p-Chip and Merck: Closing the Gap between Physical and Digital Trust

Maintaining product security throughout all cycles of development and distribution is one of the greatest challenges of large-scale business operations today.

p-Chip and Merck targeted a solution for this evolving challenge in November of 2022, when they formed a joint development agreement to develop and implement a new solution that would offer “never-before-seen levels of digital trust in machine-to-machine (M2M)-connected industrial value chains.”

Now, following months of hard work and collaboration, the 2 innovators have created a solution to advance a new digital platform. Combining software and hardware components to create digital twins of physical products, the solution helps promote authenticity and transparency throughout the product life cycle.

The cyber-physical trust framework incorporates p-Chip microtransponders, which serve as crypto-anchors that enable the digital tracking of physical goods—and can seamlessly integrate with processes and systems that companies already use.

It’s a high-tech, trustworthy way for businesses to track and trace products and materials across the entire value chain.

Improving Operational Efficiencies and Brand Security

This new technology has big implications for companies who want to improve their operational efficiencies while ensuring brand and product security.

Joe Wagner, p-Chip CEO, described it this way: “We are pleased that the powerful innovations planned through this strategic cooperation are coming to fruition. p-Chip microtransponders play an integral role in a robust digital solution. As industries leverage blockchain, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to solve complex challenges, p-Chip’s digital twin enabling technology delivers the breakthrough levels of visibility, traceability, and security needed for companies to achieve dramatic operational efficiencies and brand security.”

Through this new technology, companies can build their applications on the robust software foundation of the solution, which leverages multiple blockchain layers, crypto anchors, digital certificates, and smart contracts. Result: a single source of truth that allows full traceability and digital trust—while maintaining control of data.

The technology combines some of the latest innovations in AI, blockchain, and cyber-security, allowing companies to leverage the advantages of cutting-edge technology without sacrificing visibility into the lifecycle of their products and materials.

“This solution is a comprehensive combination of both software and hardware elements that enable companies to effortlessly develop their individual digital applications, tailored to their unique requirements,” explained Thomas Endress, Executive Director of EMD Digital at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “By offering a secure and user-friendly platform, our solution ensures seamless interoperability while providing the flexibility and ease of integration that our customers demand.”

A Partnership is Born

At p-Chip, we have a strong history of creating microtransponder technology to support companies in a wide range of industries. Our crypto-anchors are highly durable, small as a grain of salt, and at the cutting edge of innovation.

Merck has been an excellent collaborator for leveraging the great potential of our crypto anchors. With its extensive expertise in highly regulated industries such as healthcare, life sciences, and electronics—industries that require nothing short of excellence in the quality of products, materials, ingredients, and components— Merck was uniquely positioned to take full advantage of a great breakthrough in track and trace technology.

Through this partnership, we delivered just that. The cyber-physical trust framework aims to empower companies to harness the advantages of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) with utmost confidence. It securely anchors physical objects to their digital identities, providing a reliable platform for product authentication and trust.

With that in mind, we are pleased to see our joint innovation effort launching, and we look forward to the many advantages this new technology will bring to companies around the world.