idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
02 February 2026
The Falling Walls Foundation invites scientists and research-driven initiatives worldwide to submit their groundbreaking projects.
The most outstanding submissions will be honoured as Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2026 across eight categories.
Internationally renowned expert juries will select the shortlisted candidates and winners.
The laureates will present their work to a global audience at the Falling Walls Science Summit on 9 November 2026 in Berlin.
Submissions are open until 15 April 2026 via https://falling-walls.com/global-call.
Berlin, Germany, 02 February 2026 – The Falling Walls Foundation today announces the launch of the Global Call for the Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2026. From now on, scientists, academics, research institutions, universities, start-ups and non-governmental organisations from around the world are invited to submit their pioneering research projects or nominate outstanding initiatives across the following eight categories:
Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Engineering & Technology
Social Sciences & Humanities
Art & Science
Women’s Impact Award (Female Science Talents)
Science Start-Ups (Falling Walls Venture)
Science Engagement (Falling Walls Engage)
The submission deadline is 15 April 2026 via
https://falling-walls.com/global-call.
BREAKTHROUGHS ON STAGE: PRESENTING SCIENCE TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE
The 18th Falling Walls Science Summit will take place from 6–9 November 2026 in Berlin, bringing together leading minds from science, business, politics, media and civil society to celebrate the most impactful scientific advancements worldwide.
On 9 November 2026, the laureates in the categories Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering & Technology, Social Sciences & Humanities, Art & Science, as well as the winner of the Women’s Impact Award, will present their breakthroughs on the Falling Walls Grand Stage.
Shortlisted candidates in the Emerging Talents, Science Start-Ups and Science Engagement categories will showcase their projects on 6 November 2026. The winners will be awarded the prestigious title Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year 2026.
The selection of finalists and awardees is carried out by internationally recognised expert juries, ensuring scientific excellence, relevance and impact.
Laureates from previous years include:
Lu Fang, Tsinghua University, Breaking the Wall of High-Power AI Needs (Engineering & Technology 2025).
Ângela Gonçalves, German Cancer Research Center, Breaking the Wall of Healthy Aging in Women (Women’s Impact Award 2025).
Melina Schuh, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Breaking the Wall of Invisible Ovulation (Life Sciences 2025).
Rafael Prieto-Curiel, Complexity Science Hub, Breaking the Wall of Drug Cartel Analysis (Social Sciences & Humanities 2024).
Apple Pui Yi Chui, Breaking the Wall to Engage Schools in Coral Restoration (Science Engagement 2024).
Reyedar, developing a patient-friendly medical device for the early detection of degenerative eye and brain diseases (Science Start-Up 2023).
Elaine Chew, King’s College London, Breaking the Wall of Musical Medicine (Art & Science 2023).
Falling Walls Launches Global Call for Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2026
Criteria of this press release:
Journalists
interdisciplinary
transregional, national
Contests / awards, Scientific conferences
English
You can combine search terms with and, or and/or not, e.g. Philo not logy.
You can use brackets to separate combinations from each other, e.g. (Philo not logy) or (Psycho and logy).
Coherent groups of words will be located as complete phrases if you put them into quotation marks, e.g. “Federal Republic of Germany”.
You can also use the advanced search without entering search terms. It will then follow the criteria you have selected (e.g. country or subject area).
If you have not selected any criteria in a given category, the entire category will be searched (e.g. all subject areas or all countries).
