Breakthrough Day

Celebrating the forefront of scientific advancements on 9 November

Welcome to Breakthrough Day, a distinguished occasion dedicated to recognising exceptional scientific breakthroughs and fostering interdisciplinary discourse. Breakthrough Day is a culmination of the Falling Walls Foundation’s mission to promote breakthrough thinking and make groundbreaking ideas accessible to society.

This pivotal event, brings together laureates from the Falling Walls Global Call, distinguished individuals who have made remarkable discoveries, alongside curated renowned scientists from various disciplines. Through a series of engaging talks and presentations, these accomplished individuals will share their groundbreaking research and its profound impact on society. It is an opportunity for global science leaders, including researchers, CTOs, science strategists, science funders, and media professionals, to collaborate, exchange ideas, and explore innovative strategies for addressing pressing challenges.

Breakthrough Day is not just about honouring past achievements but also about celebrating the spirit of curiosity, innovation, and exploration that propels us forward. It is a call to embrace the unknown, to challenge conventional wisdom, and to strive for breakthroughs that can transform our world. Prepare to be inspired, amazed, and motivated by the brilliance of the scientific community and their relentless pursuit of knowledge.

SPEAKER Highlights

Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2023:

The Science Breakthroughs of the Year will take center stage at the prestigious Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin on 9 November. These distinguished breakthroughs will be unveiled on Wednesday, 13 September, across a spectrum of categories that include Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering & Technology, Social Sciences & Humanities, Art & Science, Science & Innovation Management. Additionally, the exceptional achievements within the categories of Science Start-ups/Falling Walls Venture, Science Engagement/Falling Walls Engage and Emerging Talents/Falling Walls Lab will be announced during the Pitch Competition on 7 November at the Falling Walls Science Summit.

Expert Speakers:

Get ready to be enlightened by renowned experts shaping our world. From predicting earthquakes to mapping our galaxy and pioneering robotics, their insights will redefine your perspective.

Join us to hear:

Fabrice Cotton, German Research Centre for Geosciences
Cotton will speak about the latest advances in the prediction of earthquakes, including the effects of surface geology on seismic motion.
Amina Helmi, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute
Helmi gives us insight into the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission, which is building the largest, most precise three-dimensional map of our Galaxy by surveying nearly two billion objects.
Marco Hutter, ETH Zurich
Hutter will discuss and demonstrate his latest breakthroughs in the area of robotics. Among his creations is ANYmal, a quadrupedal robot designed for autonomous operation in challenging environments.
Anupama Kundoo, Anupama Kundoo Architects
Kundoo is a pioneering architect, creating housing for the poor in India and, specifically, in the settlement of Auroville in Tamil Nadu. She has also established a significant body of work in research into material and craft and how locally-made products can be reimagined to become elements of architecture.
Benjamin List, Max-Planck-Institut für KohlenforschungList will speak about a new type of catalysis that he pioneered. The process reduced waste and allowed for novel ways to construct molecules.
Tammy Ma, National Ignition Facility
Ma’s breakthrough is in the field of fusion. The amount of energy released through the fusion reaction conducted by her and her team exceeded the amount of energy being absorbed by the fuel – the first time this had been achieved at any fusion facility in the world.
Ulrike Malmendier, University of California Berkeley
Malmendier will speak about the complex interaction between inflation and expectations.

Audience of the Falling Walls Conference, 2019

Robotics and Machine Learning: Sami Haddadin, 2019

Neuroscience of Reading: Maryanne Wolf, 2019

About the Falling Walls SCIENCE SUmmit

The international gathering on future Science Breakthroughs

The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the dawn of a new era of freedom by breaking barriers both physical and imaginary in Germany and around the world. Three decades on, the night of 9 November 1989 has become a symbol of changing status quos and overcoming divisions of all kinds. Drawing inspiration from this historic moment, the Falling Walls Science Summit is driven by the desire to find out: which are the next walls to fall in science and society?

Since its inception, the Science Summit has become a unique global platform connecting science, business and society through a shared commitment to create breakthrough solutions to challenges across borders and disciplines. Each year, twenty of the world’s most forward-thinking scientists and boldest visionaries take to our stage to showcase their scientific breakthroughs from the broadest possible range of disciplines.