Terms and conditions for participating in the Take Off Show

Eligibility

To participate in the Show, the participant

1. must be between the ages of 15 and 21 at the time of the first shooting (25.06.2026). In other words, the participants must be born between 26 June 2004 and 25 June 2011.
2. must be affiliated with a Luxembourgish school or have a diploma from a school in Luxembourg. 
3. must not be related to the casting team (see conflict of interest section below)

By registering for the Show, you represent and warrant that you meet these eligibility requirements. If you are under the age of 18, you must obtain consent from your parent or legal guardian to participate in the show (we will send this document by mail) and to grant us to contact you directly about all matters related to the show.

conflict of interest: 

You may not participate in the Show and are under no circumstances be designated as a winner, if :

1. you are related closely (spouses, parents, children, brothers and sisters, regardless of their place of residence) or living under the same roof (whether or not related) with:
       employees from the Luxembourg National Research Fund ("FNR") or André Losch Fondation (ALF),
       any person involved in the production of the Show, including but not limited to producers, directors, writers, and hosts.
       members of the Scientific Council and the Board of the FNR and the ALF
2. you personally worked (student job or traineeship) at the FNR or ALF

What do we expect from the selected candidates?

During the shooting periods: 
We expect applicants to be available during the Casting, and if selected, the first episode and if selected for the show, also for the whole duration of the shooting periods.
The dates at one glance: 

In between the shooting periods: 

• Applicants who are selected to participate in the first episode will be required to sign a contract with FNR-ALF, through its subcontractor FreeLens. 
• Participants who remain in the show following the shooting period in August commit to preparing a science show, which will be featured in the eighth episode. The preparation for this show will primarily be undertaken by the candidates themselves, with assistance from science coaches Joseph Rodesch and Lucie Zeches (FNR). It is estimated that the preparation for this show will require approximately 20 hours. 
• 8 out of the 12 participants who successfully pass the first episode commit to being available at least one month prior to the shooting of the final, in the event they are selected as finalists or members of the finalist teams. The preparation for this project of the show is estimated to require approximately 50 hours per participant.

After the shooting periods: 

• Additionally to these dates, we expect the 12 candidates who made it to the show to be available at promotion events like e.g. the Casting Call of the following season.
• The 12 candidates to continue on the show after the first episode will be asked to be filmed in their personal environment, organised together with the production company. Additionally, they likely will be asked to record themselves with a phone camera (provided by the production company) in their personal environment and provide the production company with the video material.

 What do we offer?

We offer free training and support in the following fields:
-    social media, TV and live performances, 
-    different scientific topics (linked with the show)
-    safe use of tools for building 
-    potential threats linked to a larger public exposure. We stay in constant contact and give support during the whole project, and we refer to professionals in the field (e.g. BeeSecure and psychologists).

Candidates that have participated in the show get an official certificate for their CV by the project team. Additionally, we provide the following opportunities:
•    to be part of large TV production,
•    to potentially win one of the prizes: 10.000 € or 5.000 €,
•    to gain visibility on social media and on national TV,
•    to potentially present their own performance live in front of an audience,
•    to take (voluntarily) part in science.lu outreach activities, such as radio shows, social media videos or Science Festival workshops (see also: science-festival.lu; researchersdays.lu).

 These opportunities may vary are always under guidance of the science coaches. 

To facilitate the transport of the candidates to the production site, we will provide the possibility to stay in a hostel near the production studio (in Esch). A separate parental authorisation will be requested for minors. During that time, there will be no responsible adult supervising the candidates.

Prize Money

The Show offers a prize of (ten thousand EUR) 10,000 € to the winner. A money price of (five thousand EUR) 5000€ will go to the second place. The prize money will be awarded to the winner after the conclusion of the Show.

Application procedure

To participate in the show, there are a few necessary steps to follow.
•    Registration & Agreement to Privacy Policy and to the Terms and Conditions

• Be declared eligible
• Passing the interview (only exception: when winning a Wild Card on social media)
• Signing of a confidentiality agreement between the candidate/parent and ALF – FNR if selected for the first episode.
• Signing of a contract with the production company commissioned by the ALF-FNR consortium if selected for the first episode.

Selection Criteria

During the casting process, candidates will be evaluated by the casting team, that is composed of people from the FNR, ALF and the TV production agencies, based on the following criteria:
 

• Number of correct answers: Candidates will be assessed on their ability to provide quick and accurate responses to questions assessing general knowledge and logic.
• Accuracy and speed of completing a handy task: Candidates will be evaluated on their ability to complete a given task accurately and efficiently. During the first episode, the three fastest contestants to solve all the challenges correctly will be selected automatically
• Communication skills: Candidates will be assessed on their ability to communicate effectively, clearly
• Language skills: Basic English understanding and speaking is required. It is not necessary to be able to speak Luxembourgish, however, it can be seen as an advantage.
• Diversity of gender, age, and origin: The casting team is committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity, and as such, candidates from different genders, age groups, and cultural backgrounds will be given equal opportunities to be selected for the first episode.
• Show potential: We consider how applicants present themselves on camera.

The final decision on the selection of candidates will be at the sole discretion of the casting team, based on the above selection criteria and any other relevant factors deemed important for the success of the project. The candidates selected on the first day of the casting will be contacted by phone at the end of the day. Candidates selected on the second day of the casting will be contacted by telephone in the week following the casting. Candidates selected during the first episode will be announced on the same day in the presence of all participants.

Passing the Casting and first episode

First, applicants need to register on the site “takeoffshow.lu” and provide complete and accurate information about themselves. Additionally, they must agree to our Privacy Policy, which outlines our use of your personal information. The registrations start on April 15th.
 

