FALLING WALLS LAB 2015 GUIDELINES Falling Walls Foundation 2015. For internal use only.
GREAT MINDS 3 MINUTES 1 DAY
FALLING WALLS LAB CONTENT 1 Mission 05 2 About the Falling Walls Foundation 06 3 Concept Falling Walls Lab 07 4 Participants 08 5 The Idea Falling Walls Labs worldwide 09 6 International Falling Walls Labs Why go global? 10 7 How to plan a Falling Walls Lab 11 7.1 Event organisation 12 7.2 Application process and preselection 13 7.3 Call for Applications and press relations 14 8 How to prepare the Falling Walls Lab 15 8.1 Model timeline 15 8.2 Schedule 16 8.3 Scholars 17 8.4 Jury 18 9 The Finale The Falling Walls Lab in Berlin 19/20 10 Impressions & Contact 21 3 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
FALLING WALLS LABS ACROSS THE GLOBE IMPRESSIONS 2014
1. MISSION: BREAKTHROUGH THINKING EXCELLENT YOUNG ACADEMICS AND PROFESSIONALS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS & INNOVATIONS The Falling Walls Foundation founded the Falling Walls Lab in 2011 with the great support of A.T. Kearney Central Europe in order to connect young and senior innovators discover and develop young talents support interdisciplinary dialogue and international cooperation develop new ways of scientific communication build up new and strong networks 5 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
2. ABOUT THE FALLING WALLS FOUNDATION The Falling Walls Foundation is a non-profit organisation in Berlin, dedicated to the support of science and the humanities. It organises the Falling Walls Conference, an annual international conference where 20 world-class scientists from a broad range of disciplines present their current breakthrough research in 15 minutes. The Conference takes place on 9 November each year on the day of the fall of the Berlin Wall. More than 600 guests from over 75 nations attend the Conference, among them decision makers from science, industry, business, politics and society. The Falling Walls Foundation is supported by the German Ministry for Education and Research, Helmholtz Association, the Robert Bosch Foundation, the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research as well as a wide variety of leading research institutions, foundations and companies. For more information, a highlights video and online lectures, please visit our website www.falling-walls.com. 6 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
3. CONCEPT FALLING WALLS LAB GREAT MINDS 3 MINUTES 1 DAY A number of highly qualified participants from different fields. The selected participants present their own research work, their visions, business models and innovative ideas relevant to the world today. Each scholar has 3 minutes time to present. A jury awards the best presentation(s): The winners of the international Labs are qualified for the Lab Finale in Berlin and will also be invited to the Falling Walls Conference. The jury consists of experts from academia, research institutions, business and politics. The event ends with an informal Farewell Reception. 7 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
4. PARTICIPANTS OUR TARGET GROUP: BREAKTHROUGH THINKERS A SELECTION OF INNOVATORS AND CHANGEMAKERS Outstanding talents, young innovators, high potentials with groundbreaking ideas. Prospective Bachelor and Master students, PhD candidates, post-docs, young professionals and entrepreneurs whose latest university degrees should not date back more than 5 years. All disciplines are welcome: from agriculture, medicine, natural sciences, economics and philosophy to the liberal arts. Participants 2014 in Berlin: 100 scholars (43 women / 57 men) from 34 countries from all continents picked from more than 850 applications. 8 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
5. THE IDEA FALLING WALLS LABS WORLDWIDE FALLING WALLS CONFERENCE All participants attend the Conference, the three winners of the Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin give their 3 minutes talks again. FINALE BERLIN, 8 NOVEMBER 100 PARTICIPANTS The winners of the international Falling Walls Labs qualify directly for the Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin. Travel costs are covered by the hosting institution, a sponsor or the winner. OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS The remaining slots are given to the best applicants. INTERNATIONAL LABS LAB SAN DIEGO LAB VIENNA LAB MADRID LAB CAIRO LAB LONDON LAB JOHANNESBURG LAB
6. INTERNATIONAL FALLING WALLS LABS WHY GO GLOBAL? Recruiting: Your possibility to get in contact with high-potentials from diverse academic backgrounds and to see outstanding academics present. Networking: Your possibility to strengthen the link to the regional and international scientific network. Marketing: Your possibility to enlarge the visibility and brand awareness of your institution and your partners. > Overwhelming feedback from participants, jury members, partners and the audience. 10 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
AT A GLANCE THE COMPONENTS OF A FALLING WALLS LAB On the following pages, we present some basic guidelines and suggestions on how to successfully conduct a Falling Walls Lab. How to prepare the event and how to brief the jury and scholars How to plan your preparation timeline How to set up the event schedule and programme
7.1 HOW TO EVENT ORGANISATION Rent or reserve an event venue for ½ up to 1 day. Identify jury members from various disciplines and invite them (see 8.4). If needed, organise 1 3 hosts/helpers (wardrobe, welcome desk). Organise a photographer who takes pictures of each participant and jury member and who documents the atmosphere. Decide on a Master of Ceremony whose task is to lead through the event programme, announce the participants and their presentations. The MC explains the rules and keeps an eye on the time and schedule. Check the technical equipment. Prepare the speaker s clock system (see the Download-section for organisers: falling-walls.com/lab/host). Produce name badges, voting sheets, certificates of participation and a programme. Prepare further marketing material, e. g. roll-ups (see the Download-section for organisers: falling-walls.com/lab/host). To make it a memorable event and to improve networking opportunities: Think about organising a Farewell Reception in the evening. The winner is qualified for the Falling Walls Lab in Berlin on 8 November. 12 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
