The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army on February 24, 2022 marked a turning point in contemporary history. The ongoing war has negatively impacted scientific initiatives in the Ukraine, since many Ukrainian scientists were unable to continue their research or had to flee the country. This session aims to…

Food insecurity exists in more than 1.6 billion people (i.e., over 20% of the global population). The last UN Food Systems Summit emphasised that the world’s food system is irretrievably broken. Recent developments such as the war in Ukraine and State-responses to high food prices, alongside ongoing issues like pandemic-related…

Digitalisation reduces carbon emissions to a great extent in many sectors and therefore helps to protect the environment. Simultaneously, the increasing use of digital technologies requires an immense amount of energy. To promote a resource-efficient economy, we need to consider energy efficiency and sustainability as core elements – not only…

As the global climate crisis worsens and Russia’s war against Ukraine causes significant global impact, a fundamental shift in geopolitics and energy policy is taking place. Developing new materials is a core element in the innovation cycle to accelerate the process of energy transition. Complex data-driven insights can be leveraged…

Restoring Planetary Health with Science and Collaboration? The role of research and applying scientific discovery have proved to be fundamental to both human and planetary health. In many cases, solutions are at hand, but their development and subsequent application must be accelerated to turn evidence into action. This session will…

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a fundamental part of modern medical research and practises, while the overall standards to regulate the use of AI are still being defined. This session will discuss the benefits of AI for research and healthcare, e.g., diagnostic accuracy, alongside the risks and obstacles related…

Finding and harnessing sources of energy has been a major task in the history of humankind. Similar to the resourceful nature of the sun, man-made nuclear power can produce large amounts of energy from few resources. It includes fusion and fission processes and the pros and cons of fission processes…

Due to factors such as ageing populations, increasing comorbidities and late or erroneous diagnoses, millions of people globally are impacted (with an upward tendency) by illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease and Depression. While prevention and early diagnosis are crucial to improving the wellbeing of patients, new medications and therapies need…

Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical substance in the universe. In this regard it is almost the exact opposite of fossil fuels, which are incredibly rare and hard to extract. So wouldn’t it be great if we could swap fossil fuels for renewable sources such as hydrogen? This Falling Walls…

We used to plan cities according to a master plan, building separate areas with different functions and reconnecting them by car. This approach shapes our cities until today, even though our ways of life and needs for the city have changed. The panelists at this Falling Walls Circle Plenary Table discuss which shifts are needed…

There is no science without collaboration, and in a world that is not only facing a global pandemic, but also a global climate crisis, international cooperation is needed more than ever. But how can a unifying vision be forged? How can barriers between nations be resolved to support global big…

Promotion of gender equality drives innovation both in science and in industrial organisations. However, we often fail to put scientific knowledge into practice. This Falling Walls Circle Plenary Table explores the following questions: How to implement gender equality to increase the quality of innovation? And who needs to change: decision…

Whether we’re analysing a pandemic, calculating people’s life expectancy, organizing health insurance, collecting patient responses to new therapies or whether we’re just making an appointment in a doctor’s office: Our health is closely connected to data. But how can we properly use this trove of data in order to develop…

In the 1930s, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a “New Deal” policy to overcome the Great Depression. Less than 100 years later, the world is facing an even more global challenge: the climate crisis. In this Falling Walls Plenary Table, our international panelists ask whether this requires an equally…

Improving Global Health is a fundamental challenge, in which science and technology play important roles. Whether it is ultra-fast sequencing of whole genomes, mRNA vaccines or gene editing: Recent innovations could change and improve the life of millions of people around the world. But only if science can make it…

Grand societal challenges can no longer be solved in ivory towers and back rooms. Diverse expertise and multidirectional knowledge exchange are increasingly important. But how can such collaboration work without compromising the autonomy of individual fields? Focusing on Science & Politics, this round table will explore how scientific knowledge can…

This Round Table will mark the global launch of the report ‘Confidence in Research’ conducted by Economist Impact and supported by Elsevier. Digitalization has impacted not only the practice and dissemination of scientific knowledge, but also the credibility of how scientific information is judged. Putting scientific research at the forefront,…

Incubators and accelerators are a great way to support early stage startups (and often also first time founders) through education programs, matchmaking, mentorship and financing. With the overwhelming success of programs like Y-Combinator, we saw a surge in programs that are helping founders succeed with their startups. We are discussing…

Our transport system needs to be transformed due to its devastating effects on the environment and the climate. But this change needs to be discussed also within its wider social repercussions. Fiscal instruments and targeted policies can contribute to a mobility transformation that not only addresses the ecological challenges but…

Environmental sustainability is essential for improving health system functions, delivering better outcomes for patients, and contributing to larger social and economic benefits. Reducing both the carbon footprint and waste generation in the healthcare sector are examples of methods to achieve environmental sustainability – this escalating issue requires attention and action.…

To attain the full potential promised by quantum technologies, joint efforts to cross borders between countries, continents, science and industry is an absolute necessity. In this Round Table talk, the status, future development and the applications of quantum technologies will be discussed with scientists, managers and international officials. The event…

Particle accelerators are often thought of as large, expensive facilities or instruments. Typically, these machines have a variety of uses from fundamental science and medical applications to manufacturing semiconductors. How can particle accelerators be reinvented and downsized by the use of advanced nano fabrication and laser technologies? Additionally, what significance…

Public trust and involvement in science plays a central role in addressing global challenges, achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and contributing to the overall wellbeing of society. This Falling Walls Circle Round Table debates how we can use Co-Creative Approaches to foster Science Engagement initiatives that aim to…

Agriculture accounts for roughly 10 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The d4agrotech research and innovation initiative launched by the province of Lower Austria and the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology aims to make food production more climate-friendly and efficient through digitalisation. In this Falling Walls Round Table, experts…

Quantum Computing arguably presents the biggest shift in computer science since its inception. After 25 years of fundamental theoretical and experimental research, the top leaders in the field worldwide have committed themselves to the development of quantum computers as a real technology, solving real computational problems. The panelists of this…

The constant growth of our population, finite resources, and a linear flow of materials as we know it, are no longer compatible. Looking ahead, the human approach of take, make, and dispose must be replaced by a circular one, and science and entrepreneurship can help. In this Falling Walls Circle,…

Isaac Newton is credited with the famous saying: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” But how did he know which shoulders to stand on? This Falling Walls Circle Round Table examines scientific credibility in two ways: first, by looking at how public…

Batteries have been around for a long time, but it is only in the last decade that they have become a key tool in global energy transition and the fight against climate change. An increasingly electrified world needs more efficient and more sustainable batteries. In this Falling Walls Round Table,…

In cooperation with Stiftung Charité and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Falling Walls was hosting this unique format to connect researchers in the life sciences from all over the world. The symposium gathered the 2021 Winners in the Life Sciences category as well as partners from academia and business to discuss…

In cooperation with the VolkswagenStiftung and WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Falling Walls was hosting this unique format to connect researchers in the social sciences and humanities from all over the world. The symposium gathered the 2021 Winners in the Social Sciences and Humanities category as well as partners from…

In cooperation with the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Foundation, Falling Walls was hosting this unique format to connect researchers in the physical sciences from all over the world. The symposium gathered the 2021 Winners in the Physical Sciences category as well as partners from academia and business to discuss the…