Falling Walls Winners 2024

Meet our Life Sciences Winners

Ali Maximilian Ertürk, Helmholtz Munich, Breaking the Wall of Animal Use in Research

Andreas Horn, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Breaking the Wall of Dysfunctional Brain Circuits

Ben Black, University of Pennsylvania, Breaking the Wall of Synthetic Human Chromosomes

Benedict Paten, University of California, Santa Cruz, Breaking the Wall of Pangenomics

Erich Jarvis, Rockefeller University, Breaking the Wall of Understanding Language

Garry Duffy, University of Galway, Breaking the Wall of Implantable Drug Delivery

Mengxing Tang, Imperial College London, Breaking the Wall of Heart Vessel Mapping

Michael Platten, German Cancer Research Center, Breaking the Wall of Brain Tumor Vaccines

Michael Fischbach, Stanford University, Breaking the Wall of Commensal Vaccines

Stephen O’Rahilly & Marlena Fejzo, University of Cambridge & University of Southern California, Breaking the Wall of Pregnancy Sickness

Meet our Engineering & Technology Winners

Andreas Güntner, ETH Zürich, Breaking the Wall of Electronic Scent Detection

Canan Dagdeviren, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Breaking the Wall of Breast Cancer Detection

Franck Ruffier, CNRS, Breaking the Wall of Bio-Inspired Robotics

Guihua Yu, University of Texas at Austin, Breaking the Wall of Solar Water Sustainability

Jeehwan Kim, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Breaking the Wall of Semiconductor 3D Integration

Sang-Hoon Bae, Washington University, Breaking the Wall of Energy Density Limits

Solaiman Shokur, CHUV: Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois, Breaking the Wall of Thermal Sensations in Amputees

Walter de Heer, Georgia Institute of Technology, Breaking the Wall of Moore's Law

Xin Li, Harvard University, Breaking the Wall of Solid-State Battery Innovation

Yang Chai, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Breaking the Wall of Efficient Sensory AI Systems

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Meet our Social Sciences & Humanities Winners

Christian Leuz, University of Chicago, Breaking the Wall of Intransparent Fracking Practices

Emmanuel Quarshie, University of Ghana, Breaking the Wall of Adolescent Mental Health

Harvey Whitehouse, University of Oxford, Breaking the Wall of Climate Psychology

Jon Roozenbeek, King’s College London, Breaking the Wall of Propaganda

Kimberly Doell, University of Vienna, Breaking the Wall of Climate Psychology

Michael Bruter, London School of Economics and Political Science (Electoral Psychology Observatory), Breaking the Wall of Democratic Exclusion

Nathan Congdon, Queen’s University Belfast and Orbis International, Breaking the Wall of Vision-Driven Development

Rafael Prieto-Curiel, Complexity Science Hub, Breaking the Wall of Drug Cartel Analysis

Rafael Yuste, Columbia University, Breaking the Wall of Neurorights Protection

Yaw Nyarko, New York University, Breaking the Wall of Rural Commodity Market Access

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Meet our Art & Science Winners

Anna Vershinina & Wieger Wamelink, KU Leuven & Wageningen University, Breaking the Wall of 3D-Printed Eco-Habitats

Ègor Kraft, University of Art & Design Linz, AT, Breaking the Wall of Disinformation

Fara Peluso, Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe (HfG), Breaking the Wall of Sustainable Sound Art

Gregory Darcy, DieTanzKompanie, Breaking the Wall of Exclusion

Guy Ben-Ary & Nathan Thompson, SymbioticA, University of Western Australia, Breaking the Wall of In-Vitro Intelligent Agents

Julia Janssen, Studio Julia Janssen, Breaking the Wall of Digital Heteronomy

Kat Austen, Studio Austen, Breaking the Wall of Plastic-Tree Coexistence

Marcos Lutyens, Independent artist, Breaking the Wall of Reclaimed Oil Rigs

Tiange Wang, VLab, Breaking the Wall of Multisensory Data

Rashaad Newsome, Rashaad Newsome Studio, Breaking the Wall of Traditional Education

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Meet our Science Engagement Winners

ABDUL KARIM SESAY – ALTRUISTECH CREATIVITY HUB, SIERRA LEONE 
Altruistech Creativity Hub empowers Sierra Leone’s youth through STEM education to innovate sustainable solutions for climate change, merging hands-on learning with community engagement to foster a generation of environmentally conscious problem-solvers. 

