In celebration of its 350th anniversary, Merck 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 towards groundbreaking innovations in health, nutrition, and energy.

The 2026 Future Insight Prize 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. The event 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