Falling Walls Foundation
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Falling Walls Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Falling Walls Foundation industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Falling Walls Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Falling Walls Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- Annual Report Downloads: While not a direct revenue stream, the foundation provides annual reports documenting activities, program outcomes, and partner engagement.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Science Summit tickets available for in-person and digital attendance |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Falling Walls Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Falling Walls Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Falling Walls Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Falling Walls Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
27 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and supporting.
- Volkswagen FoundationflagshipJoint partner in Women's Impact Award program (2025) supporting women scientists making significant contributions to research and gender equality.
- Elsevier FoundationflagshipJoint 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 ResearchcoreCore government supporter of the Falling Walls Foundation and its programs, providing institutional funding and policy alignment for science engagement activities.
- Government of BerlincoreHost city government providing support for the annual Science Summit and related Berlin-based science engagement activities.
- Robert Bosch StiftungcoreMajor 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 BerlincoreInstitutional partner providing venue and scientific expertise for science engagement activities.
- Hannover Re FoundationflagshipKey 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 FoundationmajorFeatured council partner supporting the Science Summit with presence in partner section and program activities.
- BASFmajorCorporate partner providing support for science engagement activities and summit programs.
- BayermajorCorporate partner and foundation supporter for science and innovation programs.
- CERNmajorFeatured partner with Director General Mark Thomson participating as keynote speaker at Science Summit 2026.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub NetworkmajorFeatured partner supporting the Science Summit and science engagement programs.
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)majorFeatured partner representing German research funding organization.
- European Research Council (ERC)majorFeatured partner with President Maria Leptin participating as moderator and speaker at summits.
- Fraunhofer-GesellschaftmajorFeatured partner representing German applied research organization.
- Helmholtz AssociationmajorFeatured partner with President Martin Keller participating as speaker and Circle member at summits.
- Max Planck SocietymajorFeatured partner with multiple researchers participating in summit programs and Shape the Future campaign.
- SiemensmajorCorporate partner supporting science and innovation engagement activities.
- Springer NaturemajorFeatured partner in science publishing and communication, with executive Alison Mitchell participating at summits.
- University of OxfordmajorFeatured academic partner with Chief Scientific Adviser Angela McLean and other researchers participating.
- Berlin University AlliancemajorConsortium of Berlin universities supporting the foundation's activities.
- Boehringer IngelheimmajorPharmaceutical company partner supporting science engagement.
- NovartismajorPharmaceutical company partner in science and innovation programs.
- Boston Consulting GroupmajorManagement consulting partner supporting strategic initiatives.
- Einstein Center for Neurosciences BerlinsupportingAcademic partner with coordinators Oliver Mai-Kolerus and Benedikt Salmen participating in programs.
- African Academy of SciencesmajorFeatured international partner with President Lise Korsten participating as keynote speaker.
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)majorFeatured international partner with President Stephen Toope participating as keynote speaker at Science Summit 2026.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Falling Walls Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
Falling Walls Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceFalling Walls Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Falling Walls Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Falling Walls Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Falling Walls Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Falling Walls Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Falling Walls Foundation
What does Falling Walls Foundation do?
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.
Is Falling Walls Foundation a public or private company?
Falling Walls Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Falling Walls Foundation founded?
Falling Walls Foundation was founded in 2009.
Where is Falling Walls Foundation based?
Falling Walls Foundation is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Falling Walls Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Science Summit Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are corporate and Institutional Sponsorship and annual Report Downloads.
Who are Falling Walls Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TED Conferences, Aspen Institute and The Royal Society. Direct peers are World Economic Forum, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), World Science Festival and Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. Emerging players are Science Gallery International and Salzburg Global Seminar. European Research Council is listed as an others.
Does Falling Walls Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Falling Walls Foundation.
What industry is Falling Walls Foundation in?
Falling Walls Foundation's product category is Science Events and Engagement. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPADAAAK, International Science, Technology & Space Cooperation Organizations. Its NAICS code is 541715 and its SIC code is 8731.