A structured 14-week journey for university students. Build innovative, real-world products using proxy infrastructure and pitch to industry leaders.
Form your team of 2-4 students and get onboarded to the Proxy Maze platform.
A 24-hour technical sprint to test your core skills and proxy understanding.
Submit detailed product proposals outlining your vision and technical approach.
Guided prototype development with workshops and mentorship from experts.
The top 10 teams present their live products to a panel of industry judges.
1ST RUNNER-UP
CHAMPION
2ND RUNNER-UP
Voted by the community — the project that captures the most attention wins.
A structured 14-week journey from registration to the grand finale.
Progress through technical filters, proposal reviews, and guided implementation to reach the live pitch.
Teams of 2–4 students from the same university register and prepare for the challenge ahead.
24-hour technical challenge demonstrating ability to work with Torch Proxies products. Top 50 teams advance.
Qualifying teams submit detailed project proposals outlining their concept, approach, and intended use of Torch Proxies.
Expert panel reviews all proposals. Top 25 teams advance to the build phase.
Teams build prototypes and submit a video walkthrough demonstrating project functionality and Torch Proxies integration.
Panel reviews video submissions. Top 10 teams advance to the grand finale.
Finalists complete full project implementation and prepare their live pitch presentation.
Top 10 teams pitch in person to a panel of judges. Winners are announced on the day.
Level up your technical arsenal with guided sessions from industry veterans.
An essential introductory session covering the basics of proxy infrastructure, types of proxies, and how to integrate them into your applications. Mandatory for all registered teams.
Details for this session are currently being finalized. This workshop will dive deeper into scaling and security, preparing you for the second phase of the hackathon.
All team members must be currently enrolled at the same university. Affiliation will be verified for all Top 50 teams — any team found to include members from different universities will be disqualified.
Each team must consist of 2–4 members. Solo entries are not permitted.
All projects must actively utilize at least one Torch Labs / Torch Proxies product as a core component of the solution.
Submissions must be original work created during the hackathon period. Pre-existing codebases are not eligible.
All participants must adhere to the event code of conduct at all times, both during online phases and at the in-person finale.
"Integrity is the core of innovation. Build fair, build bold."
Torch Proxies Presents
Innovation Challenge 2026
Everything in one place — the challenge brief, judging criteria, timeline, prizes, and what it takes to go from 200+ teams to the top 10 who pitch at the finale.
Meet the architects behind Proxy Maze '26. Reach out for any mission-critical support.
