Berlin, 16 August 2022: Which are the next walls to fall in science and society? The non-profit Falling Walls Foundation announces the shortlist for the Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year 2022 in the categories Science Start-Ups (Falling Walls Venture) and Science Engagement (Falling Walls Engage). The shortlisted participants will pitch their projects at the Falling Walls Science Summit during the Pitch Day on 7 November. The pitch winner from each category will receive the title of the Science Breakthrough of the Year 2022 and return to the stage for the grand finale of the Falling Walls Science Summit on 9 November.
The top 25 science start-ups in the Falling Walls Venture category were selected out of 131 submissions from 34 countries. Among the winning sciencepreneurship ideas were bio-inks for 3D human tissue printing, enzyme-based plastic degradation technology, first quantum modem and groundbreaking methods of cancer diagnostics and mental disorder therapy.
As Carsten Mahrenholz, co-founder of Coldplasmatech AG and member of the Venture Advisory Board shares, “In addition to the usual high quality of international applicants, the number of applications hit a new record this year. I am happy that, alongside health topics, environmental sustainability and even potential gamechangers made it into the next round. From pioneering start-ups to companies financed with 70 million, the Pitch Day in Berlin will be exciting!”
In the category Science Engagement (Falling Walls Engage), the Engage Advisory Board selected 20 winners out of 193 applications submitted from 66 countries. The winners presented innovative ideas with focus on sustainability and nature preservation, promotion of science accessibility, STEM popularization among girls and underrepresented communities as well as creative formats that connect science and art with the public. “Being part of the Falling Walls Engage Selection Committee was a truly enriching experience, although selecting 20 winners out of so many good projects was not easy. I was inspired to see how innovative and advanced Science Engagement work addressing a wide range of topics from climate and health to education and urban environment has become.”, says Tasha Koch, founder of the science communication initiative Eh!woza and Falling Walls Engage Winner 2021.
Find the complete overview of all shortlisted projects below.
About the Falling Walls Science Summit
Falling Walls Science Summit is a leading international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral forum for scientific breakthroughs and science dialogue between global science leaders and society. The event takes place every year from 7–9 November in Berlin, commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall. With formats Falling Walls Pitches (7 November), Falling Walls Circle (8 November) and Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year (9 November), the Falling Walls Science Summit is the leading forum for global science leaders from academia, business, politics, the media, and civil society to debate the potential of scientific breakthroughs to solve grand challenges and shape a sustainable future. The Falling Walls Science Summit is organised by the charitable Falling Walls Foundation. More: www.falling-walls.com
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