GREAT MINDS, 3 MINUTES, 1 DAY
What is the Lab?
The Falling Walls Lab is a challenging, inspiring and interdisciplinary format for outstanding talents. It offers the opportunity to excellent academics and professionals to present their innovative ideas, research projects and social initiatives.
Each participant is asked to present his/her work in 3 minutes.
All disciplines are welcome: from agriculture, medicine, economics, engineering to the humanities.
A prestigious jury from science and business awards the best participants.
Falling Walls Lab Slovakia (FWLS)
In 2017 Falling Walls Lab came to Slovakia for the very first time, and successfully established its position among stakeholders from the field of research and innovation coming from academia and business. The second edition in 2018 reached even broader audience and received higher recognition, ensuring Slovak innovators two places in the world Falling Walls Lab Finale. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Falling Walls Lab Slovakia, as well as the international Falling Walls Conference, had to switch to online format in 2020 and 2021. Despite its restrictions, it proved to be viable and attracted outstanding young innovators from entire Slovakia, who again contributed to an exceptional event. Since 2022, we were so glad to see the next generation of early-career innovators, trailblazers, creators, and visionaries presenting their ground-breaking ideas and projects in person again, and in 2024, this wonderful format continues.
The FWLS 2024 will take place on September 26th, 2024. The event will be held in cooperation with the European Researchers’ Night in Slovakia. The participants again have a chance to present their research, business model, or initiative to peers, a high-calibre jury, and the general public. The breakthrough factor and potential impact of the presented work help determine the winner, who qualifies for the global Finale in Berlin in November and wins a ticket to attend the Falling Walls Conference, where they get to interact with the world’s movers and shakers of science, business, and policy-making. At the Finale, up to 100 Finalists compete to become the Breakthrough Winner in the Emerging Talents category of Falling Walls, taking home the title and prize money, and receiving the opportunity to pitch their idea once again on the grand stage of the Falling Walls Conference.
FWLS Team
President of the Falling Walls Lab Slovakia
prof. RNDr. Peter Moczo, DrSc.
Comenius University Bratislava
Jury Chairman, Falling Walls Lab Slovakia
prof. RNDr. Vladimír Bužek, DrSc.
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Project Manager, Falling Walls Lab Slovakia
doc. PhDr. Marian Holienka, PhD.
Comenius University Bratislava
Who can apply?
Bachelor and Master students, PhD candidates, postdocs, early–career professionals and entrepreneurs from all disciplines are invited to apply. Applicants must fulfil at least one of the following formal requirements:
- they must be currently enrolled in university and/or are currently a postdoc, or
- they received a Bachelor’s degree no more than 10 years ago, or
- they received a Master’s degree no more than 7 years ago,or
- they received a PhD no more than 5 years ago.
The eligibility criteria are binding for all international Labs.
Why you should be part of it
Being part of the Falling Walls Lab will inspire you and provide you with insights by other participants, decision makers of enterprises leading in innovation and distinguished representatives of scientific institutions. The winner of each international Lab qualifies for the global Finale in Berlin and wins a ticket to attend the Falling Walls Conference, where they get to interact with the world’s movers and shakers of science, business, and policymaking.
The Falling Walls Lab
- supports interdisciplinary dialogue and international cooperation.
- connects aspiring innovators and senior researchers.
- develops new and sustainable ways of scientific communication.