Falling Walls Lab Baden-Württemberg
On July 22, 2026 Heidelberg University will host 13 brilliant early‑career scientists and professionals. In just three minutes each will pitch a socially relevant, forward‑looking concept – from cutting‑edge research to innovative initiatives. Be there when the top pitch earns a spot in the Grand Finale on November 6 in Berlin and the chance to present on the world stage at the Falling Walls Science Summit.
Key Information on the event
- Date: July 22, 2026
- Time: 4:00–9:00 p. m.
- Venue: Marsilius Kolleg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.1, 69120 Heidelberg
- Public Event
- Language: English
- Free Registration
Program
3:30 p.m. – Arrival & Networking
4:00 p.m. – Welcome and Introduction
4:25 p.m. – Breakthrough Pitches
6:00 p.m. – “NERDS at work - LIVE PODCAST SHOW” with Christian Scharun & Jens Foell
7:00 p.m. – Award Ceremony
7:15 p.m. – Reception & Networking
Topics and presenters
Breaking the Wall of Green Ammonia Production Stability: Amin Soleimani Mehr, University of Stuttgart
Breaking the Wall of Metabolism: Chiara Bernardini, University of Stuttgart
Breaking the Wall of Quantum Computing: Rasmus Bankwitz, Heidelberg University
Breaking the Wall between Money and the Future: Mahyar Abbasi, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Breaking the Wall of AI's Bandwidth Bottleneck: Ravi Pradip, Heidelberg University
Breaking the Wall of Glioblastoma Recurrence: Mina Atabakhsh, Heidelberg University
Breaking the Wall of Walking Robots: Dr. Maximilian Raff, University of Stuttgart
Breaking the Wall of Nuclear Reactor Monitoring: Susanna Wakely, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Breaking the Wall of Plastic Pollution in Rivers: Dr. Daniel Rebai, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Breaking the Wall of Concrete Construction Emissions: Dr. Daria Kovaleva, University of Stuttgart
Breaking the Wall of AI in Civic Deliberatio: Katrin Sauter, University of Konstanz
Breaking the Wall of Quantum Genetics and Life: Dr. Mirko Rossini, Ulm University
Breaking the Wall of Vegan Steak Structures: Laurids Pernice, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
The jury
Ira Stoll (Chair of the jury), myScribe GmbH, medical doctor, founder and myScribe CEO
Max Riedel, ZEISS Corporate Research & Technology, Head of Innovation Management.
Belina von Krosigk, Heidelberg University, Professor of Experimental Physics, specializing in particle physics and direct search for dark matter.
Gerhard Satzger, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Professor of Digital Service Innovation, specializing in Data-Based Business Models and Service Analytics / AI in Service Systems.
Andreas J. Gruber, University of Konstanz, TT Professor of Applied Bioinformatics, developing and applying data science approaches to understand health and diseas.
Eric Heintze NXTGN GmbH, PhD in Physics and Senior Technology Expert
Special Guests
NERDS at work - LIVE PODCAST SHOW with Christian Scharun and Jens Foell
"MAITHINK X scientist Dr. Jens Foell and science slammer Dr. Christian Scharun invite you to the nerdiest office in the world. What the psychologist and the climate researcher usually discuss every Friday on their podcast, these full-time nerds are presenting live on stage today. As usual, there will be hard-hitting scientific facts, combined with a healthy dose of humor. Except this time, the audience won’t just be listening—they’ll be actively involved in the science fun. The result is a unique live podcast show for science enthusiasts and anyone who wants to become one."
Testimonials
“The Falling Walls Lab experience reinforced my confidence in HeartGate through inspiring peer exchange, shared enthusiasm, and international networking across science and entrepreneurship.”
- Florian Meißner, winner at Falling Walls Lab Baden-Württemberg 2025 in Konstanz
“I was fascinated by how different problems are all around the world, but that the passion and motivation to solve those problems and improve the world we all live in unites all participants.”
- Carina Kanitz, Second place winner at Falling Walls Lab Baden-Württemberg 2025 in Konstanz
Falling Falls Lab
Tabelle
Falling Walls Lab is a global pitch competition that brings together students, early-career researchers and innovators from all disciplines to present their breakthrough ideas in just three-minutes on stage. It offers a unique platform to present groundbreaking research, business models, and innovative ideas from all fields in a fast-paced format with a global reach.
Falling Walls Lab is organised by the Falling Walls Foundation and supported by the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).Falling Walls Lab is organised by the Falling Walls Foundation and supported by the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).
About the Falling Walls Foundation
The Falling Walls Foundation is a non-profit organisation in Berlin, dedicated to supporting science and the humanities. It is a unique international platform for leaders from the worlds of science, business and politics, the arts, and society. Falling Walls fosters discussion on research and innovation, and promotes the latest scientific findings among a broad audience from all parts of society.
About the organizers
Falling Walls Lab Baden-Württemberg is organized by Heidelberg University, together with the Heidelberg Karlsruhe Strategic Partnership (HEiKA), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Konstanz, and the University of Stuttgart.