Photos

© Timo Adiek
  • © Timo Adiek
  • © Timo Adiek

Elham Iravani Wins First Falling Walls Lab Münster – Photo Gallery Now Online & Save the Date for 2026

Visionary ideas, strong voices, and an inspiring venue – the first-ever Falling Walls Lab at the University of Münster was a resounding success. At its core: bold, forward-looking projects by early career researchers aiming to answer one big question in just three minutes: “Which are the next walls to fall?”

Elham Iravani, a PhD student at the University of Wuppertal, captured the jury’s and audience’s attention with her idea for a smart toy designed to enable early autism detection. Her vision: an accessible, affordable, and playful diagnostic tool for children as young as two – significantly earlier than current methods allow. As winner of the evening, she earned a spot in the international finale at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin.

Second place went to Yannis Bermig, who co-founded the start-up Democracy Hub with law student Sönke Janssen. Their mission: to make democratic processes more digital, secure, and accessible. Third place was awarded to Asieh Baker for her emergency app RESQUE, which supports medical professionals in making faster decisions in acute care situations.

The event brought together ten outstanding talents from a wide range of disciplines and institutions – from nanotechnology and medicine to social sciences. The pitches were evaluated by an interdisciplinary jury, including Vice-Rector for Research Prof. Dr. Monika Stoll, who remarked:

“At the University of Münster, we wanted the Falling Walls Lab to provide a platform for all those who actively contribute to future developments in science, society, and technology through their initiative and ideas.”

Following this successful launch, one thing is clear: The University of Münster will host Falling Walls Lab again in 2026. Early career researchers with bold, innovative ideas are already encouraged to look ahead to the next call – more details will be announced in due course.

Missed the Lab or want to relive the atmosphere?
Check out our photo gallery on the event website and get a glimpse of the energy, creativity, and community spirit that defined the evening.