DAAD in Nepal
Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu, Nepal 2026 concluded successfully!
The Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu, Nepal, concluded successfully on Fri, 8 May 2026 at Kathmandu University.
And the winners were:
The winner of the Lab 2026: Rojina Tandukar, Kathmandu University,
Breaking the Wall of Postpartum Protein Deficiency
Winner 2: Shrisha Pandey, Saraswati Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University
Breaking the Wall of Invisible Pollution
Winner 3: Rikrita Sainju, Kathmandu University
Breaking the Wall of Inaccessible Gait Diagnostics
Audience Choice: Dr. Prakriti Dhakal, Nepal Sanskrit University
Breaking the Wall of Chemical-based Sun-Protection
Rojina Tandukar will go to the Falling Walls Lab finale 2026, Berlin, and will pitch her idea there!
The members of the jury were:
- Arthur Rapp, Jury Chair and Director, DAAD Regional Office New Delhi
- Udo Eugen Volz, Ambassador of Germany to the Republic of Nepal
- Dr Babita Paudel, Founder & Head, Center for Natural and Applied Sciences
- Prof. Brijesh Adhikary, Act Director, Directorate of Research Development and Innovation (RDI), Kathmandu University
- Rupesh Shrestha, Architect and Vice-President, Nepal German Academic Association (NEGAAS)
All the finalists had received pitch-training from Dr Bhaskar Das, Manager-Bioincubator, KIIT-Technology Business Incubator, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
DAAD and Kathmandu University thank all the contestants, members of the jury, and all the members of the audience!
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The finalists in 2026 are (in alphabetical order):
- Aayushma Katuwal, Kathmandu
Breaking the Wall of Legal Intelligence with AI - Avas Man Maskey, Kathmandu
Breaking the Toxins: Probiotics That Eat Poison and Save Lives - Bidhya Maharjan, Kathmandu
Affordable Sustainable Hydrogel for Accessible Bone Regeneration - Dr Prakriti Dhakal, Lalitpur
Sunscreen Incorporation with Tradition- Nature Based Solution - Puskar Panta, Nepal
Sugandhika: Breaking the Wall of Chemical Mosquito Control - Rabin Khadka, Lalitpur
Breaking the Wall of Carbon-Heavy Buildings Using Plastic Waste - Rabina Dhakal. Madhyapur Thimi
Invasion to Conservation: Restoring Chitwan’s Wetlands - Rikrita Sainju, Bhaktapur
Multi-purpose Smart Insole for Gait and Generic Mobility Analysis - Rojina Tandukar, Kathmandu
Breaking the Wall of Postpartum Protein Deficiency - Shakriya Pandey, Kathmandu
Agrilyticx: Breaking the Wall Between Data and Farming - Shrisha Pandey, Kathmandu
Breaking the Wall of Invisible Pollution - Sneha Joshi, Kathamandu
Breaking the Wall of Wasted Waste - Swornim Nakarmi, Banepa
Breaking the Wall of Low-Resource Language Technology - Vivekananda Gupta. Dhulikhel
Breaking the wall of Manual Experimentation Process using RoDaLo
This unique competition challenges participants to think critically and creatively.It is not just about identifying the problem but to presenting a practical , innovative and well structured solution to the problem.All the finalists are getting special pitch training for the Falling Walls Lab competition by Dr Bhaskar Das, Manager-Bioincubator, KIIT-Technology Business Incubator, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
The DAAD & the Kathmandu University look forward to receiving you at Kathmandu University (KUSOM) on Fri, 8 May 2026, 09:00 hrs.
Register here to participate.
Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu 2025 successfully completed!
