Three Minutes, Three Years, One Growing Community: Falling Walls Lab Guangzhou 2026

As part of the internationally renowned Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin, the global competition invites students, researchers, and innovators to present in just three minutes how they are “breaking walls” in science, business, and society through groundbreaking ideas and solutions. On 6 June 2026, that spirit once again filled the halls of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou).

This year’s Falling Walls Lab Guangzhou finalists, ready to break their walls in three minutes each.

The Lab was jointly organized with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) together with the German Consulate General in Guangzhou, and the German Chamber of Commerce in South & Southwest China.

Each finalist faced the same challenge: one idea, three minutes, one wall to break. Reaching a third edition in Kanton is no small feat: behind the scenes, months of preparation went into creating a stage where bold thinking could thrive: from reviewing applications and mentoring finalists to coordinating logistics across institutions and partners.

A full house at HKUST(GZ): students, researchers, and partners gathered to witness science in three minutes.

A Continuum of Breakthroughs

This year revealed what that work has built: not just a competition, but a community. In one quietly powerful moment during the event, three generations of Falling Walls Lab winners stood together in the same room: past, present, and future, side by side. For an organizer, it was a vivid reminder that Falling Walls is not only about the walls we break in a single afternoon, but about the lasting networks of mentorship and inspiration that grow around them, year after year. Walls fall once. Communities last.

Three generations of Falling Walls Lab winners, together in one room. Walls fall once. Communities last.

The Falling Walls Mission

At the heart of Falling Walls is the belief that science and research hold the keys to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The mission is simple yet profound: to break down barriers in the way we think, innovate, and work together. By giving brilliant minds a platform to share their ideas, the Lab inspires others to take bold steps toward solving global problems.

The jury in deliberation: weighing bold ideas against real-world impact.

DAAD’s Commitment to Excellence

As part of its commitment to fostering international exchange and strengthening research networks, the DAAD is proud to support Falling Walls Labs worldwide. This platform not only amplifies the voices of emerging researchers but also connects them with mentors, institutions, and peers who can accompany them on their journey. The Falling Walls Lab Guangzhou is a clear embodiment of this mission in cultivating the next generation of scientists and academics, and empowering them to think critically, collaborate across borders, and drive positive change.

Mentors, alumni, and new finalists in conversation — the community that keeps the Lab growing.

Celebrating This Year’s Winners

In just three minutes each, the finalists tackled global challenges with bold, interdisciplinary approaches. After an inspiring afternoon of pitches, the jury selected three outstanding contributions:

1st Place – Cao Yujing (East China Normal University): Breaking the Wall of Noise in Quantum Sensing

As this year’s winner, Cao Yujing will represent China at the global Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin this November.

First place: Cao Yujing, on her way to represent Guangzhou at the Global Finale in Berlin.

2nd Place – Xining Su (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Guangzhou): Breaking the Wall of Carbon-To-Medicine

Second place: Xining Su (HKUST-GZ) is honoured for her pitch.

3rd Place – Ekaterina Safarova (Southern University of Science and Technology): Breaking the Wall of Unhealthy Longevity

Ekaterina Safarova (SUSTech) receives her award.

A Word from the Organizer

“When I organized my first Falling Walls Lab in China, I thought it was about finding great ideas,” said Melanie Spaethe, DAAD Lecturer and head of jury, now in her fifth year leading a Falling Walls Lab in China. “Five Labs later, I know better: the great ideas were always there. What we build, year after year, is the stage and the community that believes those ideas deserve one. Seeing three generations of our winners together in one room said it all. After the event is before the event, and that continuum is exactly what keeps me coming back.”

DAAD Lecturer Melanie Späthe hosts the Awards ceremony to her fifth Falling Walls Lab she has led in China.

Partners Who Share the Mission

A Falling Walls Lab lives through the partners who believe in its purpose. Three long-standing supporters embody that spirit in a way that speaks directly to what Falling Walls stands for.

Springer Nature, one of the world’s leading science publishers, shares the Lab’s core conviction: that a breakthrough only matters once it reaches the world. Communicating research clearly — turning complex science into three minutes anyone can follow — is precisely the skill the Lab cultivates, and Springer Nature’s continued support reinforces that bridge between research and society.

Qian Lyuzi of Springer Nature, representing a partner that shares the Lab’s belief: a breakthrough only matters once it reaches the world.

The Berlin Business Desk China builds bridges of another kind — between China and Berlin, the very city where the global Falling Walls Finale takes place each November. Their engagement mirrors the journey every Lab winner begins on our stage in Guangzhou: from a local platform to an international one, carrying a local idea onto the world stage.

Li Yiran of the Berlin Business Desk China, whose work bridges China and Berlin — the very journey our winners begin in Guangzhou.

Micro, the Swiss mobility company, brings a fittingly forward-moving spirit to the Lab. Just as Falling Walls is about momentum, turning a standstill into motion, an idea into impact. Micro’s support reminds us that progress is about keeping things moving, one push at a time.

Engaging the room: Li Wenai (DAAD Office Guangzhou) presents the Audience Award.

Looking Ahead

The Falling Walls Lab Guangzhou 2026 was more than a competition: It was a reminder of the potential that emerges when people come together across disciplines, institutions, and borders. As Cao Yujing prepares to take the stage in Berlin, the Falling Walls spirit continues to inspire researchers across generations. At the DAAD, we look forward to nurturing the talents of tomorrow for many editions to come.

One stage, one community: the Falling Walls Lab Guangzhou 2026.

Text / Melanie Späthe