M Ventures: pharma CVC and biotech innovation in 2026

Welcome to our first episode for 2026.Today, we're joined by Hakan Goker, Managing Director at M Ventures, the strategic corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA. With over two decades in biotech investing, Hakan has driven transformative deals in oncology, autoimmune diseases, and beyond, including standout 2025 investments like FoRx Therapeutics and portfolio milestones such as Artios' FDA Fast Track designation. As we kick off 2026 at Beyond Biotech, Hakan shares insights on corporate VC advantages, emerging therapeutic priorities, and the industry's evolving landscape amid rising M&A and AI innovation. 1:10                 Meet Hakan Goka4:37                 About M Ventures and pharma CVC8:14                 Sourcing innovative biotechs12:52                How M Ventures works with Merck KGaA16:54              M Ventures in 202524:46                Areas to watch in the new year29:19                Looking forward to 202632:20                The next big thing in biotech?33:08                Advice for biotechs pitching CVCInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: The ABC of biotech startup fundingSeven genome sequencing companies to look out forLabiotech's 2025 biotech funding tracker