APPLE PUI YI CHUI – SCHOOL CORAL NURSERY PROGRAMME, HONG KONG 
During the 12-month School Coral Nursery program, students turn schools into nurseries, rearing corals on campus under the guidance of coral researchers. The corals are later planted back into the sea by coral researchers, contributing to its restoration efforts off the coast of Hong Kong. 

BENGISU BERISPEK – SUSTAIN.ALL, GERMANY 
Sustain.ALL promotes sustainability and climate education in universities and schools through art, workshops, hackathons and yoga, supporting diverse groups in transforming organisations and buildings with climate adaptation measures. 

CECILIA MANOSA NYBLON – WE ARE THE POSSIBLE, GREAT BRITAIN 
We Are the Possible bridges the gap between science and society to catalyse climate action and sustainable solutions by co-creating new narratives for translation through the arts and education, using the platform of COP and other forums to deliver these messages and inspire positive change. 

CHARLES UMEH – PARKERS RESILIENT HEALTH, NIGERIA 
Parkers Resilient Health empowers Nigerian communities to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change through sustainable healthcare practices, education on environmental health, and the use of solar-powered mobile clinics for accessible and resilient health services. 

CHUCK CHUAN NG – VET-BIOR, MALAYSIA 
Vet Bio-R engages Malaysian and Thai youths in hands-on bioremediation using Vetiver grass, fostering environmental stewardship and climate action and promoting sustainable development in both Malaysia and Thailand. 

FRANKLINE OJIAMBO – EMPOWERING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE THROUGH TECH EDUCATION AND RESPONSIBLE WASTE MANAGEMENT, KENYA 
Our 6-week program trains youth in e-waste repair, creating green jobs and tackling climate change by diverting e-waste from landfills and reducing methane emissions. 

GERAINT RHYS WHITTAKER – OCEAN SCIENCE JAM, GERMANY 
The Ocean Science Jam is a project that brings together musicians, artists, dancers, performers, the public and ocean researchers to creatively respond to visual and acoustic cues in real time, based on a theme linked to the work of marine scientists. 

HASSAN FARAH – OUR FUTURE IS SCIENCE, USA 
OUR FUTURE IS SCIENCE pairs high-schoolers with STEM graduate students on a journey of mentorship and scientific learning toward youth-developed solutions to climate justice challenges. 

JOSEFA GONZALES – MELANOGASTER: CATCH THE FLY!, SPAIN 
Melanogaster: Catch The Fly! brings together students and teachers from rural areas (in Europe and beyond), local communities (including farmers and politicians), communication experts and scientists to monitor, analyze, and cope with climate change's effects on natural populations. 

JOY OFFERE – SHENOVATE, NIGERIA 
Tech4Climate empowers girls and women aged 13-35 with coding, robotics, and technology skills focused on climate-related application, fostering gender equality in STEM and enabling participants to directly contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in their communities. 

KAYLENE COOPER – WONDER OF SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA 
Wonder of Science fosters a STEM culture, bringing together inspiring PhD candidates in STEM fields from 4 universities, and partnerships with industry and government to deliver curriculum-aligned termlong STEM inquiry tasks to students aged 9 - 15 who then present at a student showcase conference. 

LUCY BROWN – REFUGIA, GREAT BRITAIN 
Engaging with climate change and caring for wildlife and the planet are often seen as a privilege, but despite the instability in their lives, asylum seekers and refugees have a deep respect for nature and an interest in how they can protect it. 

