Pharmacist Olivia Merkel receives UNIPRENEURS Award

Enlarge

Professor Olivia Merkel, Chair of Drug Delivery at LMU’s Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, has received the 2026 UNIPRENEURS Award. The initiative honors professors who have shown exceptional commitment to entrepreneurship and supporting academic spin-offs at German universities. The award ceremony took place on 22 September 2026 in the Allianz Forum at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, under the patronage of Federal Ministers Dorothee Bär and Katherina Reiche.

Olivia Merkel has been researching novel, nonviral nanoscale RNA delivery systems for many years. Her primary focus has been on targeted drug delivery via the lungs, with applications in areas such as cancer immunotherapy and the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases. Building on this research, which was awarded funding from various quarters, including a Starting Grant and a Proof of Concept Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) and support from the LMU Knowledge Transfer Fund, she co-founded the spin-off RNhale in 2023. The Munich-based company is developing inhalable RNA therapeutics for treating the underlying causes of asthma and COP and was recently awarded a €2.5 million Transition Grant by the European Innovation Council (EIC).

Enlarge

UNIPRENEURS is regarded as the most prestigious award of its kind in Germany. The initiative aims to strengthen the culture of entrepreneurship at German universities and shine a light on the mentors who help turn research findings into market-ready innovations and students into successful startup founders. It was established by entrepreneurs Matthias Hilpert and Martin Schilling together with the Donors Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany (Stifterverband), which is responsible for its organization and implementation. Its selection process is unique in Germany: From hundreds of nominations, active founders put forward the professors who have had a decisive impact on their entrepreneurial journeys. A first-rate board of trustees then selects 20 award recipients each year.

“The UNIPRENEURS Award means a great deal to me personally because it validates my approach of not viewing scientific findings as an end in themselves, but of consistently developing them toward clinical applications and new therapies,” says Professor Olivia Merkel. “At the same time, successful start-ups show that translation can only succeed as a team effort: It takes people with different areas of expertise working together to turn a scientific idea into a viable innovation. I hope the award will also encourage other professors to take the step from research to application and to see startups as an important building block for the successful translation of scientific findings.”

“I am delighted that Olivia Merkel has received the UNIPRENEURS Award. She is an outstanding example of how scientific excellence can make its way into commercial and medical practice. Her success motivates us to encourage and support even more researchers,” says Dr. Philipp Baaske, LMU Vice President for Entrepreneurship.

As a University of Excellence, LMU Munich supports researchers in translating the innovative potential of their basic research into market-ready applications. Acting as a one-stop shop, LMU’s Transfer & Entrepreneurship team supports prospective founders from the initial idea through to the launch of a spin-off. Its services include spin-off consulting, IP management, qualifications, and access to a broad network of investors, mentors, and industry partners.