2026 AI Pipeline Security Challenge
Build the Future of Secure AI Pipelines
Join Protegrity’s U.S.-only virtual hackathon for engineers building AI systems that need to protect sensitive data. Use Protegrity Developer Edition to build a working AI pipeline, show how data is protected across ingestion, embedding, training, or inference, and compete for developer-focused prizes.
Reward Structure
Prizes and recognition are awarded based on technical clarity, AI pipeline realism, quality of data protection design, and effective use of Protegrity Developer Edition.
Grand Prize
$10,000 cash
Plus a $1,000 Best Buy gift card and a $500 cruise gift card for the winning submission.
Finalist Recognition
Featured secure AI builders
Selected finalists may be featured in Protegrity hackathon recap content and highlighted for their approach to secure AI pipeline design.
Developer Access
Build with Developer Edition
Approved participants receive access to Protegrity Developer Edition resources to support their build during the challenge.
Why participate?
Build a working AI pipeline using Protegrity Developer Edition, solve a real data protection challenge, and show how sensitive data can stay protected across modern AI workflows.
Use Protegrity Developer Edition
Put Developer Edition to work in a practical build that shows where data protection belongs in the AI pipeline.
Build for Real AI Use Cases
Design an AI workflow that protects sensitive data across ingestion, embedding, training, retrieval, inference, or response generation.
Show Your Architecture
Submit your GitHub entry, architecture overview, and 10–15 minute demo video so judges can evaluate both the technical design and the working implementation.
Bring Your Own Stack
Use the models, vector databases, orchestration frameworks, and development tools you already know. The challenge is flexible by design, as long as your submission uses Protegrity Developer Edition to protect sensitive data in the AI workflow.
Challenge Areas
Select Your Pipeline Focus
Secure AI Pipelines
The Primary Challenge: Design and demonstrate an AI system that processes sensitive enterprise data and protects it throughout ingestion, training, embedding, and inference using Protegrity Developer Edition.
Architect AI Without Exposure
Alternative Challenge: Develop a modern AI architecture (RAG, agent, or ML pipeline) where sensitive data is never exposed in raw form, even during embedding, training, or inference.
Protect Data in Use
Alternative Challenge: Build an AI application that ensures sensitive data remains protected during real-time processing, model interaction, and user response generation — without sacrificing utility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the challenge and participation.
This challenge is open to eligible U.S.-based developers and engineers. Participation requirements may include registration approval and verification details provided during the sign-up process.
Reserve Your Spot
Apply for the 2026 AI Pipeline Security Challenge
Join Protegrity’s U.S.-only virtual hackathon for engineers building secure AI pipelines. Complete the form and the Protegrity team will follow up with eligibility details, participation next steps, and Developer Edition access information.