UDS student to represent Ghana at global science forum in Berlin
Anita Nsiah Donkor, a student of the University for Development Studies (UDS), has emerged the winner of the 2025 Falling Walls Lab Ghana competition.
Falling Walls Lab Ghana is a platform that brings together some of the country’s brightest young scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators to share groundbreaking ideas that have the potential to shape the future.
It uniquely bridges the gap between science and entrepreneurship, two worlds that rarely intersect, while showcasing the ingenuity and creativity emerging from Ghana's academic and innovation landscape.
Organised annually since 2016 by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the event serves as part of a global initiative aimed at fostering innovation across disciplines.
Ms Donkor will, therefore, represent the country at the prestigious global Falling Walls Lab Finale, a global science and innovation forum, in Berlin later this year.
Her pitch; “Breaking the Wall of Infected Wounds”, delivered virtually, stood out among 14 shortlisted finalists drawn from a pool of 136 applicants across the country.
It focused on an innovative solution to improve wound care, particularly in underserved communities.
She proposed a low-cost, accessible diagnostic approach that uses visible indicators to detect early signs of wound infections - helping prevent complications, reduce misuse of antibiotics, and improve healing outcomes.
Her idea bridges science and practical healthcare, offering a simple yet effective way to manage wounds in both clinical and remote settings.
Ms Donkor topped a competitive field that saw Hussein Abukari, also from UDS, and Robert Tuu of Tuu Ceramic Works, placing second and third respectively with innovations targeting misdiagnoses in animals and the conversion of glass waste.
As the winner, Ms Donkor will be trained and prepared by the jury to represent Ghana in Berlin.
Panel discussion
The event featured a panel discussion on the theme “Climate Innovation: Integrating Traditional Technologies for a Resilient Future.”
Ecosystem Builder and Climate Advocate, Maxwell Beganim, and the Founder of Melo Technologies and Sustainability Leader, Isaac Aboah, emphasised the need to bridge modern scientific research with indigenous knowledge to create climate solutions that were both impactful and sustainable.
They stressed that communities already possessed deep, experience-based understanding of climate change — even if they don’t use formal terminology — making it vital that innovation builds on what they know and trust.
They further warned against the top-down approach where millions are spent on externally designed, “saviour” solutions that fail to gain traction because local communities were not involved or empowered.
Significance
In a speech read on her behalf, the Director of the DAAD Regional Office, Lena Leumer, underscored that the Falling Walls Lab Ghana went far beyond serving as a preliminary round for the Berlin finale.
She emphasised that the event was a significant platform in its own right — one that nurtured emerging talents, fostered interdisciplinary collaboration and threw the spotlight on innovative solutions tailored to the country’s unique challenges.
