On Thursday, November 5, the most impactful work in experimentation and optimisation will once again take centre stage during DDMA Experimentation Heroes 2026. From today, experimentation specialists can submit their case(s) in one of three categories: Conversion, Experimentation Culture, and Beyond Web. The Next Gen Heroes Award will also return, recognising one non-nominated submission with exceptional promise for the future.
New: Quick entry submission process
New this year is the introduction of a two-step rocket submission process, designed to make participating easier and more accessible. Participants start with a quick initial entry that takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Shortlisted teams will then be invited to develop and submit their full case. Good to know: participants can still refine and expand their original submission after being selected.
The key deadlines are:
- June 26 (before 17:00): deadline shortlist submission
- June 30: notification of selected shortlist submissions
- September 18 (before 17:00): deadline full case submission
Cases can now be submitted via experimentationheroes.com/awards.
In addition, ticket sales are officially open. Visitors can once again expect a full afternoon dedicated to experimentation, optimisation, AI, and data-driven growth.
DDMA Experimentation Heroes: What to Expect
The 2026 edition will take place in Hotel CASA Amsterdam and will be fully conducted in English. The programme will feature practical cases, honest learnings, and deep dives into experimentation strategies from leading organisations.
Experimentation Heroes focuses on three award categories:
- Conversion: experiments focused on improving websites, apps, and customer journeys
- Experimentation Culture: organisations successfully embedding experimentation into teams and decision-making
- Beyond Web: experiments beyond websites and apps, including campaigns, email, offline media, and cross-channel experiences
The event highlights not only successful results, but also the process behind experimentation: collaboration, iteration, organisational challenges, and learnings from failed tests.
Jury Panel & Previous Winners
The 2026 jury consists of respected experts from the field: Denise Visser (InShared), Cameron van Uytrecht (Insight ProdX), Jorden Lentze (Booking.com), Melle Moorman (Sunweb Group), and Arnout van Scherpenzeel (Univé). The jury evaluates submissions across the full experimentation process, from hypothesis and methodology to execution, analysis, and organisational impact.
Last year’s winners included Odido (Conversion), PostNL (Experimentation Culture), and ANWB (Beyond Web). The Next Gen Heroes Award was awarded to Topbloemen.