MARÍA CRISTINA DÍAZ VELÁZQUEZ – CIULAB BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA 
Coparticipatory methodology of design to create an educational environment to engage citizens into civic culture and participation in the areas of coexistence in public spaces, urban landscapes circular economy and sustainable mobility. 

MELISSA JACKSON – INKOW WEKNOW, AUSTRALIA 
iknow weKnow is an innovative, Australian first collaborative research pilot across four remote Indigenous Australian communities employing collaborative co-design to develop digital and in-person engagement and education tools and strategies for climate, energy and water security and sustainability. 

NKOSANA MASUKU – STEM SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE ADAPTION INITIATIVE, ZIMBABWE 
The STEM Sustainability and Climate Adaptation Initiative by Sciency Learning educates young learners in Sub-Saharan Africa through hands-on Clean Energy Kits, teaching them about renewable energy and sustainability while empowering communities to adopt climate-adaptive practices. 

ORIANA TREJO ALVAREZ – COMMUNICATION OF KNOWLEDGE DIRECTORSHIP, MEXICO 
Bringing research produced by our public university in environmental sciences and humanities to the public in an interactive and critical thinking manner, especially focused on historically underrepresented groups through a horizontal dialogical approach. 

ORIS CHIMPHAMBANO – SCIENCE FOR ALL (SCI40), MALAWI 
Science for All is a science engagement and innovation project working with Malawian students. 

PAULINE MÜNCH – ANTHROPOSCENES, GERMANY 
AnthropoScenes connects art and science - with water in the spotlight. On stages in Berlin and markets in Brandenburg; artists and researchers experiment with different audiences to debate, discuss and develop sustainable water futures. 

SANDRA ROBERTS – DOWN TO EARTH, USA 
Down to Earth is an informal learning initiative connecting students to the International Space Station through conversations with ISS professionals, exploring ISS technology and methodology, and a hands-on challenge to design a solution to climate change issues in their communities.

SARA VERSTRAETEN - TREC PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, BE
The TREC expedition's Public Engagement program, led by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, connects with Europeans in 21 languages to address climate change, pollution, and human impact. It aims to shift public perceptions of science and emphasize citizens' roles in climate solutions through tailored events.

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Meet our Science Start-up Winners

ACTITREXX – GERMANY 
ActiTrexx is developing a platform of patent-protected cellular and biologic therapies targeting the rootcause of overshooting immune responses thereby decreasing the need for immunosuppressants. 

AI PROTEINS – USA 
AI Proteins is re-imagining protein therapeutics with a novel approach for designing entirely new proteins using AI-based design and a high-throughput drug discovery platform. 

ARQUE SYSTEMS – GERMANY 
ARQUE Systems is leveraging German semiconductor technology to develop and commercialize Quantum Computing systems reaching far beyond current capabilities based on electron spins in silicon. 

BIOEUTECTICS – ARGENTINA 
Bioeutectics is developing the next generation of green solvents with their eutectic biomimetic technology, replacing petrochemical solvents in industrial processes. 

CYCLIZE – GERMANY 
Cyclize utilizes existing carbon sources, such as plastic waste and CO2, to produce drop-in syngas – a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen – with the aid of a novel plasma reactor. This novel technology replaces natural gas. 

DEEPEN – GERMANY 
DeepEn develops the world's thinnest microendoscopes, capable of subcellular resolution observations within hard-to-access body regions while causing minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. 

ECOLOCKED – GERMANY 
ecoLocked is turning buildings into carbon sinks, converting captured carbon from locally sourced biomass residues into functional, carbon-negative building materials. 

ELECTRALITH – AUSTRALIA 
ElectraLith is unlocking a green future with the cleanest, most versatile, and most cost-efficient method of extracting and refining lithium, the primary element of a sustainable future. 

