Competition
Creating new ideas, models and technologies for tomorrow’s healthcare system
Preparation: The Challenges
🧠 Ready to Tackle the Future of Cancer Care?
Option A: This year’s edition of the Healthcare Heroes Hackathon is all about oncology — one of the most urgent and complex challenges in modern medicine. You and your team will dive into real-world questions that demand fresh thinking, empathy, and innovation.
Option B: Cancer isn’t just a medical challenge; it’s something most of us have encountered through someone we care about. A friend. A family member. A professor.
This hackathon invites you to channel that connection into action. You and your team will explore real-world oncology challenges where empathy, fresh thinking, and bold ideas can truly make a difference.
🔍 The 4 big questions of 2025-2026 :
- How can we empower cancer patients in their care?
- How can we optimize the time and expertise of oncologists?
- How can we unlock and structure oncology data to enable smarter, secondary use?
How can we shift from treating late-stage cancer to early detection
Get ready to push your thinking, work in a diverse team, and make your mark in healthcare.
⚠️ Note: Spots for each challenge are limited, so come with an open mind. Whichever one you join, you’ll be solving something meaningful.
Session 1: The Hackaton
DAY 1
- 9:00 – 9:15 AM Arrival time of participants
- 9:15 – 10:30 AM Launch of the hackathon and presentation of the challenges
- 10:30 – 11:15 AM Team formation
- 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Design thinking workshop
- 12:00 – 1:00 PM Team lunch time; get to know others
- 1:00 – 5:00 PM Start to hack
- 5:00 PM Return home; see you tomorrow
DAY 2
- 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Continue to hack
- 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch time
- 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Last laps to hack
- 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM Pitch time
- 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Closing ceremony
- 5:00 PM Return home; see you at the parliament or next year
Session 2: The Finals
Four selected teams will have the opportunity to present and defend their innovative cases before an audience of healthcare experts and policymakers in the Belgian Federal Parliament.
Their projects will be heard, challenged and assessed by a grand jury. At the end of this session, one winning team will be announced as the new Healthcare Heroes 2026.
