Published on October 27, 2020
Falling Walls Breakthrough of the Year 2020: KIT reaches finals
Five KIT Innovators are amongst the finalists
Falling Walls presents current breakthroughs in science and research at the "World Science Summit" of Falling Walls and the Berlin Science Week from November 1 to 10, 2020. As every year, the "Falling Walls Breakthrough of the Year" award will take place at the international conference surrounding the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall since its 20th anniversary on November 9, 2009. This year, several representatives of KIT are among the nominees for the coveted award. We are pleased for the five nominees who have a chance to be awarded the "Science Breakthrough of the Year 2020".
On November 9, 2020, the Falling Walls Foundation will select the ten winners in a digital "Grand Finale". The Falling Walls Foundation gGmbH, which is behind the conference, will award prizes for particularly outstanding solutions that can be used to meet current and future challenges in the fields of climate and energy production, health, nutrition, security and business. Of the 900 nominations from 111 countries this year, around 600 finalists qualified for the awards.
Meet the finalists from KIT.
Dr.-Ing. Jens Fahrenberg and Dr. Max Riedel
Breaking the Wall Towards Linking Students, Scientists, Industry and Start-Ups
Nominated by Carl Zeiss AG
The ZEISS Innovation Hub @ KIT demonstrates the successful strategic cooperation between the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Carl Zeiss AG in 2020. The two innovative minds Dr.-Ing. Jens Fahrenberg, Head of the Innovation and Relationship Management Service Unit at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and Dr. Max Riedel, Head of ZEISS Innovation Hub @ KIT, recognize the opening of the common used building as a strong signal and example for an intensive knowledge and technology transfer between industry and science.
"We see trustworthy communication, understanding of the respective framework conditions, and the need for tailor-made cooperation formats as the challenges in technology transfer", explains Fahrenberg. According to Riedel, the Innovation Hub aims to promote cooperation between industry, science, students and the start-up scene. The hub also boosts local innovation activities with the help of ZEISS' investments. It offers KIT spin-offs a longer-term perspective to stay near the KIT campus, providing space to talented minds where they can develop ideas and technologies.
Watch the finalists present their breakthrough.
GoSilico GmbH
Breaking the Wall of Patient Access to Biopharmaceuticals
Nominated by KIT
Using a disruptive simulation technology, the KIT spin-off GoSilico aims to support biopharmaceutical companies in the paradigm shift from experimental to computer-aided process development. The ChromX software enables biopharmaceutical companies to save a large proportion of laboratory experiments, thus shortening the path to approval of biopharmaceutical active ingredients.
Watch the finalists present their breakthrough.
HQS Quantum Simulations GmbH
Breaking the Wall of Material Discovery
Nominated by Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers
HQS Quantum Simulations, which emerged as a start-up from KIT, develops software for the simulation of molecules and materials to make quantum computers marketable for use in medical or energy research. With this software, new insights into chemical and physical interrelationships can be gained and development processes of customers can be accelerated significantly.
Watch the finalists present their breakthrough.
Prof. Dr. Christian Koos
Breaking the Wall Towards Ultra-Broadband Signal Processing
Nominated by KIT
At the Institute of Photonics and Quantum Electronics (IPQ) and Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT) of KIT, Prof. Dr. Christian Koos combines photonic and electronic methods to generate terahertz signals and make them usable for data transmission and measurement technology. His research holds enormous potential from material analysis to ultrafast data communication.
Watch the finalist present his breakthrough.
Prof. Dr. Holger Puchta
Breaking the Wall to Sustainable Agriculture
Nominated by KIT
As a pioneer in plant biotechnology, Prof. Dr. Holger Puchta from the Chair of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the Botanical Institute of KIT is researching the modification of genetic information in plants. Together with other researchers, he demonstrated how DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the carrier of genetic information, can be specifically altered in plants using the molecular scissors CRISPR/Cas. With this CRISPR/Cas technology it is possible to easily remove, insert or exchange genes.
Watch the finalist present his breakthrough.
We will follow the live broadcast of the Grand Final on November 9, 2020 from 13:00 to 15:00 (CET) and wish the five nominees good luck!
Are you interested in getting to know these bright minds and in watching the live broadcast?
Then join in the excitement on November 9, 2020 on the Falling Walls website.
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