EXAZYME – GERMANY 
Exazyme offers an AI platform for protein engineers, biochemists, and biologists, enabling the design and optimization of proteins, from enzymes to antibodies. Their AI helps users tackle their toughest challenges more efficiently and effectively.

GISENS – ARGENTINA 
Gisens has engineered a novel diagnostic testing device that allows patients suffering from chronic conditions to run multiple tests from the comfort of their own home. 

GREENLYTE CARBON TECHNOLOGIES – GERMANY 
Greenlyte Carbon Technologies is developing a low-cost, robust Direct Air Capture technology that captures CO2 at world-leading energy rates, whilst supplying hydrogen as a by-product. 

LEVEL NINE – GERMANY 
Level Nine is developing the world’s first nanozymes, next-generation catalysts that bridge the gap between enzymes and traditional catalysts. Their technology unlocks new possibilities for profitable and sustainable chemical production. 

LINIUM BIOCHEMICALS – FRANCE 
Linium Biochemicals accelerates the sustainable transition of chemistry by offering a fossil-free, lowcarbon, and price-competitive alternative for essential everyday chemical products in food, hygiene, pharmaceuticals, and materials. 

NANO24 – ISRAEL 
Nano24 developed a versatile platform solution, EXO-CD24, for the cytokine storm (CS), the main cause of death in the last 7/8 global pandemics and probably in the next one to come. 

NANOFLEX ROBOTICS – SWITZERLAND 
Nanoflex Robotics is building next-generation telerobotic solutions for critical endovascular interventions. 

NOSI – NETWORK FOR OLFACTORY SYSTEM INTELLIGENCE – AUSTRIA 
NOSI has developed a digital nose that teaches machines to smell, relying on an interplay of chemical sensors that are trained to certain smell patterns using machine learning. 

ORIGIN BY OCEAN – FINLAND 
Origin by Ocean is revolutionizing the way we address environmental challenges by transforming harmful algae into valuable, sustainable products. 

PEARCODE – FRANCE 
PEARCODE is transforming data storage with DNA. Harnessing the ultra-compact, durable nature of synthetic DNA, PEARCODE's fully automated DNA memory will offer storage capacities a billion times greater than traditional media. 

PRAMOMOLECULAR – GERMANY 
PRAMOMOLECULAR is developing drugs with a new mode of action to treat particularly aggressive forms of lung or pancreatic cancer or heart failure by downregulating the disease-causing protein. 

QKERA – GERMANY 
Qkera develops solid electrolytes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, offering safer, more powerful batteries with 30-50% higher energy density at affordable prices for mass-market applications like electric vehicles. 

REME-D – EGYPT 
Reme-D builds next-level diagnostics for regions with low resource settings and ensures equitable access to diagnostics for all. 

S.LAB – UKRAINE
S.Lab creates strong and reliable material capable of fully replacing foamed plastic by harvesting the strength of agricultural waste and the binding power of mycelium. 

SPARXELL – GREAT BRITAIN 
Sparxell is creating the next generation of colours and effects, eliminating toxic chemicals from colouration and replacing them with nature-positive alternatives. 

TAU SYSTEMS – USA 
TAU Systems is developing the first compact particle accelerators and light sources that combine the capabilities of large accelerators with a small footprint to provide easy and affordable beamtime access for any company. 

XEMX MATERIALS SPACE EXPLORATION – GERMANY 
xemX is developing high-performance materials for the green chemical industry, creating customertailored and application-specific materials.

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Meet our Women's Impact Award Winners

INGE KATRIN HERRMANN – UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH, Breaking the Wall of W-HEALTH

MARIANNA PROKOPI-DEMETRIADES – RSL REVOLUTIONARY LABS LTD, THERAMIR LTD, PROMED BIOSCIENCE LTD, Breaking the Wall of Holistic Oncological Care

ANTONIA SAKTIAWATI – UNIVERSITAS GADJAH MADA, Breaking the Wall of Tuberculosis Screening in Indonesia

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