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Future Insight Prize 2026 Award Ceremony is open for registration now!

Dear friends of science and innovation,

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company, is delighted to invite you to the Future Insight Prize 2026 Award Ceremony, taking place on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at the B4 Atrium, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, Darmstadt, Germany.

In celebration of its 350th anniversary, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany launched the Future Insight Prize to stimulate groundbreaking science and innovative technologies for the benefit of humanity. Starting in 2019, the Future Insight Prize is awarded annually over a span of 35 years to honor outstanding achievements in science and technology toward breakthrough innovations in the fields of health, nutrition, and energy. The award comes with an up to €1 million research grant. The 2026 award comes with a €300,000 research grant.

In 2026, the Future Insight Prize will recognize pioneering work in preventive medicine, laying the scientific foundation for the development of advanced wearable devices that can non-invasively detect emerging health issues - bringing the visionary dream product, the “Smart Health Sensor”, closer to reality.

The prize will be presented by the CEO of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The ceremony will feature an inspiring keynote lecture by the distinguished prize winner, who will be revealed to the world at the event, a laudation from a member of the German government, and an engaging panel discussion with renowned experts in the field of continuous health monitoring technologies. Additionally, we will announce the theme for the 2027 Future Insight Prize.

Event Location 

B4 Atrium, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany

We look forward to celebrating this prestigious occasion together! 🏆

Event Agenda

13:45 - 14:00

B31 Visitor Reception

Registration

14:00 - 17:50

B4 Atrium

Future Insight Prize Award Ceremony

Event Kickoff: Future Insight Prize Video

  • 14:00 – 14:10: Welcome - Ulrich Betz (Senior Vice President Innovation Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)

  • 14:10 – 14:30: Innovation at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany - Kai Beckmann (Chair of the Board and CEO Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany)

  • 14:30 – 14:50: Laudatory Speech - Dorothee Bär (German Federal Minister for Research, Technology and Space), N.N.

    14:50 – 15:00: Prize Hand-Over - Kai Beckmann, N.N., Winner (will be announced at the event)

  • 15:00 – 16:00: Lecture - Winner (will be announced at the event)

  • 16:00 – 17:30: Panel Discussion - Preventive Medicine - Winner (will be announced at the event), Agnes Musiol (pheal GmbH), Can Dincer (Technical University of Munich), Emre Ozcan (Merck Healthcare KGaA), Karina Karolina De Santis (Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS), Wolfgang Wick (Chair of the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat); Heidelberg University Hospital)

  • 17:30 – 17:45: Future Insight Prize 2027 - Dream product & animation - Kai Beckmann

  • 17:45 – 17:50: Closing - Ulrich Betz

17:50 - 18:30

Foyer, B4 Atrium

Celebration & Networking

Food & drinks will be provided.

Important to Know

*** For externals only ***

Mandatory Pre-registration

All attendees must pre-register at this link and collect their visitor badge at Visitor Reception before 5:00 PM with a valid photo ID / passport.

During pre-registration when asked for the approval for access, please enter simin.ling@merckgroup.com.

Registration Form

Merck KGaA

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

(Our Headquarters)

Frankfurter Strasse 250

Darmstadt, 64293, Germany

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