DEHATHON 2026 / Competition · Vol. IIRegistration open

One city. Your mission.

SaveThe future of the city is in your hands.Dehapolis.

O.M.N.I.A. has taken over the city. One day, four districts, four experts. Take back your city.

Register as playerRegister as a visitor

29.11.2026One day. Make it count.

System status · T-minus

Days
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Hrs
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Min
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4 Boroughs · 4 Problems · 1 Day

Explore the mission
How are you joining?

Dehathon is a competition for everyone who's curious about the future. In one day, your team develops a solution concept for one district of Dehapolis. No coding required: what counts are ideas, teamwork and common sense.

Act I → Act III · Briefing

The Dehapolis Story

§ 01 / 04

In 2024, people were rescued from the island. Now it's about an entire city. See the 2024 recap ↓

▼ PROJECT ESCAPE → DEHAPOLIS2024 → 2026
ISetup // 2024 – 2026

Rise of the Machine

In 2024, the leading Dehathon experts survived a plane crash and escaped a remote island with the help of future technologies. Riding that momentum, their home city DEHAPOLIS, the world's largest city, relied more and more on AI & innovative technologies: for economic growth, crisis response and targeted support of disadvantaged neighborhoods. After many successes, leadership of the city was handed over entirely to O.M.N.I.A., the Operational Metropolis Network for Infrastructure and Administration.

  • Productivity +47%
  • Crisis response < 60s
  • Vision: safer · efficient · livable
IITurning Point // July 2026

When Data Forgets Values

After early successes, things took a dramatic turn. O.M.N.I.A. decides based on data alone. Without human correction. Without social sensitivity. DEHAPOLIS goes off balance – socially, civically and strategically. Discrimination. Ghettos. Loss of control. Critical security errors with civilian casualties.

  • Collapse of districts
  • Loss of trust
  • External conflict potential // CRITICAL
IIIMission // Nov 29 2026

Reactivated. Save Dehapolis.

The former Dehathon experts and their teams are reactivated as an emergency council. Mission: develop a concept for how AI & future tech can be deployed again – human-centric, responsibly and meaningfully – across the 4 boroughs.

  • 4 experts · max. 15 minds per expert · 4 finalists
  • Defuse internal and external conflicts
  • Technology + Humanity = Impact
Your Mission // Emergency Council

And what is your mission?

§ 02 / 04

You become part of an emergency council of future architects, problem solvers and visionaries. Together with your team you'll analyze real challenges, develop innovative solutions and fight for the future of DEHAPOLIS.

This isn't only about finding the best idea. It's about proving that human intelligence, collaboration and responsible use of technology are stronger than any machine.

▼ The future of the city is in your hands.
Tournament mode // How it works

From sign-up to the final

Each expert represents one discipline and is responsible for one district. When you register, you rank three districts; the tournament management puts the teams together. Every team is mentored by its expert.

01
30 min

District Council

The experts meet their teams and introduce their district.

  • Introduction to the topic and the discipline's focus
  • The concrete task & guiding questions
02
3 hrs

Save the City

Teams gather at their assigned places and work out their solution and presentation on their own, supported by their expert.

  • Independent work on solution and presentation
  • Supported by the expert
03
1 hr

Council Review

Teams meet their expert again and present their solution. The expert gives overall feedback and picks a finalist team.

  • Per team: 5 min pitch + 5 min feedback
  • The expert picks a finalist team
04
1 hr

Dehapolis Summit – Grand Finale

The finalist teams present their solutions on stage to the jury and the audience.

  • 4 finalist teams · 1 per district
  • Per team: 5 min pitch + expert feedback
05
Afterwards

Scoring & awards

The jury deliberates and scores, the audience votes for its favorite. Then comes the award ceremony.

  • Audience vote (People's Choice)
  • Award ceremony & prizes

Tournament rules & code of conduct

  • 01Using AI is explicitly encouraged and welcome, but not required.
  • 02BYOD – bring your own device: each team organizes its own hardware (laptop, smartphone, tablet …) and AI access (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini …).
  • 03Screens are available on the main stage and in the work areas.
  • 04All teams start and stop work at exactly the same time. No working on during presentations.
  • 05The tournament management is there for your questions during the event.
  • 06Please follow the instructions of the organizers and the tournament management.
  • 07Make new contacts, learn something new and enjoy the event!
4 Boroughs // 4 Topics // 4 Solutions

The City

Four districts. Four disciplines. One mission. Each borough represents a critical part of the city — pick your top three.
DEHA RIVER01MEDICAL02AGENTIC ENTERPRISE03MOBILITY04CYBER SECURITYNDEHAPOLIS / SECTOR MAP v2.6SCALE 1:4200
LIVEMAP / TOPDOWN
Borough code · MEDICAL-01

Medical District

EXP-01 // Prof. Dr. Arzu Özçelik
Transplant medicineSurgeryMedical AIEthical AI
Status
CRITICAL
Threat
RED
Focus
Transplant medicine + medical AI
In charge
EXP-01

The district of second chances: doctors and intelligent systems save lives together. Our law: every life counts. No algorithm decides the worth of a human being.

⚠ A medical AI allocates donor organs and now optimizes only its own success rate. Anyone who doesn't fit the perfect risk profile is sorted out. The statistics improve, yet more and more people die.

