Artist Tobias Rehberger and architect Jürgen Mayer H. have risen to the challenge of transforming Hall 16 at CeBIT 2012 into a world of innovation that visitors can experience with all of their senses. Their design aims to create an inspiring atmosphere – and one that’s positively brimming with visionary thinking. 2,500 square metres of innovation, innovation and more innovation! Together with the action-packed supporting programme, their artistic concept will make CODE_n a unique platform for networking, business and inspiration – a memorable mélange of art, design, the avant-garde, innovation and technology. At CeBIT 2012, CODE_n will be the place to be.

“Innovation (or creativity) has a lot to do with overcoming boundaries, exploring the unknown and fusing it with things we already know to create something radically different. Unfortunately, the world we live in tends to fear the unknown. If we want to progress as individuals, or as a society, in whatever area, we have to learn to overcome these fears. This is one of the aims pursued by CODE_n. Taking initiative strengthens your courage to seek out the unknown and to harness it for your own purposes – in other words, to tame it. CODE_n presents compelling examples of people and ideas who have used the unknown, or the previously unthought, to achieve success and recognition. I will endeavour to create the right surroundings for these bold individuals at CeBIT – and thus play my part in reducing our fear of the unknown.”

The artist Tobias Rehberger won a Golden Lion for his work at the 2009 Biennale in Venice. He has also been honoured with the Hans Thoma Award by the German state of Baden-Württemberg and the Hector Art Award by Kunsthalle Mannheim.

“Innovations occur by chance – or at least it seems that way. If you look closely, however, you can see they all share a common DNA. For us and our work, it is the question of man’s or a material’s relationship with its environment. With space, with nature, with technology. How man, objects and technology interact or exist side by side is what really interests us. So we’re fascinated to have the chance to discover the DNA of the web, and of the mobile innovations which have made it to CeBIT thanks to CODE_n. For the design of the CODE_n hall at CeBIT, we aim to place the DNA of these technological innovations in a dialogue with that of our own architectural innovations.”

Jürgen Mayer H. is an esteemed and internationally successful architect from Germany, and founder of the J. MAYER H. architecture firm. In recent years, the work of J. MAYER H. has won the Audi Urban Future Award, the Mies van der Rohe Prize, and a Bronze in the 2005 Holcim Awards Europe.

A jury of leading IT specialists, managers and lateral thinkers will select the 50 entrepreneurs who will be given the chance to showcase their solutions at CeBIT – as well as the ultimate winner of the CODE_n12 award. Jury members include Prof. Peter Weibel, head of the ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, and Lars Hinrichs, founder of the social networking service Xing. Technology experts from Fujitsu Technology Solutions will also play a major role in examining and selecting the contest submissions.

The names of the 10 finalists for the CODE_n12 award will be announced at a special press conference. Their entrepreneurial profiles and innovative business models will also be published in the expo journal during CeBIT. The CODE_n12 award ceremony on 8 March 2012 is set to be a major highlight of CeBIT. In this spectacular conclusion to the contest, the winner will receive the CODE_n12 award, plus prize money of €25,000 and two years of coaching by experienced managers from the contest’s strategic partners.

CODE_n aims to create a lively, exclusive and closely networked community. CODE_n Community is envisioned as a permanent “alumni” platform for current and former participants, investors, venture capital entrepreneurs and decision-makers from the IT sector.

As well as their official presence at CeBIT 2012, the 50 chosen entrants will also have the chance to showcase their work in the Live Action Corner. This is the perfect spot for entrants to meet up with existing contacts and forge new ones.

Every evening, international up-and-coming musicians will perform in the Live Action Corner. A great way to support young talent of a different kind!

During the day, the Live Action Corner is dedicated to interaction and creative energy. There will be all kinds of performances, ensuring the Live Action Corner is the “nerve centre” of CeBIT. Avantgarde, experimental, crossover… the Live Action Corner stage is dedicated to the extraordinary, the innovative, the entertaining. It’s a scintillatingly novel platform for new talent of all kinds.