Winners of Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu, 8 May 2025
Winner
Mitesh Shrestha, Tribhuvan University
Breaking the Wall of Synthetic Fertilizers and Pesticides
Winner in 2nd Place
Monima Karmacharya, Research Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology (RIBB)
Breaking the Wall of Dairy Wastewater
Winner in 3rd Place
Prince Chaudhary, National College, Kathmandu University
Breaking the Wall of Youth Disengagement and inactive Democracy: Speakup Nepal
Audience Choice Winner
Shristi Bhattarai, Kathmandu University
Breaking the Wall of Superbugs
Members of the Jury
- Dr Katja Lasch
Director, German Academic Exchange Sevice - Mr Brijesh Adhikary
Associate Dean, School of Engineering, Kathmandu University - Mr Sebastian Woitsch
Director, Goethe-Zentrum Kathmandu - Dr Babita Paudel
Founder and Head, Center for Natural and Applied Sciences (CENAS) - Mr Rupesh Shrestha
Vice-President, NEGAAS
Finalists
- Anupam Bajracharya
Kings College (Westcliff University)
Heritage Advocate working to preserve Patan’s ancient Buddhist monasteries and helping young people reconnect with the Newar culture. - Deepti Gautam
Kathmandu University
Bringing space within reach through a tactile, Braille-integrated solar system model that replicates planetary features for visually impaired and marginalized students. - Dinesh Mani Bhandari
Asian Institute of Technology
Blending Robotics, GIS and Agriculture to craft sustainable, tech-powered solutions that drive education, innovation and real-world development impact. - Kedar Nath Dhakal
Tribhuvan University
PhD (Polymer Chemistry) and working as a postdoctoral fellow at Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University. - Mitesh Shrestha
Tribhuvan University
PhD Scholar developing eco-friendly Streptomyces consortia to boost plant growth, suppress pests, and revitalize soil for sustainable agriculture. - Monima Karmacharya
Research Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology (RIBB)
Transforming dairy wastewater using microalgae into functional foods—bridging environmental cleanup with sustainable nutrition and bio innovation. - Prabina Raut
Tribhuvan University
Environmental scientist innovating low-cost leaf- based biosorbents for cadmium removal from contaminated water. - Prajwal Dahal
Agriculture and Forestry University
Working on Wheyve, an initiative exploring protein extraction from whey waste to promote sustainable nutrition and circular food systems. - Prince Chaudhary
National College, Kathmandu University
Co-founder of ‘SpeakUp Nepal’, Nepal’s first e-petition platform empowering citizens to voice concerns, demand accountability and drive social change for a better future. - Roshan Ojha
Kathmandu University
A mechanical engineer developing sustainable textiles from banana waste to create green alternatives and reduce environmental impact. - Sahil Bagla
Kathmandu University
Mechanical Engineering Student working to overcome geographical challenges in the Nepalese healthcare system using a specially designed drone. - Shristi Bhattarai
Kathmandu University
Biotechnology student passionate about research, problem-solving, and sustainability,
committed to creating meaningful impact by translating biological innovations into real-world solutions. - Tushar Dhakal
Kathmandu University
Breaking the wall of e-waste from EV batteries.
In Preparation
Please note that A and B below are the two necessary components for your application to be complete:
A. Video
Making the video
- You need to create a 2 to 3 minute video stating and explaining the problem as well as your solution.
- The aim of the video is to help the evaluators understand the problem and the solution clearly.
- It is important that they see and hear the applicant speak.
- No complex editing or professional film is required. It can be a simple video shot with a smartphone or a camera.
- As far as possible only the applicant should be seen in the video. If others are helping with the instrument, holding something etc., that is acceptable.
- While there can be animations in the film, a completely animated film will not be accepted
- There should be no voice-over/another person speaking on behalf of the applicant/machine voice.
Hosting and sharing the video
- Host the video on any platform (ex. YouTube, Vimeo etc.) or on any cloud server (ex. Google Drive, Dropbox etc.). Do make sure that the video remains available there till the results are announced. You will need to use the link to the video in your application form.
- The focus is on the concept and communication. The video will be used only for shortlisting and will not be shared with anybody except with the express consent of the applicant.
B. Online Application
- Fill up the online application form, remember to include the link to your video in it, and apply.
- Link for application: https: falling-walls.com/falling-walls-lab-kathmandu
Your application is complete only when you do complete both, Step A and Step B.
In case of questions contact fwl.in@daad.de
Dreaming of studying or researching in Germany?
Join the DAAD Information Session and get all the details on higher education, research programs, and scholarship opportunities!
Let the Team DAAD guide you through the path to studying at world-renowned institutions and pursuing your academic ambitions in one of the most innovative countries in the world.
The DAAD New Delhi offers a number of funding schemes or scholarship programmes for Nepal and Bhutan:
You’d like to study in Germany? Or even in India at the IIT Delhi? A great idea!
The DAAD looks forward to welcoming you!
You may want to consider the following scholarships:
- Postgraduate Studies in the Field of Music
- Postgraduate Studies in the Field of the Performing Arts
- Postgraduate Studies in the Field of Architecture
- Postgraduate Studies in the Fields of Fine Art, Design, Visual Communication and Film
- Doctoral Programmes
- Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees
- In-region Master and PhD Scholarships
- Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS)
- Public Policy and Good Governance (PPGG)
- Graduate School Scholarship Programme (GSSP)
For information about other scholarships, please visit www.funding-guide.de
Students and scholars as well as academic and research institutions in Nepal are welcome to get in touch with the New Delhi office for information about study and research in Germany, funding possibilities and cooperation with German institutions for higher education and research.
DAAD Young Ambassadors in Nepal
- Rumi Singh Maharjan
Master – Architecture
Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
Scholarship: DAAD Scholarship for Architecture - Sheila Dangol
Master – Water Resources and Environmental Management
Leibniz University Hannover
Scholarship: DAAD EPOS
