Jaana Merisaar Wins Falling Walls Lab Riga, Latvia 2026 and Will go the Global Final in Berlin

This year’s competition showcased a truly international line-up of participants from Peru, France, the United States, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Latvia, and Estonia, representing universities and research institutions from across all three Baltic countries. The diversity of backgrounds and research fields reflected the international and interdisciplinary spirit of Falling Walls Lab.

The international jury awarded 1st place to Jaana Merisaar for Breaking the Wall of Uncertainty in Circular Construction, and who will go to the global Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin on 6 November 2026 as part of the Falling Walls Science Summit.

The remaining podium places were awarded to:

• 2nd place: Vanda Voikiva (Breaking the Wall of Keratin-Based Waste)
• 3rd place: Jachin Edward Pousson (Breaking the Wall of Inflexible Neurotech)

In addition, the audience selected Ana Lucia Manrique De La Torre Ugarte as the recipient of the Audience Award, her presentation “Breaking the Wall of Ineffective Medical Device Training” being the one that resonated most strongly with those attending the event.

Throughout the event, participants presented innovative ideas addressing a wide range of societal challenges, demonstrating scientific excellence, creativity, and the ability to communicate complex research in an engaging and accessible way.

“This event was a powerful reminder that the Baltics have what it takes to tackle global challenges through bold thinking and deserve to be seen and heard on the global innovation stage. As a jury, we were impressed by the breadth of ideas, the diversity of challenges addressed, and the courage to rethink the status quo. My sincere thanks go to everyone who made this event possible – the energy, enthusiasm, and optimism that filled the venue were deeply inspiring!” said the Jury Chair and co-organiser Tatjana Pladere.

Falling Walls Lab is a global pitch competition held in more than 90 cities worldwide. Each national winner qualifies for the global finale in Berlin, where they join emerging innovators from around the world to present their breakthrough ideas.

In Latvia, Falling Walls Lab is organized by the DAAD Information Centre Riga in cooperation with the University of Latvia and the Latvian Association of Young Scientists.