the Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year Science Start-Ups NOmination & Application process

Do you run a science start-up? Grow your global reach and visibility, while expanding your network with investors, institutions and strategic partners. Learn how to join our start-up competition and showcase your start-up at Falling Walls Venture.

Do you represent an institution and would like to nominate a start-up? Check if the start-up is eligible to participate in the Falling Walls Science Start-Ups competition, and nominate the start-up.

The Falling Walls Global Call 2023 is now closed. Thanks to everyone who nominated!

Find out below who the Falling Walls Venture Winners are 
For information about next year’s Global Call, contact us at venture@falling-walls.com.

WINNERS 2023

Meet our SCIENCE START-UP Winners

 

AIGNOSTICS – GERMANY
Aignostics offers AI-Powered precision diagnostics for precision medicine aiming to radically improve the treatment of patients with serious diseases using AI-powered tissue-based diagnostics.

ENHANC3D GENOMICS – UK
Enhanc3D Genomics is paving the way to a new era for data-driven therapeutic development by harnessing the power of 3D genomics and integrating multi-OMIC data collected from human samples.

GEMESYS – GERMANY
GEMESYS strives to overcome current bottlenecks in information technology by providing next-generation AI hardware, an analog chip design based on the information processing mechanism of the human brain.

ION-X – FRANCE
By providing the most efficient propulsion system available for small satellites, ION-X aims to expand the range of possible missions in low earth orbit and allow its customers to maximize the lifetime and value delivered of their on-orbit assets.

KELPI – UK
Kelpi is developing alternative packaging solutions from seaweed to replace fossil-based plastics with the aim to reduce plastic pollution and create a more sustainable world.

KITE MAGNETICS – AUSTRALIA
Kite Magnetics develops smaller, lighter, and more efficient electric motors for sustainable aviation, using a unique material called Aeroperm™ and producing motors that allow electric aircraft to fly longer distances and carry more.

LUMINESCENT – ISRAEL
Luminescent Power is developing a liquid-based isothermal engine that is a potential game-changer for waste heat to zero-emission electricity, geothermal energy, long-duration renewable storage, and gas turbine conversion.

MACROCARBON – SPAIN
To help defossilise the chemical industry, MacroCarbon is developing the world’s first vertically integrated supply chain, from aquafarming Sargassum seaweed to producing bio-feedstocks for the chemical industry.

MANA.BIO – ISRAEL
Mana.bio aims to unlock RNA therapy by developing a novel AI-based RNA delivery platform. By utilizing high throughput screening and AI, Mana created a highly efficient, ex-liver cell-specific non-viral RNA delivery solution.

NOMAD ATOMICS – AUSTRALIA
Nomad Atomics develops and deploys next-generation quantum sensors to solve the most challenging sensing problems in some of the world’s largest industries such as resources, energy, defense, and space.

ONCOLIQ – ARGENTINA
Oncoliq is developing a highly sensitive, non-toxic, non-invasive, and low-cost test to detect up to 50 cancer types with one blood draw combining molecular biology strategies with machine learning.

PROIJNI AGCHEM – ISRAEL
Projini pioneers the use of AI discovery for novel sustainable crop protection inputs. AI discovery will disrupt the $60B industry, and by new modes of action of protein interactions, Projini aims to solve crop resistance to pesticides.

PROXIMA FUSION – GERMANY
Proxima Fusion is developing fusion power plants based on the stellarator concept combining advances in stellarator optimization, computational design and superconductivity with the expertise behind the W7-X stellarator at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics.

QUNASYS – JAPAN
QunaSys’ goal is to boost quantum computing user adoption through joint research projects and easy-to-use software tools that transform chemical properties into quantum algorithms.

REVERION – GERMANY
Reverion produces highly efficient reversible power plants, that can generate both carbon-negative electricity and gases (green H2 or CH4) as energy storage.

REYEDAR – NETHERLANDS
Leveraging eye-tracking technology and AI, Reyedar is developing a patient-friendly medical device for the early detection of several degenerative diseases involving eyes and brain.

SMARTBAX – GERMANY
smartbax develops new antibiotics to fight multi-drug resistant bacteria focusing on the activation of enzymatic processes instead of classical inhibition.

SONOCRETE – GERMANY
Sonocrete has developed an ultrasound technology enabling strongly increased early compressive strengths and reducing the carbon emission of concrete production by 30%.

SPECTO PHOTONICS – ITALY
Specto Photonics develops and commercializes miniaturized Brillouin spectrometers integrated on a small photonics chip. These devices can measure fundamental mechanical properties in a non-invasive and label-free manner.

TABBY THERAPEUTICS – ISRAEL
Tabby Therapeutics engineers B cells as evolving drugs and focuses on the broader applications of B cell technology in therapeutics and drug discovery.

TAMAR ROBOTICS – ISRAEL
Tamar Robotics is developing the first endoscopic robotic system focusing on small cavity surgery, such as neurosurgery, aiming to bring clinical and economic value in procedures such as pituitary, intraventricular, and skull-base tumor removal, as well as the removal of gliomas, intracerebral hemorrhage, and other brain mass.

THERMULON – UK
Thermulon is developing novel processes to produce aerogels (the most insulating materials in existence) 5 times cheaper at scale making them affordable for mass adoption in sectors like construction and EV batteries.

VILJE BIONICS – NORWAY
Vilje Bonics is developing the world’s first mobile and motorized whole-arm exoskeleton “ABELarm” for people with motor arm impairment using sensors, software, and actuators to augment weak user-initiated arm movement and enable independent execution of two-handed activities.

VOXCELL BIOINNOVATION – CANADA
Using high-resolution 3D bioprinting technology VoxCell is creating human-like vascularized tissue models which act as a screening platform to identify unviable drug candidates earlier in the drug development process.

YNNO MED – HONG KONG
Ynno Med focuses on the discovery and development of first-in-class antimicrobial drugs using our in-house developed AI-assisted technology, striving to combat the ever-present situation of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for innovative start-ups that have translated breakthrough scientific thinking into promising business models.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Falling Walls Venture is open to start-ups that are based on scientific research.
  • Falling Walls Venture is open to all scientific disciplines (e.g. 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,a research institution, or another type of organization, like an accelerator or incubator.
  • The company must be founded (incorporated) by the time you apply and cannot be older than 5 years.
  • Start-ups and start-up representatives who have already participated in the Falling Walls Venture Pitches in Berlin are not eligible to participate again.
  • Start-ups should already have a prototype/proof of concept and primary funding.

 

WHY PARTICIPATE? 

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

  • Win a trip to Berlin and participate in the Falling Walls Science Summit from 7 to 9 November.
  • Pitch your work to a distinguished jury, global leaders and a selected audience during the Falling Walls Venture Pitches on 7 November.
  • Become the “Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year” in the category Science Start-Ups.
  • Present your work in front of an audience of global leaders at the Falling Walls Breakthrough Day on 9 November.
  • Expand your network with investors and business partners.
  • Extend your global reach and be spotlighted across our online platforms.
  • Get coached on pitching.

 

WHY NOMINATE A START-UP?

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

 

Falling Walls Venture 2022 Winners

HOW DOES THE NOMINATION, APPLICATION AND EVALUATION PROCESS WORK?

1. NOMINATIONS. For nominating institutions: nominate one or more start-ups as the Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year Science Start-Ups (Category: ‘Science Start-Ups’).

For start-ups: ask your university, research institution, or another organization, like an accelerator or incubator, to nominate your start-up as the Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year Science Start-Ups (Category : ‘Science Start-Ups’).

 

2. APPLICATIONS. For start-ups only: after you have been nominated, you will receive further details on the necessary application materials. 

The application will consist of:

  •       an application form (see a preview here)
  •       your pitch deck (as a separate PDF file)
  •       your pitch video (see requirements and recommendations here)

 

3. FINALISTS. All applications will be reviewed and evaluated. Should you make it to the next round, you will qualify as a Falling Walls Finalist. Finalists will be announced in the middle of July.

 

4. WINNERS. Our Advisory Board will screen the applications of all Finalists and select the 25 most promising start-ups, which will become Falling Walls Venture Winners. Divided into three Clusters according to their industry sector, they will be invited to the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin, where they will pitch their work to a distinguished Jury and selected audience on 7 November. Winners will be announced in the middle of August.

 

5. FALLING WALLS SCIENCE BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR SCIENCE START-UPS. After the live pitches, the Jury will select one Cluster Winner for each Cluster and, among them, one “Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year Science Start-Ups”.  The selected start-up will present again on the big stage of the Falling Walls Breakthrough Day on 9 November, alongside other “Science Breakthrough of the Year” laureates.

 

The evaluation criteria are:

  • Level of innovation
  • Scope of impact
  • Commercial potential
  • Business planning and presentation skills

Falling Walls Venture Timeline

QUESTIONS?

Check the FAQ and feel free to get in touch at venture@falling-walls.com for any further questions.

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