Falling Walls Foundation

WHERE THE WORLD’S BRIGHTEST MINDS MEET

The Falling Walls Science Summit is the international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral forum for global science leaders. They debate on the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall: Which are the next walls to fall?

MEET THIS YEAR’S HIGHLIGHTED SPEAKERS:

German Research Minister

Dorothee Bär

Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space

Nobel Laureate Physics

Brian Schmidt

Australian National University

President

Katja Becker

DFG German Research Foundation

Director General

Mark Thomson

CERN

Bavarian Research Minister

Markus Blume

State of Bavaria

President

Maria Leptin

European Research Council

German Digitalisation Minister

Karsten Wildberger

Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation

President & CEO

Stephen Toope

Canadian Institute For Advanced Research (CIFAR)

President

Siegfried Russwurm

acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering

Member of the European Parliament

Christian Ehler

European Parliament

Former Head of NASA Science Missions

Thomas Zurbuchen

ETH Zurich

President

Martin Keller

Helmholtz Association

THIS YEARS PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS:

The Falling Walls Science Summit 2026 will feature 80+ sessions and panels, topics including:

Space, telescopes and satellites
AI and robotics
Climate and biodiversity
Science diplomacy
Medical research of the future
European innovation and transfer policies
Defence and security
Future of transatlantic cooperation in science
Hightech Agenda
Global research networks with Africa
Academic freedom

Full programme coming soon.

Falling Walls Science Summit 2025 | Highlight Video