Rhuna and Alcatraz AI Turn the Face Into the Ticket at UNTOLD, One of the World's Top Three Music Festivals

Privacy-first facial authentication brought effortless, anonymized entry to Transylvania in a pilot developed with CNKT Labs

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rhuna and Alcatraz AI have brought privacy forward face as a credential to UNTOLD, ranked among the top three music festivals in the world, in a pilot developed with venture studio CNKT Labs. It is the Face ID of physical spaces, applied to a 500,000-attendee festival.

At UNTOLD 2026 in Transylvania this summer, thousands of attendees opted in by choosing to use their face as their credential when they bought their ticket. Concert goers then entered and moved in and out of the festival grounds without the hassle of showing a phone or presenting a paper ticket. The gate was an Intelligent Door, powered by Alcatraz's Rock reader. The privacy forward technology is known as facial authentication, not facial recognition: it confirms that a person is the verified ticket holder and does nothing else. Unlike surveillance based facial recognition technology that relies on photographs, the Rock does not have or store any personal information like names or photographs. Alcatraz simply authenticates on the device at the gate, not in the cloud. Each face is converted into an encrypted template and matched locally, an approach built to comply with GDPR, CCPA and BIPA. Participation was optional. The AI-driven system works in real time at the door, and like FACE ID, it is designed to safeguard individual privacy. It also detects tailgating as it happens, alerting security the moment someone tries to follow a verified guest through the gate.

The pilot combined three companies' strengths. Rhuna, co-founded by CEO Sveatoslav Vizitiu and CCO Bogdan Radulescu, runs a single platform for payments, ticketing, access control and data, shaped by more than a decade of operating UNTOLD. Alcatraz AI, founded by Vince Gaydarzhiev, protects more than five million employees at Fortune 500 companies, airports and stadiums across the United States. CNKT Labs, led by founder and CEO Deian Markov, brought the founders together and helped connect the two products: software that knows who holds a ticket, and hardware that recognizes them at the gate.

"UNTOLD is where we test what the next generation of live events will look like," said Sveatoslav Vizitiu, CEO and Co-founder of Rhuna. "Running facial entry at a festival of this size gave us a real-world proof point at a scale most pilots never reach, and it shows where access and payments are heading: one identity, from the ticket purchase to the gate to the bar."

"The Alcatraz technology is built for environments where security, speed and privacy all matter," said Vince Gaydarzhiev, Founder and President of Alcatraz. "UNTOLD demonstrated that even at the scale and pace of a major festival, facial authentication can deliver fast, effortless access without compromising individual personal privacy. We are thrilled to bring the secure technology that the top tech giants and infrastructure rely on to enhance the magical experience of concert attendees."

"The gate is the first moment of every festival experience, and it should feel effortless," said Deian Markov, Founder and CEO of CNKT Labs. "Our vision was simple: what if you didn't need to show a ticket at all—what if your face was the ticket? By bringing Rhuna and Alcatraz together, we're turning that idea into reality and creating a more seamless way for people to move through live experiences."

What's next: Rhuna is bringing its platform to the U.S. market, and Alcatraz is extending Intelligent Access beyond offices, airports and stadiums into festivals and live events. The partners are continuing to develop new technology for event access and payments together. The biometric entry system remains in research and development, and detailed performance data will be shared as testing expands. Further announcements are expected in the coming months.

About Rhuna

Rhuna is the financial and operating infrastructure for live entertainment. Its white-label platform brings payments, ticketing, access control, data and capital products together in one system for festivals, concerts, sports venues and conferences. Built on more than a decade of operating UNTOLD, ranked among the top three festivals globally, Rhuna is led by CEO and Co-founder Sveatoslav Vizitiu and CCO and Co-founder Bogdan Radulescu. Learn more at rhuna.io.

About Alcatraz AI

Alcatraz is known as the Face ID of physical spaces. It is an AI-powered physical access control company headquartered in Cupertino, California. Its flagship product, the Rock™, can replace badge-based and legacy biometric security with fully anonymized facial authentication and real-time tailgating detection. More than half of the world’s top tech giants now rely on Alcatraz AI to secure physical access to their hyperscaler facilities, and it has rapidly become the standard for guarding the doors of the AI boom. Alcatraz AI is also trusted where security standards are highest and certifications hardest to earn: financial institutions, airports, and nuclear and energy infrastructure. Its technology protects professional sports teams from the NBA to the NFL, Fortune 100 companies, universities, stadiums, and private individuals.

About CNKT Labs

CNKT Labs Inc. is a technology venture studio building platforms that connect people, culture and experiences. With deep roots in music and entertainment, CNKT Labs develops products spanning music discovery, digital communities, identity and live experiences, connecting how people discover and engage online with how they access and experience the physical world. Founded by Deian Markov, CNKT Labs operates globally across the U.S., Europe and the Middle East.

High-resolution files available on request. Press Kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10-FitKwmRFKhamIpcp6QgXC-eqj8Xb0J?usp=drive_link