Falling Walls Foundation

What Falling Walls Foundation does

Falling Walls Foundation gGmbH is a Berlin-based non-profit organization founded in 2009 that operates an international science engagement platform anchored by its annual Falling Walls Science Summit, held each November (6-9 November for the 2026 edition) in Berlin. The foundation convenes global science leaders, policymakers, and business executives to debate which are the "next walls to fall" in science and society, with the 2026 programme featuring 80+ sessions across topics including AI and robotics, climate and biodiversity, science diplomacy, medical research, defence and security, transatlantic cooperation, and global research networks with Africa. The flagship summit is supported by a portfolio of complementary programs: Falling Walls Lab (pitch competition for early-career researchers), Falling Walls Venture (startup showcase), Falling Walls Engage (science engagement projects), Falling Walls Circle (closed-door discussion forum for decision-makers), and Female Science Talents (women-in-science program). Sub-brands include Berlin Science Week, the Creative Bureaucracy Festival, and Young Entrepreneurs in Science, while the Science Breakthroughs of the Year award program runs annually and received over 1,000 applications in 2023.

The foundation does not operate proprietary technology; its technology stack is composed of third-party event and digital tools including Pretix and Eventbrite for ticketing, Typeform for contact forms, YouTube Player for video distribution, Personio for HR, and Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel, and LinkedIn Insight Tag for digital marketing. The business model is multi-stream: (1) ticket sales for in-person and digital access to the summit, (2) corporate and institutional sponsorship from a roster that includes the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Government of Berlin, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Hannover Re Foundation, Elsevier Foundation, Volkswagen Foundation, BASF, Bayer, Siemens, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Boston Consulting Group, and (3) grant and partnership funding. Reach metrics include 1,300 in-person summit guests and 15,000+ digital event visits from 149 countries (2023), 100+ participating academic institutions in Berlin Science Week, and 400+ speakers at the Creative Bureaucracy Festival. Leadership comprises Dr. Andreas Kosmider as Managing Director and Professor Jürgen Mlynek as Chairman of the Board. The organization is structured as a German gGmbH (non-profit limited liability company), is independently governed, and does not have a parent company or publicly disclosed financials.

Name

Falling Walls Foundation

Legal name

Falling Walls Foundation gGmbH

Website

https://falling-walls.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Falling Walls Foundation is a Berlin-based non-profit gGmbH founded in 2009 that runs the annual Falling Walls Science Summit and a portfolio of science engagement programs (Lab, Venture, Engage, Circle, Female Science Talents, Berlin Science Week, Creative Bureaucracy Festival), convening global science, policy, and business leaders to debate scientific breakthroughs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Events and Engagement

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Science, Technology & Space Cooperation Organizations (BPADAAAK)

Keywords

• Science summit events
• Science engagement programs
• Academic conferences
• Breakthrough research awards
• Science entrepreneurship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Science Summit Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from selling tickets to the annual Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin (held November 6-9) and associated events. The summit offers both in-person and online/hybrid attendance options.
2. Corporate and Institutional Sponsorship: Partnerships with corporations, foundations, and government bodies who sponsor the various programs including the Science Summit, Lab, Venture, Engage, Circle, and Female Science Talents activities.
3. Annual Report Downloads: While not a direct revenue stream, the foundation provides annual reports documenting activities, program outcomes, and partner engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Falling Walls Foundation organizes the annual Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin (November 6-9) and a portfolio of science engagement programs including Falling Walls Lab (pitch competition), Falling Walls Venture (startup showcase), Falling Walls Engage, Falling Walls Circle, and Female Science Talents. The foundation also runs the Science Breakthroughs of the Year awards, Berlin Science Week, the Creative Bureaucracy Festival, and Young Entrepreneurs in Science.

Product overview

The Falling Walls Foundation operates a platform of science engagement programs centered around its annual Science Summit in Berlin (November 6-9). The core portfolio includes Falling Walls Lab (pitch competition), Falling Walls Venture (startup showcase), Falling Walls Engage (science engagement), Falling Walls Circle (discussion forum), and Female Science Talents (women's leadership program). Related initiatives include Berlin Science Week, Young Entrepreneurs in Science, Creative Bureaucracy Festival, and the Science Breakthroughs of the Year awards. These interconnected programs form a holistic approach to international science dialogue, startup support, and public engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Falling Walls Science Summit Annual four-day international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral forum held in Berlin (November 6-9) for global science leaders, featuring 80+ sessions and panels covering AI and robotics, climate and biodiversity, medical research, science diplomacy, and defense and security.
• Falling Walls Lab

Quantifiable outcome

• 80+ sessions and panels featuring leading scientists and policymakers at annual summit
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and supporting.

