ZukunftsWissen – the Early Career Award from the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Commerzbank Foundation
Starting in 2024, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Commerzbank Foundation will annually honour outstanding young scientists with their new “ZukunftsWissen – the Early Career Award from the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Commerzbank Foundation.” The award is endowed with € 50,000. It replaces the “Early Career Award”, held every other year between 2010 and 2022 and traditionally presented during the Leopoldina Annual Assembly. The Early Career Award was endowed with €30,000, also provided by the Commerzbank Foundation.
Last edited: 05. December 2025
The new award, “ZukunftsWissen”, honours scientists for outstanding achievements in a research field related to the theme of the respective Leopoldina Annual Assembly and, at the same time, addressing challenges of the future in their research. The theme reference is broadly defined and may be drawn from any of the disciplines represented at the Leopoldina. Particularly welcome is interdisciplinary research. The prize is awarded during the Annual Assembly and is associated with a public lecture by the prizewinner. Eligible nominees must have completed their doctorate at most ten years ago.
All award winners
| Year | Prize winners | Place | Specialisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Zeynep Akata (born 1986) | Munich, Germany | Computer Science |
| 2024 | Georg Hochberg (born 1987) | Marburg | Biochemistry |
Leopoldina Early Career Award
Between 2010 and 2022, the Leopoldina Early Career Award was presented by the Commerzbank Foundation every two years. It was awarded to young scientists for outstanding achievements in a specialised field in the subject area of the respective Leopoldina Annual Assembly and was endowed with 30,000 euros.
All award winners
| Year | Prize winners | Place | Specialisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Francesca Santoro (born 1983) | Aachen, Germany | Bioelectronics |
| 2020 | Patrick Weigelt (born 1983) | Göttingen | Biology |
| 2018 | Xiaoxiang Zhu (born 1984) | Munich, Germany | Engineering sciences |
| 2016 | Lena Henningsen (born 1978) | Freiburg (Br.) | Sinology |
| 2014 | Carsten Grashoff (born 1977) | Martinsried | Biochemistry |
| 2012 | Thomas Mölg (born 1977) | Berlin | Geosciences |
| 2010 | Christian Kubisch (born 1967) | Ulm | Human Genetics |
Leopoldina Research Prize
From 2001 to 2007, the prize was awarded to a younger scientist. The prize was endowed with 15,000 euros and was not divisible. The prize money was freely available to the prizewinners to support their scientific work
All award winners
| Year | Prize winners | Place | Specialisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Nikolaus Pfanner (born 1956) | Freiburg | Human medicine |
| 2005 | Bernd Bukau (born 1954) | Heidelberg | Biochemistry/Biophysics |
| 2003 | Heike L. Pahl (born 1966) | Molecular Biology/Genetics | |
| 2001 | Adriano Aguzzi (born 1960) | Zurich | Pathology and Forensic Medicine |
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