Latest news with #FallingWallsLab
Daily Maverick
15-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Maverick
From Cape Town to Berlin — Innovators Called to Break Barriers at Falling Walls Lab 2025
Last year, in a packed arena in Berlin, 26-year-old Sekelo Shude stood before an international audience of scientists, researchers and innovators pitching an idea born in the informal settlements of Durban and shaped by the resourcefulness of his single mother. His project — 'Breaking the Wall of Plastic Pollution' — turns discarded plastic into paving bricks, collected from local landfills and informal recyclers. It's simple, effective, and profoundly impactful: reducing plastic waste, creating income opportunities, and producing sustainable materials for roads and pavements. Though Sekelo didn't win the top prize, his story — one of resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to community — resonated well beyond the Summit's walls. Now, a new call has gone out: Applications are open for the Falling Walls Lab Cape Town 2025, and South Africa's next generation of changemakers is being urged to step forward. Falling Walls Lab is not just a competition. It's a global platform that brings together the brightest young minds in science, entrepreneurship technology, and social innovation. Participants from more than 70 countries pitch ideas aimed at breaking down the 'walls' that hold society back — whether they be environmental, economic, political, or scientific. At its core, Falling Walls is about turning bold ideas into real-world impact — challenging the status quo, pushing the boundaries of knowledge, and imagining solutions to some of humanity's most pressing problems. Innovators are called to submit their application via an online portal on the Falling Walls website. Selected finalists are invited to Cape Town to present a three minute pitch of their world changing idea within any academic field of research. A winner with the best and most practical idea will earn the chance to represent Cape Town, present their pitch at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin, sharing the stage with some of the most talented young innovators in the world. Supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, the Cape Town Lab is part of a wider network of Labs held across Africa. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation has long championed ideas that strengthen democracy, inclusion, and economic opportunity. For the Foundation, platforms like Falling Walls are essential for empowering young Africans to lead from the front. South Africa is brimming with talent. But far too often, that talent lacks access to the spaces where ideas can be seen and scaled. Falling Walls Lab offers just such a space. Who Should Apply? The call is open to students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from all disciplines. Whether you're rethinking chemical solutions, healthcare delivery, working on food security, exploring AI for social good, or developing climate solutions — if your idea breaks a wall, this is your stage. Winners from local Labs, including Cape Town, will join a global cohort of innovators in Berlin in November 2025. More than just exposure, the experience offers mentorship, networking, and a springboard to real-world impact. Sekelo's journey from Durban to Berlin is proof that ideas born in the margins can move the world. His story is a reminder that breakthrough thinking doesn't always come from high-tech labs or billion-dollar start-ups — sometimes, it starts with a problem, a passion, and the courage to do things differently. If you've got an idea worth sharing, now is the time.
Muscat Daily
21-05-2025
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Registration open for Falling Walls Lab Oman 2025
Muscat – Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MoHERI) has announced the opening of registration for the Falling Walls Lab Oman 2025 being held in collaboration with Germany's Falling Walls Foundation. Registration is open till June 19. MoHERI described the Falling Walls Lab as a global platform dedicated to showcasing innovative ideas and research across a wide range of disciplines. The competition aims to connect researchers, academics, entrepreneurs, professionals and investors while promoting cultural and scientific exchange. Falling Walls Lab is open to individuals from all academic and professional backgrounds – bachelor's degree holders who graduated in the last ten years, master's degree holders who completed their studies in the past seven years, and PhD holders who earned their degrees in the last five years. Current undergraduate, master's and doctoral students are also encouraged to apply. All applications must be submitted in English. Participants are required to present their research protects, innovative ideas, social initiatives or entrepreneurial ventures in a concise three-minute presentation. A panel of judges comprising experts from academia, research institutions and the business sector, will assess presentations based on originality, impact and feasibility. The winner of the local lab will go on to represent Oman at the Falling Walls Lab global finals which will take place in Berlin from November 5 to 9, 2025.
Times of Oman
18-05-2025
- Science
- Times of Oman
Registration for Falling Walls Lab Oman 2025 to open on Monday
Muscat: The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation, in cooperation with Germany's Falling Walls Foundation, has announced the start of registration for the Falling Walls Lab Oman 2025, starting from on Monday (19 May until 19 June). The Falling Walls Lab is a global platform for presenting innovative ideas and research projects across various disciplines. It aims to build and strengthen connections between outstanding researchers, academics, entrepreneurs, professionals, and investors. The lab's concept involves organising an annual event and inviting passionate individuals from various world countries with an interest in science to share their cultures and experiences. Innovators and researchers from all fields are eligible to apply. The competition is open to bachelor's degree holders (graduated within the last 10 years), master's degree holders (graduated within the last 7 years), and PhD holders (graduated within the last 5 years). Current undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students may also register. Participation applications must be submitted exclusively in English. The winning participant will have the opportunity to represent Oman at the Falling Walls Lab global finals, scheduled for 5-9 November in Berlin, Germany. The competition requires participants to present a research project, innovative idea, social initiative, or entrepreneurial venture in a three-minute PowerPoint presentation, convincing a jury of experts from academia, research institutions, and the business sector of the idea's significance. This marks the tenth edition of Oman's participation in the competition. In the latest round, 62 ideas and projects were submitted, with 20 qualifying for the local finals. Three winners were selected to represent Oman in Berlin.
