About Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand
Information about Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand, which is the national competition to select a winner to represent Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific Island Forum Nations at the Falling Walls Lab Global Finale in Berlin. Participating in Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand is an opportunity for students and early-career professionals to pitch their breakthrough idea.
Share your idea, win a trip to Berlin.
Great minds, 3 minutes, 1 day.
Rāapa Wednesday 11 September 2024 in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand is a challenging, inspiring and interdisciplinary pitch competition to showcase the next generation of students and early-career professionals.
In a 3-minute presentation, participants will present their research, business model or innovative idea, showcasing a breakthrough that creates a positive impact on science and society. All disciplines are welcome: from agriculture, medicine, economics, engineering to social science and the humanities. The event is inspired by the world-changing event of the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989, with the question: Which walls will fall next?
Network with fellow innovators from different disciplines, equally passionate and inspired to showcase their solutions to some of the biggest challenges of our time.
The most inspirational presentation will be selected to represent Aotearoa New Zealand and travel to the Falling Walls Lab Global Finale held in Berlin, Germany on 7 November, where they will compete to become the Breakthrough Winner of the Year in the Emerging Talents category of Falling Walls.
At the Berlin Lab, finalists from across the globe will receive the opportunity to pitch their innovative idea in front of a high-calibre jury and receive a ticket to take part in the prestigious Falling Walls Science Summit, where leaders from science, industry, and policy meet and discuss which walls will be the next to fall in science and society.
Berlin finalists are also invited to take part in an exclusive extended programme, which in the past have included a Springer Nature event on science publishing, an ‘Insights into German Research’ information session and science excursion, a networking dinner, and more.
Falling Walls Labs are organised by independent partners of Falling Walls Foundation and are held in locations across the globe with the winners from each Lab being invited to the Falling Walls Lab Global Finale, Berlin on the 7 November. The Falling Walls Lab Finale is run by the Falling Walls Foundation.
Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand is hosted by Royal Society Te Apārangi with support from the German Embassy in Wellington, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and EURAXESS Australia & New Zealand.
Current status
Applications for 2024 are now closed.
Closing Date: Rāmere Friday 31 Haratua May, Noon 12.00pm (NZST).