7.2 HOW TO APPLICATION PROCESS AND PRESELECTION All applications are made centrally on the Falling Walls Website: www.falling-walls.com/apply. Falling Walls collects the applications and forwards them to you to select the best candidates for the Lab. Please make sure to approve or decline the applicants in a timely manner. The online application form consists of 5 steps: 1 Personal data/contact details 2 Higher education, publications, awards/scholarships, languages 3 Motivation 4 CV upload and breakthrough idea 5 Where did you hear about us/ terms and conditions Falling Walls provides you a list with all applications, incl. all CV once the deadline of your call for applications has passed. The preselection of candidates is based on 8 criteria (applied in 2014): Category I: Qualification 1 Grade 2 Practical work/ experience 3 International experience 4 Additional education (PhD, PostDoc or the like) Category II: Diversity 5 Gender mix 6 Nationality Category III: Application 7 Motivation 8 Abstract 13 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
7.3 HOW TO CALL FOR APPLICATIONS AND PRESS RELATIONS GOAL: to find a minimum of 15 participants A Call-for Applications template is available at falling-walls.com/lab/host. Identify key distribution channels: Partner institutions Scientific networks Target universities Career centers at universities Career newsletters Startup networks Business Angels Internal channels Identify key press contacts: Try to find a media partner Send out press release to announce the Lab in your city (Press release template available at falling-walls.com/lab/host) Send out press invitation one week before the event Think about a follow-up by mail or phone approx. two days before the event Send out a press release with information about the winners after the event 14 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
8.1 PREPARING THE LAB MODEL TIMELINE PHASE 1: Planning the event / Acquisition of Partners PHASE 2: Spreading the Call for Applications PHASE 3: Execution of the event BEFORE MONTH 1 MONTH 2 MONTH 3 MONTH 4 Venue has been determined (inform Falling Walls) & Application Form open / Start Call for Applications Jury has been selected (inform Falling Walls) Application form closed (Falling Walls sends final list of applications) Selection of participants has been completed Prepare event-related material & Final briefing of scholars / jury Falling Walls Lab takes place 15 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
8.2 PREPARING THE LAB EXEMPLARY PROGRAMME We recommend the following exemplary programme for a number of 20 participants: from 10 am Prepare venue for the event and make a technical check: Sound, video projector, presentations 1.00 2.00 pm Brief jury members 1.30 2.15 pm Arrival and registration for participants 2.15 2.45 pm Welcome and introductory remarks 2.45 3.45 pm Presentations (scholar presentations 1-10) 3.45 4.15 pm Networking break 4.15 5.15 pm Presentations (scholar presentations 11-20) 5.15 5.45 pm Networking break (scholars) / Evaluation session (jury) 5.45 6.15 pm Award ceremony / Group picture 6.15 pm Farewell Reception 16 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
8.3 PREPARING THE LAB HOW YOUR EVENT BECOMES A SUCCESS: SCHOLARS The Falling Walls Foundation provides you with all incoming applications, incl. the CVs. You select the most promising candidates by applying the criteria as mentioned above (7.2). A balance between male and female participants and a good mixture of disciplines are desirable. You brief the scholars on their presentation: Every scholar has exactly 3 minutes time to present that is the unique selling point of the Lab concept. Ask the scholars to compose their titles according to this format: Breaking the wall of (problem which your work tackles or solves) Example: Breaking the Wall of Poverty. The scholars speeches should include the question/issue of interest the problem the solution/breakthrough a proof of concept/implementation Every scholar shall prepare 3 ppt-slides: 1 introductory slide with name, institution and title of presentation & a max. of 2 content slides. Falling Walls provides the PPT template. Ask the scholars to make their presentations understandable for everyone: interdisciplinary audience and jury. You collect the PPT presentation from each scholar in advance: Give them a deadline to submit it and forward the presentations to your technical staff to guarantee a trouble-free event proceedings. You brief the scholars on organisational questions (schedule, venue, how to get there, contact person etc.). 17 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
8.4 PREPARING THE LAB HOW YOUR EVENT BECOMES A SUCCESS: JURY The jury should not have less than 5 members You brief the jury on their role Jury invitation template and scoring system available etc. at falling-walls.com/lab/host. Prepare the voting sheet (Jury voting sheet template available at falling-walls.com/lab/host) which the jury will use to evaluate the presentations. The voting sheet contains 3 criteria: Breakthrough factor, Relevance/Scope of impact, Performance Directly after the scholar presentations ask a team member to evaluate the voting sheets During the final break, the jury gathers again to discuss the winning presentation: evaluation session The three scholars with the highest score are the winners. The 1st winner qualifies for the Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin 18 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
8 NOVEMBER THE FALLING WALLS LAB FINALE IN BERLIN
9. THE FINALE AN OUTLOOK ON THE FALLING WALLS LAB FINALE IN BERLIN ON 8 NOVEMBER 100 participants from all over the world, 3 minutes to present, 1 day among them all the winners of the international Labs. All finalists are granted a scholarship for the»falling Walls Conference, the International Conference on Future Breakthrough in Science and Society«on 9 November. The 3 winners of the Falling Walls Lab Berlin will speak at the Falling Walls Conference. The accommodation is covered for all participants from 8 to 9 November. 20 Falling Walls Foundation The Falling Walls Lab
10. FALLING WALLS LAB IMPRESSIONS & CONTACT CONTACT Falling Walls Foundation ggmbh Chausseestraße 8e D-10115 Berlin +49 30 609 88 39 76 lab@falling-walls.com www.falling-walls.com/lab