• Volkswagen FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2025Joint partner in Women's Impact Award program (2025) supporting women scientists making significant contributions to research and gender equality.
• Elsevier FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2023Joint partner in Women Breakthrough Award program recognizing female scientists. Elsevier Foundation contributes over $1.5 million annually to nonprofit partnerships supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• German Federal Ministry of Education and ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore government supporter of the Falling Walls Foundation and its programs, providing institutional funding and policy alignment for science engagement activities.
• Government of BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost city government providing support for the annual Science Summit and related Berlin-based science engagement activities.
• Robert Bosch StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor foundation partner supporting the foundation's mission and programs, with Henry Alt-Haaker serving as senior vice president heading Strategic Partnerships and Robert Bosch Academy.
• Museum für Naturkunde BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner providing venue and scientific expertise for science engagement activities.
• Hannover Re FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in sustainability initiatives including the Summer School on Water Security (2023) and ongoing collaboration on climate adaptation projects. First focus project in Hannover Re Foundation's sustainability track.
• Alexander von Humboldt FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured council partner supporting the Science Summit with presence in partner section and program activities.
• BASFmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing support for science engagement activities and summit programs.
• BayermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner and foundation supporter for science and innovation programs.
• CERNmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner with Director General Mark Thomson participating as keynote speaker at Science Summit 2026.
• Chan Zuckerberg Biohub NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner supporting the Science Summit and science engagement programs.
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner representing German research funding organization.
• European Research Council (ERC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner with President Maria Leptin participating as moderator and speaker at summits.
• Fraunhofer-GesellschaftmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner representing German applied research organization.
• Helmholtz AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner with President Martin Keller participating as speaker and Circle member at summits.
• Max Planck SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner with multiple researchers participating in summit programs and Shape the Future campaign.
• SiemensmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting science and innovation engagement activities.
• Springer NaturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner in science publishing and communication, with executive Alison Mitchell participating at summits.
• University of OxfordmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured academic partner with Chief Scientific Adviser Angela McLean and other researchers participating.
• Berlin University AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of Berlin universities supporting the foundation's activities.
• Boehringer IngelheimmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharmaceutical company partner supporting science engagement.
• NovartismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharmaceutical company partner in science and innovation programs.
• Boston Consulting GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManagement consulting partner supporting strategic initiatives.
• Einstein Center for Neurosciences BerlinsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with coordinators Oliver Mai-Kolerus and Benedikt Salmen participating in programs.
• African Academy of SciencesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured international partner with President Lise Korsten participating as keynote speaker.
• Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured international partner with President Stephen Toope participating as keynote speaker at Science Summit 2026.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• TED Conferences: Runs globally recognized interdisciplinary idea-conferences and a powerful digital content platform; broader than Falling Walls in topic scope but a clear functional analog for high-profile speaker-driven convening and content distribution.
• Aspen Institute: Convenes leaders from policy, business, and science through programs, seminars, and events — comparable in its interdisciplinary convening model, though focused more on US policy and society than on European/global science leadership.
• The Royal Society: The world's oldest scientific institution hosts lectures, events, awards, and fellowship programs that overlap with Falling Walls' engagement, awards, and convening activities — though from a permanent-membership institutional base rather than an event-platform model.

Direct peers

• World Economic Forum: Organizes the high-profile annual Davos convening that brings together global leaders from science, business, and government — the same multi-stakeholder model Falling Walls applies at the Science Summit, just at a larger scale and broader topical scope.
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): Operates the AAAS Annual Meeting and publishes Science, serving the same global scientific community that Falling Walls targets through its summit, awards, and engagement programs.
• World Science Festival: Founded by Brian Greene, this festival convenes leading scientists and broad public audiences for science communication events — directly comparable in mission, format, and target audience to the Falling Walls Science Summit.
• Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings: Annual international meetings that bring Nobel laureates together with young scientists for dialogue and mentorship — closely mirrors Falling Walls' model of convening top scientists with emerging talent and high-level speakers.

Emerging players

• Science Gallery International: Runs science engagement programs aimed at younger audiences through exhibitions and events — overlaps with Falling Walls Engage and Female Science Talents in mission to broaden public science engagement, but at a smaller, more youth-focused scale.
• Salzburg Global Seminar: Convening organization that brings together cross-border leaders across sectors on global challenges — a smaller-scale analog to Falling Walls' interdisciplinary, intersectoral convening model with a more academic-program orientation.

Others

• European Research Council: Funds and convenes frontier researchers across Europe; partners with Falling Walls (President Maria Leptin is a featured speaker) and shares the same audience of top European scientists, though as a funder rather than an event organizer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/FallingWallsFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/fallingwalls
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/falling-walls-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/falling_walls

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Falling Walls Foundation