Falling Walls Venture will take place on 7 November 2022 as part of the Falling Walls Science Summit 2022 in Berlin. At the Science Summit, taking place on November 7-9, we will welcome the people who are finding solutions to the greatest challenges of our time and thus contributing to a better world.

Falling Walls Science Summit 2022 schedule:

7 November: Falling Walls Pitches

A day of live pitches in the following categories: Emerging Talents (Falling Walls Lab) for the next generation of outstanding innovators. Science Start-Ups (Falling Walls Venture) for the science start-up community. Science Engagement (Falling Walls Engage) for inspiring science engagers.

8 November: Falling Walls Circle – Challenges and Foresight

Our format to connect science and society. Researchers, policymakers, and business leaders, and society discuss the biggest challenges we face and the foresight that scientific breakthroughs can offer.

9 November: Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year

On the anniversary of the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, the grand finale provides a stage for outstanding research presented in inspiring presentations. For the 14th time, “the brightest minds on the planet“ (BBC) will showcase their work.

Falling Walls Venture is a platform to showcase the entrepreneurial potential in science. We provide an exclusive stage for selected pioneering founders who have successfully turned science into business, creating entrepreneurial solutions for today’s most pressing challenges.

As a start-up, you get the chance to:

1. Grow your network with investors, VCs and business partners.
2. Extend your global reach and be spotlighted across our online platforms.
3. Get coached on pitching.
4. Win a trip to Berlin and pitch to a distinguished jury and selected audience on 7 November.
5. Become the Falling Walls Science Start-Up Breakthrough of the Year 2022.
6. Present your start-up in front of an audience of global leaders at the Falling Walls Breakthrough Day on 9 November.

Falling Walls Venture is a platform to showcase the entrepreneurial potential in science. We provide an exclusive stage for selected pioneering founders who have successfully turned science into business, creating entrepreneurial solutions for today’s most pressing challenges.

Why should you join Falling Walls Venture as a nominating institution?

1. Boost your spin-off and your institution’s entrepreneurship initiatives.
2. Amplify the reach and visibility for your institution or university.
3. Join our network of leaders from science, industry and politics, and meet entrepreneurs and innovators from across the world.
4. Get the chance to join the Falling Walls Science Summit 2022 in person.

• Falling Walls Venture is open to start-ups that are based on scientific research.
• Falling Walls Venture is open to all scientific disciplines (biotech, data & AI, cleantech, new materials, engineering, healthcare, food & agriculture, …).
• Each start-up must be endorsed by a nominating institution. This can be a university or a research institution.
• The company must be founded (incorporated) by the time you apply and cannot be older than 5 years (after 1 January 2017).
• If you have already participated in Falling Walls Venture as a presenter on stage, you cannot participate again.
• Start-ups should at least have a prototype/proof of concept and should already have received some funding.

1. NOMINATIONS. For Nominating Institutions: Nominate the selected start-up as the Science Start-up Breakthrough of the Year 2022 (Category 9: ‘Science Start-Ups’).

For Start-ups: Ask your university or research institution (i.e. VP Innovation, Director Technology Transfer, Head of university accelerator or a professor) to nominate your start-up as the Science Start-up Breakthrough of the Year 2021 (Category 9: ‘Science Start-Ups’).

2. APPLICATIONS. (For start-ups only:) After you have been nominated, you will receive further details on the necessary application materials. You will have two weeks to submit your application.

The application will consist of:

·       an application form you need to fill in (you can see a preview here)

·       your pitch deck (PDF)

·       your pitch video (check the requirements and recommendations here)

3. FINALISTS. The applications are reviewed and evaluated. Should you make it to the next round, you will be able to call yourself a Falling Walls Finalist and you will be announced as such on our website.

4. WINNERS. Our advisory board will screen the applications of all Finalists. The 25 most promising start-ups will be invited as Winners to Berlin to pitch their work to a distinguished jury and selected audience on 7 November.

5. SCIENCE START-UP BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR 2022. The jury will select the Science Start-Up Breakthrough of the Year from all Winners. They will present their start-up live on stage at the Falling Walls Breakthrough Day in front of global leaders on 9 November.

Falling Walls Venture is committed to supporting science based start-ups, i.e. young companies that are founded by researchers and based on new research insights.

The evaluation criteria are:

1. Level of innovation
2. Scope of impact
3. Commercial potential
4. Business planning and presentation skills

The participation at Falling Walls Venture is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Therefore, participation is allowed only once. By applying, the candidate confirms that she/he has never participated in Falling Walls Venture as a presenter on stage before.

Please contact the Falling Walls Venture Team in Berlin at venture@falling-walls.com.