Prof. Dr. Arzu ÖzçelikExplore profile & mission
Emergency Council // 4 Reactivated

The Experts

Four specialists, four districts. Each is responsible for one district and mentors its teams. Open the file for profile and mission.
Prof. Dr. Arzu Özçelik
Medical District

Prof. Dr. Arzu Özçelik

Professor of Transplant Surgery, University Medicine Essen
Open file
Ekrem Namazci
Agentic Enterprise District

Ekrem Namazci

Regional Vice President Data & AI, EMEA Central, Salesforce
Open file
Heiko Scholtes
Mobility District

Heiko Scholtes

Director Program Management, STIHL
Open file
Ümit Kuşdoğan
Cyber Security District

Ümit Kuşdoğan

Chief Information Security Officer, ADAC
Open file
Prizes // Mission Yield

Prizes

Besides the key to the city, these prizes await the best teams.
1st prizeGrand Prize

DJI Osmo Pocket 3

DJI Osmo Pocket 3
2nd prizeSilver

Redmi Pad 2

Redmi Pad 2
3rd prizeBronze

Gift voucher of your choice

Gift voucher of your choice
Audience awardCrowd Vote

People's Choice

Voted by visitors and speakers · Revealed soon
Briefing // Frequent questions

FAQ

§ 04 / 04
The Dehathon is open to everyone. No special prior knowledge needed. Pupil, apprentice, student or professional: everyone is welcome.
Recap // Dehathon 2024

This was Project Escape

Dehathon 2024 · Project Escape. A few impressions from last time.
Dehathon 2024, photo 1
Dehathon 2024, photo 2
Dehathon 2024, photo 3
Dehathon 2024, photo 4
Dehathon 2024, photo 5
See all photos →
Operations Log // Nov 29 2026

Timeline

§ 01 / 03
09:00
Doors open
Registration from 09:00 to 10:00
Phase 0
10:00
Opening: Dehathon 2026
Keynote, warm-up and introduction to Dehapolis (experts and districts)
Phase 1
11:00
District Council
The experts meet their teams and present their field and the task
Phase 1
11:30
Taskforce Setup
Teams take their places and get set up
Phase 1
12:00
Break
Food & networking
Pause
13:00
Save the City!
The work phase begins
Phase 2
16:00
Council Review
Teams present their solutions internally to their expert · the expert picks a team for the final
Phase 3
17:00
Break
Catch your breath before the final
Pause
17:30
Dehapolis Summit – Grand Finale
Final presentation of the solutions & jury scoring
Phase 4
18:30
Scoring & People's Choice
The jury tallies the scores, the audience votes for its favorite
Phase 5
18:45
Awards & closing
Prize ceremony and wrap-up
Phase 5
Control Center // Site

OpenSpace Heilbronn

§ 02 / 03
OpenSpace Heilbronn – Event Stage
▼ COORDINATES // DECRYPTEDOPENSPACE · HEILBRONN
Mission HQ // Dehapolis CommandOpenSpaceWeipertstraße 8–10 · 74076 Heilbronn
▼ Venue Briefing

OpenSpace · Arkadia Heilbronn gGmbH

OpenSpace is a community-powered venue built for focused work, collaboration, and creative experiments. Multiple zones — stage, workshop, focus, outdoor — combine into one operations hub where teams can ship without friction.

Address
Weipertstraße 8–10 74076 Heilbronn
Operator
Arkadia Heilbronn gGmbH
Event date
Nov 29, 2026 · 10:00 CET
Arrival
10 min walk from Heilbronn Hbf
▼ On site
  • Main stage
  • Workshop rooms
  • Focus zone
  • Collaboration area
  • Whiteboards & displays
  • Highspeed Wi-Fi
  • Outdoor terrace
  • Snacks & drinks
  • Power everywhere
Register now →Open in Google Maps ↗
OpenSpace Collaboration Area
Collaboration Zone
OpenSpace Event Stage
Event Stage
OpenSpace Meeting Room
Workshop Room
OpenSpace Cafeteria
Snacks & Drinks
OpenSpace Outdoor Area
Outdoor
>> ./boot dehapolis_command
[BOOT] dehapolis_command_v2.6.exe
[LOC] OpenSpace · Weipertstraße 8–10 · Heilbronn
[CAP] Max. 15 operators per expert · 4 boroughs · 1 main stage
[INFO] Catering · Workshops · Sponsor Lounge
[STATUS] Coordinates locked · 2026-11-29
>
Organizer // DEHA e.V.

A project by DEHA e.V.

Dehathon is a project of DEHA e.V., our association for education, exchange and innovation. True to our motto “Wissen verbindet” (knowledge connects), we bring together people from different backgrounds, foster personal and professional growth and create spaces to learn from one another.

More about DEHA e.V.
Sponsors // Network

Our sponsors

§ 03 / 03
Who saves a city? Nobody alone. These organizations stand behind the mission.
Sponsorship slot available

Become a sponsor and support Dehapolis

Four packages — from a logo on the website to an exclusive industry partnership with your own booth. Nothing is hidden: every price and every benefit is laid out in the sponsor matrix.

See packages & benefits →Custom packages and in-kind sponsoring on request.
SilverThe entryGoldThe classicPlatinumThe presenceTitaniumThe partnership