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Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu, Nepal 2026

Falling Walls Lab is a unique pitch competition that provides young researchers and entrepreneurs with a platform to present their research project, business plan or social initiative. The DAAD Regional Office New Delhi and the Kathmandu University conducted the Falling Walls Lab Nepal 2026 in Kathmandu, Nepal on 8 May 2026.

Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu, Nepal, 8 May 2026

Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu, Nepal 2026 concluded successfully!

Falling Walls Lab winner Rojina Tandukar being felicited by H.E. Votz and Prof. Brijesh Adhikary© Kathmandu University

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!

Finalists and members of the jury© Kathmandu University

The members of the jury were:

  1. Arthur Rapp, Jury Chair and Director, DAAD Regional Office New Delhi
  2. Udo Eugen Volz, Ambassador of Germany to the Republic of Nepal
  3. Dr Babita Paudel, Founder & Head, Center for Natural and Applied Sciences
  4. Prof. Brijesh Adhikary, Act Director, Directorate of Research Development and Innovation (RDI), Kathmandu University
  5. 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 DAAD in partnership with the Kathmandu University has been organising this contest for students and researchers from Nepal from the year 2024. Every year the winner of the Falling Walls Lab has been going to Berlin to participate in the grand finale.

And the finalists in 2026 are (in alphabetical order):

  1. Aayushma Katuwal, Kathmandu
    Breaking the Wall of Legal Intelligence with AI
  2. Avas Man Maskey, Kathmandu
    Breaking the Toxins: Probiotics That Eat Poison and Save Lives
  3. Bidhya Maharjan, Kathmandu
    Affordable Sustainable Hydrogel for Accessible Bone Regeneration
  4. Dr Prakriti Dhakal, Lalitpur
    Sunscreen Incorporation with Tradition- Nature Based Solution
  5. Puskar Panta, Nepal
    Sugandhika: Breaking the Wall of Chemical Mosquito Control
  6. Rabin Khadka, Lalitpur
    Breaking the Wall of Carbon-Heavy Buildings Using Plastic Waste
  7. Rabina Dhakal. Madhyapur Thimi
    Invasion to Conservation: Restoring Chitwan’s Wetlands
  8. Rikrita Sainju, Bhaktapur
    Multi-purpose Smart Insole for Gait and Generic Mobility Analysis
  9. Rojina Tandukar, Kathmandu
    Breaking the Wall of Postpartum Protein Deficiency
  10. Shakriya Pandey, Kathmandu
    Agrilyticx: Breaking the Wall Between Data and Farming
  11. Shrisha Pandey, Kathmandu
    Breaking the Wall of Invisible Pollution
  12. Sneha Joshi, Kathamandu
    Breaking the Wall of Wasted Waste
  13. Swornim Nakarmi, Banepa
    Breaking the Wall of Low-Resource Language Technology
  14. 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.

Prizes to be won

Winner of Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu, Nepal, 2026
– This winner will be funded to go to Berlin, Germany to contest in the grand finale of Falling Walls Lab 2026 taking place in Berlin in November 2026
– This winner will be invited to participate in the Falling Walls Conference for a day
Winner in 2nd Place
Winner in 3rd Place
Audience Choice Winner
– This winner will be selected through audience voting right after the pitches

 

Announcement and Application

Falling Walls Lab is a pitch competition to present breakthrough ideas that create a positive impact on science and society.  Convince an international jury of scientists, entrepreneurs and founders in 3 minutes!

Application are invited from

  • University students
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Early-career researchers
  • Academics

Ideas from all disciplines are welcome. Please go through the detailed FAQs and eligibility criteria before applying.

Call for Applications

Please note that A and B (read below) are the two necessary components for your application to be complete:

A. Video

Making the video

  1. You need to create a 2 to 3 minute video stating and explaining the problem as well as your solution.
  2. The aim of the video is to help the evaluators understand the problem and the solution clearly.
  3. It is important that they see and hear the applicant speak.
  4. No complex editing or professional film is required. It can be a simple video shot with a smartphone or a camera.
  5. 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.
  6. While there can be animations in the film, a completely animated film will not be accepted
  7. There should be no voice-over/another person speaking on behalf of the applicant/machine voice.

Hosting and sharing the video

  1. 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.
  2. 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

  1. Fill up the online application form, remember to include the link to your video in it, and apply.
  2. Link for application: https: Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu, Nepal (DAAD) | Falling Walls

Your application is complete only when you do complete both, Step A and Step B.

Application Deadline: 31 March 2026

Falling Walls Lab Kathmandu: 8 May 2026

In case of questions contact fwl.in@daad.de