INL researchers Marisol Dias and Carlos Honrado selected for Falling Walls Lab Global Finale

Two researchers from INL have been selected to attend the prestigious global finale of the Falling Walls Lab competition in Berlin on November 7. From a total of 2,500 semi-finalists, Carlos Honrado and Marisol Dias are among the 100 finalists selected for the Global Finale. They succeeded from a competitive field of applicants in Europe, emerging as winners in international semi-finals in Berlin, Germany, and Wroclaw, Poland, respectively.

After promoting its own 3-Minute Thesis competition at the INL Research Symposium, INL encouraged its early-career researchers to take part in the Falling Walls Lab contest. This initiative provided a trigger for participants to practice delivering impactful, concise presentations and gain recognition for their research efforts on an international scale.

Falling Walls Lab is an acclaimed interdisciplinary pitch competition designed for students and early-career professionals, offering them a unique opportunity to showcase breakthrough ideas in just 3 minutes. Participants are challenged to present innovative solutions to some of today’s most pressing global issues, judged by an expert jury based on creativity, potential impact, and presentation quality.

Throughout the year, renowned academic institutions worldwide host local Falling Walls Labs, spotlighting regional talent and pioneering ideas. INL saw remarkable success in this year’s Falling Walls Lab competitions, with 6 researchers – Carlos Honrado, Diego Garzón, Alexandra Alves, Tiago Moura, Bernardo Nogueira and Marisol Dias – qualifying to attend the semi-finals in 5 European countries: Germany, Switzerland, Czechia, Poland, and Albania.

Carlos Honrado pitch secured a win in Berlin’s semi-final round, while Marisol Dias impressed judges at the Wroclaw event, securing her spot in the global finale. Both will now join an elite group of international Lab winners from diverse fields, where they will have the opportunity to network and engage with top leaders in science, policy, and business at the Falling Walls Science Summit.

The Falling Walls Lab global finale will take place on Thursday, November 7, bringing together some of the world’s most promising young innovators for a celebration of breakthrough ideas.

Text by Catarina Moura
Photography © Falling Walls Foundation, BAM – Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, and Falling Walls Lab Wroclaw