On July 18, 2025, the Data Theatre at the University of Konstanz became a stage for visionary ideas:
Ten early-career researchers presented their innovative approaches to solving current societal challenges at the Falling Walls Lab Baden-Württemberg 2025 – concise, interdisciplinary, and inspiring.
The pitch format brings scientific excellence and societal relevance together on one stage:
In just three minutes, the participants presented their research ideas – ranging from sustainable energy production to innovations in diagnostics and breakthroughs in medical technology.
The awards went to:
🥇 Dr. Florian Meißner – Breaking the Wall of Heart Pump Implantation
🥈 Carina Kanitz – Breaking the Wall of Damage Free Microscopy
🥉 Dr. Oliva Saldanha – Breaking the Wall of Fragile and Inaccessible Diagnostics
💡 Audience Award: Mayank Kedia – Breaking the Wall of Sustainable Solar Energy
We congratulate all winners and participants! We are especially pleased that two of the finalists have a direct connection to the University of Stuttgart and the ENI ecosystem:
Mayank Kedia, a doctoral student at the Institute for Photovoltaics at the University of Stuttgart, impressed the audience with his contribution to sustainable solar energy.
Dr. Shahin Ghaziani, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hohenheim and alumnus of our RISE workshop series within the Elements4Founding project, was also among the finalists.
ENI was actively involved as a co-organizer – through the projects Elements4Founding (supported by Vector Stiftung) and QCLUB 2 (as part of the QSENS Cluster4Future, supported by the Federal Ministry of Education) – and supported the on-site jury session, among other things. Our goal: to create spaces where entrepreneurial thinking and scientific innovation can come together. The Falling Walls Lab exemplifies this mission: it makes visible how research can have a real impact.
The Lab was jointly organized by:
the University of Konstanz, the University of Stuttgart, Heidelberg University, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and HEiKA – the research alliance between KIT and Heidelberg University.
Outlook:
The next edition of the Falling Walls Lab Baden-Württemberg will take place in 2026 at Heidelberg University – we are already looking forward to the next wave of ideas, inspiration, and exchange.
