Calling Taiwan's Brightest: Unleash Breakthroughs at Falling Walls Lab Taipei 2025
Applicants are not limited by nationality; anyone currently based in Taiwan can apply.
Do you harbor groundbreaking ideas that can change the world? The German Institute Taipei will host the "Falling Walls Lab Taipei 2025" innovation challenge on August 28, 2025, at 1:30 PM, at Taipei 101. This event calls upon students and early-career professionals from all disciplines across Taiwan to challenge traditional "walls of knowledge" with their forward-thinking research and innovative concepts. This international grand event is not only a stage to showcase talent but also a golden opportunity to advance to the global finale in Berlin, Germany, and network with leading scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers worldwide.
Three-Minute Pitch Decides the Winner: A Global Stage Breaking Disciplinary Boundaries
Falling Walls Lab was founded in 2009 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, symbolizing "breaking down the walls" and encouraging breakthrough innovations across science, society, and even the arts. A unique aspect of this competition is its broad disciplinary inclusiveness, not limited to natural sciences; any new idea with the potential to change the world, be it in medicine, material science, food science, or even humanities and arts, is welcome to participate.
Participants will have three minutes to present their innovative ideas to a diverse jury. Evaluation criteria include the "originality and breakthrough character" of the idea, its "potential impact" (scientific, societal, or economic impact), and the "clarity and engaging way" of its presentation. It is particularly emphasized that participants must communicate the importance of their research in an engaging and easily understandable manner to a non-specialized audience. This is precisely the most valuable part of the competition—bringing science to the public.
Julian Goldmann, Head of Science and Technology at the German Institute Taipei, stated: "Our focus is global. Falling Walls Lab smartly pools resources to attract brilliant minds worldwide. It's a long-term investment in science and innovation, nurturing ideas from any background, regardless of immediate market potential. Empowering these talents ultimately strengthens the global scientific community." He further pointed out that the competition is conducted in English, aiming to cultivate participants' ability to effectively communicate research findings in an international environment, as the global finale in Berlin will also be presented in English.
The winner who wins the Falling Walls Lab Challenge in Taipei will represent Taiwan in the global finale in November, receiving airfare and accommodation subsidies to participate in Berlin, Germany, as well as an admission ticket to the internationally renowned science and innovation conference, the Falling Walls Science Summit, held from November 6 to November 9. This conference will host over 600 guests from 75 countries, with leading scientists sharing their current breakthrough research and demonstrating how these achievements break down walls in science and real society.
Last year's winner of the Taiwan preliminary competition was Chen Yi-Zih, a master's student in Data Science from the National Taiwan University's College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. She presented an innovative concept on "Breaking the Wall of Antibiotic Resistance" and stood out among 17 participants. She represented Taiwan at the global finale in Berlin last November in the Falling Walls Science Summit, interacting with top talents from the fields of science, business, and politics worldwide.
Generous Rewards: More Than Just Prizes, It's a Life-Changing Opportunity
While only one winner gets the chance to go to Berlin, Mr. Goldmann emphasizes that even for those who don't advance to the final, participating is a valuable learning experience. This encourages researchers to view their work from an external perspective and to articulate it precisely within a limited time, enhancing crucial presentation skills.
For the ultimate winner, in addition to attending the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin and presenting their ideas on a larger international stage to top experts from around the world, it is even more important to build networks with excellent talents from across the globe. Mr. Goldmann mentioned that these interactions have immense potential, even life-changing possibilities, such as finding future PhD supervisors or job opportunities.
Furthermore, this year's Taiwan winner will receive an additional benefit. The Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden) has generously offered to invite the awardee to Dresden for two days after the Berlin global finale to experience its scientific environment. Dresden is the city where the ESMC semiconductor fab is to be located. TU Dresden has an office in Taiwan, managing science relations between Taiwan and the German State of Saxony (Dresden is its capital), which will open up more future opportunities for young Taiwanese talents to pursue further studies or collaborations in Germany.
Who Can Participate?
Falling Walls Lab Taipei is open to students and early-career professionals from all academic disciplines. Applicants must meet one of the following criteria: their bachelor's degree must have been obtained no more than 10 years ago, their master's degree no more than 7 years ago, or their PhD no more than 5 years ago. Even if you are no longer at a university, are founding your own business, or have started working at a company, you can still apply as long as you meet these academic requirements. Most importantly, applicants are not limited by nationality; anyone currently based in Taiwan can apply.
Application Deadline: July 31, 2025
This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your innovative thinking and expand your international horizons. Don't let your groundbreaking ideas be stopped by "walls"! Act now and register for Falling Walls Lab Taipei 2025 to contribute your unique insights to the future of science and society.
For more information and to apply, please visit: