Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) have demonstrated immense potential in efficiently building and managing global infrastructure through token-driven incentives, decentralized governance, and shared ownership. In particular, token incentives lower the capital investment cost, and shared ownership reduces the operational cost. Nevertheless, to ensure this success is sustainable, critical challenges remain—ranging from fair contributor incentivization, robust governance and designing viable business models, to effective data quality assessment and secure infrastructure implementations. This conference will bring together researchers, industry experts, and practitioners to discuss novel solutions in DePIN, as well as to explore how emerging technologies such as AI can enhance and expand DePIN’s capabilities. By identifying key challenges and mapping new research directions, the conference aims to advance a more resilient and value-aligned decentralized infrastructure ecosystem.

Submission Guidelines

We welcome submissions of both original research and previously published work. All accepted papers will be invited to present at this conference. Additionally, accepted original contributions will be invited to present at IEEE Brains 2025—and, upon presentation there, will be included in its proceedings.

We particularly welcome submissions of previously published work that can meaningfully contribute to the emerging DePIN research field, even if not originally developed within it. Original research admitted to the conference will be invited to be presented at the workshop on DePIN at IEEE Brains 2025 and thus enter the proceedings of that conference.

Submission Format

Original (new) full papers should not exceed 15 pages (including references); submissions of previously published work may retain the original publication’s lengthMaximum of 5 pages for short papers (describing work in progress). Papers must be written in EnglishOriginal (new) research must follow the IEEE 2-column format; submissions of previously published work may retain the original format

Double-Blind Review

For original (new) research submissions, please anonymize your manuscript by removing all identifying information—author names, institutional affiliations, and funding acknowledgments—prior to submission.

List of Topics

• System Architectures and Implementations of DePIN
• Participatory Sensing & Citizen Science in Infrastructure
• Network Science approaches to DePIN
• Experimental Evaluations, Performance Analysis and Case Studies
• Tokenomics, Incentive Mechanisms, and Game Theory
• Governance Protocols and DAO Research for DePIN
• Community Building and Organizational Structures in DePIN
• Value-sensitive Design of DePIN systems
• Security, Privacy & Identity in decentralized systems
• Emergent Behavior in Complex Decentralized Networks
• Hardware, Firmware, and Device Identity for robust distributed deployments
• Business Models, Monetization Strategies and Legal considerations
• Regulation and Ethics in DePIN
• Bridging Complex Systems, AI & Distributed SystemsCross-Chain Protocols & Layer-2 Solutions for DePIN

Committees

Steering Committee

• Prof. Claudio Tessone (University of Zurich)
• Prof. Heinrich Nax (University of Zurich)
• Prof. Evangelos Pournaras (University of Leeds) 
• Prof. Benedikt Soja (ETH Zurich)
• Dr. Sachit Mahajan (ETH Zurich)
• Prof. Uroš  Kalabić (Singidunum University) 
• Dr. Xinxin Fan (IoTeX)
• Dr. Jens Hunhevicz (Empa)
• Dr. Florian Spychiger (ZHAW)
• Una Wang (DAO Suisse)

Program Committee

• Dr. Felix Härer (University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland)
• Raphael Knechtli (DCAP)
• Benjamin Kraner (University of Zurich)
• Krzysztof Paruch (Token Engineering Labs)

Organizing committee

• Dr. Mark Ballandies
• Marc Hauser
• Viola Bhattarai

Invited Speakers

• TBC

Publication

Accepted original (new) research will be invited to present at IEEE Brains 2025 and, upon presentation, will be published in its proceedings.

Venue

The conference will be held at Trust Square, Bahnhofstrasse 75, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to markchristopher.ballandies@uzh.ch

Sponsors