Deadline: April 15, 2026
Applications for the Women’s Impact Award 2026 are now open. The Women’s Impact Award recognises women who combine outstanding research with societal impact. It celebrates scientific excellence with purpose—led by women and actively contributing to a more equitable future.
The award is a joint initiative by the Falling Walls Foundation and the Elsevier Foundation and forms part of the Falling Walls Global Call for Science Breakthroughs.
Benefits
- Get international visibility for your project.
- Be a part of the Falling Walls network and interact with a wide range of decision-makers, innovators and emerging talents from all over the world. Join an interdisciplinary community that is committed to bringing down barriers to address common challenges.
- Get the opportunity to take part in the Falling Walls Science Summit 2026, a four-day conference with inspiring keynotes, discussions, exciting pitches and a lot more on topics related to science, its communities and the opportunities connected to science and society.
- Take your chance to become one of the Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year and present your breakthrough work to a global audience on 9 November 2026 on the stage at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be at postdoctoral level or above or hold an equivalent level of professional independence and responsibility. (Eligible examples: postdoctoral researchers, research fellows, senior researchers, principal investigators, group leaders, or professors). They welcome submissions from cis and trans women, genderqueer, and non-binary individuals, embracing an inclusive definition of women.
- Applicants must be leading or substantially contributing to a research project that combines scientific excellence with real-world impact. The project must meet at least one of the following aims:
- Advancing Gender Equality through Research and/or
- Supporting Underserved Communities
- The research project must be actively running at the time of submission. Eligible projects include those:
- Collecting or analysing data,
- Piloting or testing interventions,
- Implementing solutions in real-world settings.
- Projects that are only at the idea stage, in proposal development, or seeking funding are not eligible.
- The language of the application must be English.
Who can Nominate
- Universities and research institutions
- Companies with research laboratories
- Scientific foundations
- Partner organisations of Falling Walls
- Leading scientists in their field
Application
Click here to apply or nominate someone
For more information, visit Women’s Impact Award.
