Falling Walls Lab Leuven 2026

About Falling Walls Foundation - Falling Walls Lab Leuven 🏛️

Falling Walls Lab is an international academic pitch competition that showcases innovative ideas from young researchers, entrepreneurs, and professionals across various disciplines.

Benefits 🎁

• Coaching Sessions: Participate in two coaching sessions to learn how to present your work to a broad audience in an understandable and engaging way. These techniques can be applied to future communication about your research.
• Showcase Your Work: Present your research to friends, family, and colleagues in a fun and understandable manner.
• Lab Finale in Berlin:
  • The winner qualifies directly for the Lab Finale in Berlin as one of 100 international and interdisciplinary participants.
  • The three winners of the Berlin finale will receive a cash prize and the opportunity to present their talk on the grand stage of the Falling Walls Conference in front of 600 guests, including institutional leaders, decision-makers, and a worldwide audience via livestream.
• Travel and Accommodation: Travel costs from Belgium to Berlin are covered. Accommodation for the night of the finale is included (additional nights are not covered).
• Conference Ticket: The winner is awarded a ticket for the Falling Walls Conference, where prominent scientists present their breakthrough research in 15-minute talks. Ensure availability in November 2026.

Eligibility Criteria ✅

• Open to outstanding talents and innovative thinkers from all disciplines.
• Bachelor and Master students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and junior professors from Association KU Leuven and other institutions are invited to apply.
• Candidates must be available on the following dates:
  • Presentation training days: 25 February and 4 March 2026.
  • Event day: 11 March 2026.
  • Falling Walls Science Summit: 6-9 November 2026 (Lab Global Finale on 6 November 2026).
• KU Leuven will select up to 16 candidates to participate in the preliminary round on 11 March 2026.
• Important Note: If selected and you fail to attend the coaching sessions or participate in the contest, a no-show fee of €50 will be charged unless a doctor's certificate is provided.

Application Date and Process 📅

• Application Deadline: 17 February 2026.
• Visit the official application portal to apply.

Contact Information 📧

For further details, visit the Falling Walls Lab Leuven page.

Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria and mark your calendar for the important dates. Best of luck! 🚀

• During two coaching sessions, you will learn how to present your work to a broad audience in an understandable and fun way. You will be able to use these techniques in any further communication about your research.
• You can show your friends, family and colleagues what you actually have been doing or are going to do all these years of your research. And this in a fun and understandable way.
• The winner qualifies directly for the Lab Finale in Berlin as one of 100 international and interdisciplinary participants. The three winners of the finale in Berlin will receive a cash prize and will get the opportunity to give their talk on the grand stage of the Falling Walls Conference in front of 600 guests. Among them institution leaders and decision makers and a worldwide audience via livestream.
• Travel costs from Belgium to Berlin are covered. Accommodation for the night of the finale is included. Please note that additional nights are not covered.
• The winner is awarded a ticket for the international Falling Walls Conference where some of the world’s most prominent scientists from around the world present their current breakthrough research in 15 minutes each. Make sure you can be available the beginning of November 2026.