Based on the answers provided in the registration form, the casting jury will select 50 participants and invite them to an interview on June 18, 2026. The interview is mandatory for participation in the show.

For the day of the interview, candidates are asked to bring the following:

• If you are over 18 years old: a signed document allowing us to publish video footage and photos in which you appear (this will be sent to you by email).
• If you are under 18 years old: a signed parental consent form (this will be sent to you by email).
• An identity document.

These are short interviews lasting a few minutes, during which applicants will be asked various questions, including their motivation for participating in the show. Afterwards, applicants must complete an individual task that requires no special preparation.
At the end of the day, the casting team will select the best 35 candidates based on the selection criteria, who will be invited to take part in the Take Off Camp (June 25–26, 2026). From these 35, 24 candidates will be selected after the first day of the Take Off Camp to participate in the first episode.
 

The casting team consists of representatives from the André Losch Fondation (ALF), the “Science in Society” team of the Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR), as well as the production team. Members may be visible to applicants or work behind the scenes.
By passing the interview and participating in the filming of the show (first episode and studio episodes), you agree to sign a contract with the ALF-FNR consortium via the appointed production company. This contract, among other things, prohibits candidates from discussing any aspect of the show, including the challenges and their own standing, with anyone not involved in the show until its official broadcast. In addition, candidates must be available for all filming dates as determined by the production company. A breach of these contractual obligations may result in penalties or fines.

By registering for the show, you acknowledge and agree that we may contact you directly regarding your participation and that we may use your name, image, voice, and other personal information in connection with the show, including but not limited to its promotion and marketing.
The storage and use of personal data are defined in the website’s privacy policy.

Confidentiality and non-disclosure

By participating in the Show, you acknowledge that you have access to confidential information, processes and procedures relating to the Show, including but not limited to the promotion and marketing of the Show.
You may not reveal any of this confidential information to people outside of the production until the end of the broadcasting. 

Intellectual Property

The Site and all content on the Site, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and videos, are owned by us or our licensors (Vesilind OÜ) and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may not use any content on the Site for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent from FNR-ALF.
By participating in the Show, you grant us a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use your name, likeness, voice, and other personal information in connection with the Show, including but not limited to promotion and marketing of the Show.

Disqualification and Termination

FNR-ALF reserve the right to disqualify you from the Show and/or terminate your use of the Site at any time and for any reason, including but not limited to violation of these Terms or any applicable law or regulation.

Data protection

The protection of personal data is one of our main concerns. The data collected on this site are processed by the staff of FNR and ALF as joint controllers, or by any person replacing them and in accordance with the privacy policy of the show Take Off.
See the Take Off data privacy policy: https://www.takeoffshow.lu/en/privacypolicy
See ALF data privacy: https://www.loschfondation.lu/politique-de-confidentialite/ 

Disclaimer of warranties

The site and the show are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of the site, the availability, accuracy, or completeness of the content on the site, or the show. To the fullest extent permissible by applicable law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

Limitation of liability

In no event shall we be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages, including but not limited to damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data, or other intangible losses, arising from your use or inability to use the site or the show, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. To the extent permitted by applicable law, our total liability to you for all claims arising out of or relating to the use of or any inability to use any portion of the site or the show, or otherwise arising under these terms and conditions, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, is limited to the amount you paid, if any, to access the site and the show.

What is the show “Take Off“ about?

Take Off is a science game show of 13 episodes, in which 12 resourceful youngsters face tricky challenges. In each episode, one candidate must leave the show. The fourth season of the show will be produced in 2026 and broadcasted on RTL, RTL Play, YouTube and social media in 2027. The winner will be rewarded with 10.000€, the second place wins 5.000€.
Take Off is a Science Game Show that places the young generation in the spotlight. To ensure that our show format reaches our target audience, we place special emphasis on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, as well as "Video on Demand" (RTL Play, YouTube).
In conjunction with the show, educational resources, such as explanatory videos and articles, will be developed for schools in collaboration with SCRIPT and published on the science.lu webpage and YouTube to support and motivate teachers to replicate scientific challenges in their classrooms.
The show is produced by FreeLens Television and its subcontractors (e.g. Brainplug). The science challenges are produced in collaboration with Estonian science editors.

Definitions

•    Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR)
The Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) is the main funder of research activities in Luxembourg. We invest public funds and private donations into research projects in various branches of science and the humanities, with an emphasis on selected core strategic areas. Furthermore, we support and coordinate activities to strengthen the link between science and society and to raise awareness for research. We also advise the Luxembourg government on research policy and strategy.
More information can be found on www.fnr.lu

•    André Losch Fondation (ALF)
The ALF is a private institution which provides independent, impartial support and guidance for projects dedicated to young people in the Grand Duchy, in the fields of education, social inclusion and health. Its aim is to contribute to the development of a fairer, more sustainable and cohesive society. More information can be found on www.loschfondation.lu

•    Casting Team
The Casting Team is composed of the three different institutions/agencies working together on the project: The ALF – FNR consortium, the production agency FreeLens Television commissioned by the consortium, and its subcontractors.  Its role is to organize the casting call and the casting. The casting team also serves as jury in the casting and first episode, tasked with determining the suitability of applicants for the Show.

•    Subcontractors
The subcontractors are agencies or individual professionals hired by the primary service provider FreeLens Television to help on the project.

Contact

For questions, please contact takeoff(at)takeoffshow.lu

Miscellaneous

Applicable Terms and Conditions : The latest version of the Terms and conditions is applied. 
The FNR reserves the right to revise the Terms and Conditions.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction : The Terms and Conditions shall be governed, interpreted, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions will be subject to the jurisdiction of the Courts of Luxembourg

Version 12.05.2025