Falling Walls Lab
3 MINUTES IS ALL IT TAKES
Falling Walls Lab is a world-class pitch competition that brings together a diverse and interdiciplinary pool of students and early-career professionals by providing a stage for their breakthrough ideas both globally and locally.
Each year, renowned academic institutions around the world organise their own Falling Walls Labs to showcase the quality, diversity, and passion of their region’s most innovative minds. In three minutes each, participants try to convince a high-calibre jury of their solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
The breakthrough factor and potential impact of the presented work help determine the winner, who qualifies for the global finale in Berlin on 7 November and wins a ticket to attend the Falling Walls Science Summit, where they get to interact with the world’s movers and shakers of science, business, and policymaking.
During their multi-day stay in Berlin, the international Lab winners take part in a broad extended programme that includes a coaching session, expert workshops on a broad range of topics such as career development, entrepreneurial skills, and academic publishing, a tour of local academic institutions and events hosted by our partners, including the German Research Foundation, Springer Nature and various embassies.
At the global finale, the international Lab winners compete to become the Breakthrough Winner in the Emerging Talents category of Falling Walls Science Summit. They take home the title and prize money, and receive the opportunity to pitch their idea once again two days later on the Falling Walls Breakthroughs of the Year stage, with leading experts, changemakers, and luminaries, including Nobel laureates and Leibniz Prize winners.
Benefits of Participating at Falling Walls Lab:
- Sharpen Skills: Enhance your presentation, communication, and critical thinking by pitching your innovative idea to peers and a jury of experts.
- Global Exposure: Gain visibility in front of industry leaders, investors, and potential partners who can help take your project to the next level.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded innovators and other participants from around the world.
- Valuable Feedback: Receive feedback from a diverse jury and audience, helping to refine and improve your idea.
- Compete for Recognition: Stand a chance to become an international Falling Walls Lab winner and advance your project further.
- Additional Perks: Depending on location, benefit from pitch coaching, rhetoric workshops, and more to support your development.
Benefits of Winning at Falling Walls Lab:
- Trip to Berlin: Win travel and accommodation to attend the Falling Walls Science Summit and Global Finale.
- Global Recognition: Compete for the Breakthrough Winner of the Year title in the Emerging Talents category and present your project to a global audience.
- Science Summit Ticket: Receive a ticket to the prestigious Falling Walls Science Summit (7-9 November 2025), where leaders from science, industry, and policy-making meet, network and discuss.
- Extended Programme Access: Past events included a Springer Nature science publishing session, 'Insights into German Research' excursions, and networking dinners.
- Exclusive Networking: Connect with world leaders in science, industry, and policy during the Science Summit and through other exclusive events.
- Pitch Video: Increase global visibility with your project’s pitch video.
- Alumni Network: Gain exclusive access to the Falling Walls Lab alumni network for ongoing collaboration and support.
- Additional prizes vary by international Lab location.
Winning the Global Finale
- Win a cash prize.
- Earn the Science Breakthrough of the Year title in the Emerging Talents category.
- Present their breakthrough projects on the Falling Walls Breakthrough stage on 9 November 2025, which hosts leading experts, changemakers, and luminaries
* Prizes are non-transferable. There are no cash alternatives. The Falling Walls Foundation reserves the right to replace the prizes with alternate prizes if circumstances beyond the Falling Walls Foundation's control make it necessary to do so.
