During a one-week Summer Camp, 42 selected postgraduate students will attend in-depth presentations about the pharmaceutical and chemical industry. Participants will work in small teams to generate an innovative idea that addresses a scientific challenge and develop the idea into a business plan. The teams will recei- ve coaching and guidance from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and its affiliates managers and scientists as well as experienced retirees. The teams will present their business plans to
a grand jury composed of top management of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and its affi- liates plus external experts. The jury will select the best business plan and present the winning team with the Innovation Cup award and a cash prize of EUR 20,000 plus EUR 5,000 and EUR 3,000 for the runner-ups. Options to implement the best business plans will be evaluated. On the first day of the Summer Camp, a conference with alumni from previous editions of the Inno- vation Cup will be organized.