The origin of the electroweak scale remains one of the central open questions in particle physics. In this talk, I will present a framework based on the idea that the small Higgs mass reflects the proximity of the Higgs sector to a critical point in parameter space. In this framework, the hierarchy between the electroweak scale and the fundamental scale emerges as a consequence of near-criticality, providing an alternative to symmetry-based explanations.

I will discuss how this idea can be realised in extensions of the Standard Model and review several possible mechanisms by which the Higgs sector may be driven towards criticality. I will then present a recently proposed connection between Higgs criticality and Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), in which TeV-scale dark matter dynamically drives the Higgs sector towards criticality. Remarkably, the same WIMP properties that account for the observed thermal relic abundance offer a natural explanation for the smallness of the Higgs mass, suggesting a direct connection between the WIMP miracle and the hierarchy problem. I will conclude by discussing the prospects for testing this framework in current and future experiments.