Merck Digital Sciences Studio

Robert K. Coughlin is the managing director and has led the Studio since its launch in 2022. Coughlin previously led JLL's life sciences practice globally and brings a real-estate and innovation-district network rather than a traditional venture capital background. He is supported by director Isaac Barchas of Capital Factory, who contributes accelerator-design expertise.

It is a wholly separate initiative from the Merck Global Health Innovation Fund, which is the corporation's late-stage venture and growth-equity vehicle. The Studio is an accelerator, not a fund — it writes small seed checks from the corporate balance sheet and prioritizes technical integration over financial return. Companies that graduate may receive follow-on investment from the Global Health Innovation Fund, but there is no automatic bridge.

The program provides up to $120,000 in direct investment and $250,000 in Microsoft Azure cloud credits. The structural differentiator is selective access to de-identified Merck proprietary datasets, which startups can use to train and validate AI models. Companies also work with Merck scientists and executives as mentors and receive go-to-market support through the New Jersey Innovation Institute.

The Studio targets seed-stage companies, typically pre-Series A, that have a working prototype or minimum viable product. It does not invest at the idea stage. The 10-month program is designed to prepare companies for a priced institutional round, and Merck has arranged demo days with venture investors to facilitate that transition.

It does not make fund commitments. All deployment is through direct equity investments into individual startups via the accelerator cohort. Merck has not disclosed the instrument used — whether a SAFE or a priced round — but the investment size is standardized per company within each cohort.