to procurement and R&D channels that are otherwise hard to reach. A pilot or a small project with a large corporate can validate technology, provide revenues, and open multiple business units as customers. For corporations, curated Corporate Days are a way to scan nascent technology, fill capability gaps, accelerate internal innovation, and reduce sourcing time compared to open calls or cold outreach.

These events also fit the broader European policy aim of accelerating deep tech commercialisation. EIC matchmaking is positioned as an instrument to channel public investment in breakthrough innovation toward market adoption by creating corridors to industrial partners and buyers.

A pragmatic and cautious assessment

The InSphero and Mindpeak stories illustrate the potential benefits of corporate matchmaking when the technological fit is strong and a corporate has an identified need. The anecdotes show rapid, scientifically grounded negotiations and early wins for startups that met those needs. Those outcomes are material for small companies where a single large-corporate contract or pilot can change the growth trajectory.

However, published programme metrics are self-reported by the EIC. That makes them useful as indicators of activity but not definitive proof of long term impact. Important contextual questions remain about the depth and sustainability of the relationships that follow these events. For example, how many pilots convert into recurrent commercial contracts, how much revenue was generated, and whether smaller firms retained independence or were absorbed. Independent follow-up studies and standardized outcome metrics would strengthen claims of programme success.

Typical limitations to watch for

1. Selection bias. EIC events present pre-selected, funded companies that already meet quality thresholds. Outcomes for the wider population of startups might vary. 2. Attribution challenge. It is hard to isolate the effect of the Corporate Day from prior contacts or parallel business development efforts. 3. Reporting focus on short term milestones. Quick pilots or meetings are not the same as durable market adoption. 4. Lack of published independent verification. Third party evaluation would improve transparency and help policymakers make data driven choices about scaling such services.

Practical takeaways for startups, corporates and policymakers

Startups should join curated corporate matchmaking when they can present a clearly defined use case that matches a corporate buyer need. Prepare short, data driven pilots and a commercialisation plan. Corporates should enter these engagements with clear internal sponsors and success criteria that go beyond one off pilots. Policymakers and programme operators should publish standardised outcome metrics such as conversion rate from pilot to contract, revenue generated, jobs created, and time to first revenue. Independent evaluations would make programme claims more robust.

How to engage with the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme

The EIC Corporate Partnership Programme runs curated Corporate Days and Multi-Corporate Days, and maintains an open call for large corporations interested in partnering. EIC awardees and other eligible innovators are encouraged to join the EIC Community Platform to find upcoming events, apply to Business Acceleration Services and access coaching and matchmaking opportunities. The EIC also publicises events and open calls through its calendar and newsletters.

Conclusion

The InSphero and Mindpeak examples show how structured, targeted matchmaking can open doors to major corporates, accelerate pilots and generate early contracts. Those concrete wins are valuable. At the same time the EIC and programme stakeholders would benefit from more transparent, standardised public reporting and independent evaluation to prove long term impact at scale. For startups with a ready use case, these Corporate Days remain an important route to find large customers and to test commercial fit with major industry players.