We provide definitions for strict involutive higher categories (a vertical categorification of dagger categories), strict higher C*-categories and higher Fell bundles (over arbitrary involutive higher topological categories). We put forward a proposal for a relaxed form of the exchange property for higher (C*)-categories that avoids the Eckmann-Hilton collapse and hence allows the construction of explicit non-trivial non-commutative examples arising from the study of hypermatrices and hyper-C*-algebras, here defined. Alternatives to the usual globular and cubical settings for strict higher categories are also explored. Applications of these non-commutative higher C*-categories are envisaged in the study of morphisms in non-commutative geometry and in the algebraic formulation of relational quantum theory.
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