30/06/2026
Breaking Walls in Kuopio: A Look Back at FWL Eastern Finland 2026
On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, approximately 100 participants gathered at Novapolis, Kuopio for the second edition of Falling Walls Lab Eastern Finland. The event brought together students, researchers, and ecosystem actors to explore innovative ideas across disciplines — from health and construction to agriculture.
The program featured 14 research-based pitches, two keynote presentations, and a panel discussion focusing on how to turn academic research into real-world impact. Participants also had the opportunity to hear firsthand insights from a startup journey originating from university research, as well as perspectives from the investment side on what venture capitalists look for in deep tech companies.
🌿 A Growing Platform for Research-Based Innovation
Falling Walls Lab Eastern Finland was organized for the second time in Kuopio, in strong collaboration with its partners. The event was mainly funded by the KAUTE Foundation and supported by key partners including Business Kuopio, Itä-Suomen yliopisto - University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Business Joensuu, and Novapolis, along with Nostetta Ventures, Hub Panostamo, Business Center Pohjois-Savo, and Finnish Business Angels Network.
This year, the event received 20 applications from 7 cities across Finland (Oulu, Tampere, Turku, Helsinki, Espoo, Joensuu, and Kuopio). After a competitive selection process, 14 finalists were invited to pitch their ideas live on stage on June 9th in Kuopio.
A multidisciplinary jury from academia, business, and investment carefully evaluated all pitches, and selected the following top three presenters:
1st Place: Saku Reunanen, University of Helsinkisinki
2nd Place: Teddy Duy Tran, Aalto University
3rd Place: Fahimeh Malekisheikhabadi, University of Eastern Finland
Read more in our latest blog post by Parastoo Jalili:
