Terms of Service

1. Introduction

These Terms of Service (the “Terms”) constitute a legally binding agreement between ZenixBio, the operator and administrator of the online platform located at this URL (hereinafter referred to as the “Platform,” “Service,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), and any individual, organization, academic institution, corporate entity, or other legal person who accesses, browses, registers for, or otherwise uses the Platform or any services made available through it (hereinafter referred to as the “User,” “Participant,” “you,” or “your”).

By accessing, browsing, registering for, or otherwise using the Platform in any manner, including but not limited to creating an account, submitting materials, participating in any event hosted through the Platform, or interacting with content made available through the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to be legally bound by these Terms and any additional policies incorporated herein by reference. Such policies may include, without limitation, the Platform’s Privacy Policy, community guidelines, and any event-specific rules applicable to competitions, hackathons, research initiatives, or similar programs hosted through the Platform.

If you do not agree to these Terms in their entirety, you must immediately discontinue all access to and use of the Platform.

2. Definitions

• “Platform Operator” means the entity that owns and operates the Platform.
• “Organizer” means any individual or organization that publishes or administers an event, challenge, competition, or program through the Platform.
• “Partnerships” means any collaboration between an Organizer (or the Platform Operator) and third-party entities, including sponsors, for supporting or contributing to an Event, such as sourcing problem statements, funding, mentorship, or evaluation.
• “Event” means any competition, hackathon, research call, challenge, or similar program hosted through the Platform.
• “Submission” means any idea, proposal, code, document, design, research output, or other material submitted by a User in connection with an Event.
• “User Content” means any information, materials, or data uploaded, submitted, or transmitted by a User to the Platform.

3. Nature and Purpose of the Platform

The Platform operates as a digital infrastructure designed to facilitate the discovery, organization, and participation in various forms of intellectual, academic, technical, and creative engagements. Such engagements may include innovation challenges, hackathons, competitions, calls for submissions, research programs, collaborative projects, or other structured activities that invite participants to contribute ideas, solutions, or work products for evaluation.

The Platform provides technological tools that enable users to publish announcements of such events, discover available opportunities, submit proposals or projects, collaborate with other participants, and engage with event administrators through a centralized digital interface. These functionalities are intended solely to enable interaction between individuals or organizations interested in hosting or participating in such engagements.

Users acknowledge and agree that the Platform’s role is limited to providing and maintaining the technological environment through which such activities may occur. Except where explicitly stated otherwise, the Platform does not act as the sponsor, organizer, employer, evaluator, or guarantor of any event hosted on the Platform. The Platform does not assume responsibility for the administration of events, the evaluation of submissions, the fairness of judging procedures, or the awarding and distribution of prizes or recognition.

Any such responsibilities remain solely with the entity or individual administering the particular event. The Platform does not verify the legitimacy, accuracy, or completeness of event descriptions published by organizers, and users participate in events at their own discretion and risk.

4. Eligibility and Legal Capacity

Access to and use of the Platform is permitted only for individuals and entities who possess the legal capacity to enter into binding agreements under the laws applicable to them. By using the Platform, the User represents and warrants that they possess the legal authority and capacity required to accept these Terms and to comply with all obligations set forth herein.

Unless otherwise expressly permitted in the rules governing a specific event, users must be at least twelve (12) years of age or the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence. In circumstances where an event allows participation by minors, such participation must occur with the explicit consent and supervision of a parent, legal guardian, educational institution, or other authorized representative who assumes responsibility for the minor’s compliance with these Terms.

The Platform reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to request documentation or other information necessary to verify eligibility. Where a user fails to satisfy the eligibility requirements or fails to provide requested verification, the Platform may restrict, suspend, or terminate the user’s access to the Platform and may disqualify the user from participation in any events.

5. User Accounts and Registration

Certain features of the Platform may require users to create and maintain a registered account. In order to create such an account, users may be required to provide personal or organizational information including, but not limited to, their name, email address, affiliation, or other contact information.

Users agree that all information provided during registration shall be accurate, current, and complete, and that they will promptly update such information whenever necessary to maintain its accuracy. The integrity of the Platform depends in part on the reliability of user information, and the submission of false or misleading information may result in account suspension or termination.

Each user is solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account credentials, including usernames and passwords, and for restricting access to their account. Any activity conducted through a user’s account shall be deemed to have been authorized by that user unless proven otherwise.

Users agree to notify the Platform immediately in the event of any suspected unauthorized access, security breach, or misuse of their account. The Platform shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from a user’s failure to protect their account credentials or from unauthorized activities conducted through a compromised account.

The Platform reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or terminate user accounts that violate these Terms or that present a risk to the security, integrity, or proper functioning of the Platform.

6. Participation in Events and Opportunities

The Platform may host or facilitate the publication of events that invite participants to submit ideas, research proposals, technical solutions, creative works, or other forms of intellectual output for review or evaluation.

Each event may be governed by its own rules, eligibility criteria, submission requirements, timelines, judging procedures, and prize structures. Such rules are typically established by the organizer of the event and may vary depending on the nature of the program.

By choosing to participate in any event, users agree to comply not only with these Terms but also with the specific rules governing that event. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and the rules of a particular event, the event rules shall govern solely with respect to that event.

The Platform does not participate in the evaluation or judging of submissions unless explicitly stated otherwise. All decisions regarding the evaluation, ranking, or selection of submissions remain solely within the discretion of the event organizers. Users acknowledge that such decisions are final and that the Platform bears no responsibility for the outcome of any evaluation process. The Platform or event organizers reserve the right to modify, suspend, or cancel any event, including its timelines, rules, or prizes, at their sole discretion without prior notice and liability to Users.

7. User Content and Submissions

The Platform may allow users to upload, submit, or otherwise transmit content in connection with their participation in events or their use of the Platform. Such content may include documents, written descriptions, source code, research proposals, multimedia files, designs, data sets, presentations, or other forms of intellectual work (collectively referred to as “User Content”).

Users retain ownership of the intellectual property rights in their User Content unless otherwise specified in the rules governing a particular event. However, by submitting content through the Platform, users grant the Platform a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, display, and transmit such content for the purpose of operating, maintaining, and promoting the Platform and facilitating participation in events.

Users acknowledge that submissions made through the Platform may be visible to event organizers, judges, mentors, and, where applicable, other participants depending on the event configuration. The Platform does not guarantee confidentiality of any submissions unless explicitly stated in the rules of a specific event.

The Platform does not guarantee the permanent availability, storage, or backup of any user content or submissions. Users are advised to retain independent copies of all materials submitted through the Platform.

Users represent and warrant that they possess all rights necessary to submit such content and that their submissions do not infringe upon the intellectual property rights, confidentiality obligations, or other legal rights of any third party. Users further agree that they will not submit content that is unlawful, defamatory, abusive, discriminatory, or otherwise harmful.

Users shall not submit content that is plagiarized, infringes intellectual property rights, or contains confidential or proprietary information without proper authorization. The Platform reserves the right to remove content that violates these Terms or that poses a risk to the integrity or reputation of the Platform.

8. Publicity / Marketing Rights

By participating in events, Users grant the Platform and event organizers the right to use their name, affiliation, and submission details for promotional, marketing, and reporting purposes, unless otherwise restricted by applicable law or explicitly requested by the User in writing.

9. Fees, Prizes, and Financial Transactions

Certain events, competitions, challenges, or services available through the Platform may involve participation fees, entry fees, prize pools, awards, sponsorship incentives, grants, or other financial arrangements.

Unless expressly stated otherwise by the Platform in writing, such financial arrangements shall be administered and managed by the respective event organizers or through authorized third-party payment service providers.

The Platform does not collect, manage, escrow, administer, or guarantee the payment of prizes, awards, reimbursements, stipends, or other forms of compensation offered in connection with events hosted by third-party organizers.

The Platform shall not be liable or responsible for:

• the failure of any organizer or sponsor to distribute promised prizes or rewards;
• disputes relating to prize eligibility, prize distribution, or financial compensation;
• delays in payment or fulfillment of prizes;
• inaccuracies, omissions, or misrepresentations made by event organizers regarding prizes or financial incentives.

Users are solely responsible for reviewing and understanding the specific terms, rules, and eligibility criteria applicable to each event prior to participation.

10. Intellectual Property Rights of the Platform

All rights, title, and interest in and to the Platform itself, including but not limited to its software architecture, source code, databases, visual interfaces, trademarks, logos, branding elements, and proprietary technologies, are and shall remain the exclusive property of the Platform or its licensors.

Users are granted only a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable license to access and use the Platform solely for the purposes permitted by these Terms. No rights or licenses are granted to users except those expressly stated herein.

Users shall not copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, reverse engineer, decompile, or otherwise attempt to derive the source code or underlying structure of the Platform without the prior written consent of the Platform. Unauthorized use of the Platform’s intellectual property may result in civil or criminal liability under applicable laws.

11. Intellectual Property Rights and Ownership of Submissions

The Platform recognizes that innovation challenges, competitions, hackathons, research calls, and similar engagements conducted through the Platform may result in the creation, development, or disclosure of ideas, concepts, solutions, methodologies, research outputs, software code, technical documentation, designs, or other forms of intellectual work (collectively referred to in this clause as “Submissions”). The treatment and ownership of intellectual property arising from such Submissions shall be governed by the provisions set forth in this clause and, where applicable, by the rules governing a specific event.

As a general principle, Users retain ownership of the intellectual property rights in content they independently create and submit through the Platform, except where such rights are expressly assigned, transferred, or licensed pursuant to the terms of a specific event or pursuant to the provisions of these Terms. By participating in any event hosted through the Platform, the User acknowledges and agrees that the intellectual property implications of their participation may differ depending on whether the event is organized directly by the Platform operator or by a third-party organization utilizing the Platform.

In circumstances where an event, challenge, or competition is organized, administered, and published directly by the Platform operator, and a User voluntarily submits an idea, proposal, solution, design, or other intellectual work in response to such event, the User acknowledges that the purpose of such event is to solicit solutions for potential implementation or further development by the Platform operator. Accordingly, where the Platform operator determines that a Submission satisfies the criteria established for the event and selects such Submission for recognition, reward, or implementation, the User agrees that, in consideration of the reward, recognition, prize, or other benefit provided to the User, the User shall assign and transfer to the Platform operator all rights, title, and interest in and to the selected Submission, including any and all intellectual property rights associated therewith.

Such assignment shall include, without limitation, rights relating to patents, copyrights, trade secrets, design rights, and any other proprietary rights arising under applicable law. Upon such assignment, the Platform operator shall become the sole and exclusive owner of the intellectual property embodied in the Submission, with full rights to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, commercialize, license, or otherwise exploit the Submission in any manner deemed appropriate by the Platform operator without further obligation to the User beyond the reward or recognition specified in the event rules. The User further agrees to execute any documents or take any actions reasonably necessary to formalize or confirm such transfer of rights if requested by the Platform operator.

In contrast, where an event is published and administered by a third-party organization through the Platform, the Platform functions solely as a technological intermediary facilitating the interaction between the organization and participating users. In such cases, any intellectual property rights arising from Submissions made in response to the event shall be governed primarily by the rules, policies, or participation terms established by the organizing entity. Unless otherwise specified in those event rules, the ownership, licensing, or assignment of intellectual property resulting from Submissions shall be determined solely between the participating User and the organizing entity.

The Platform operator shall not claim ownership of intellectual property generated in connection with events conducted by third-party organizations unless explicitly stated in the applicable event rules. Instead, any transfer, licensing, or assignment of intellectual property arising from such events shall occur directly between the participant and the organizing entity in accordance with the terms defined by that entity. The Platform operator shall not be responsible for disputes arising between participants and event organizers concerning intellectual property rights, ownership claims, licensing arrangements, or the use of submitted materials.

By submitting any content through the Platform, Users represent and warrant that they possess all necessary rights and permissions to submit such content and that the submission does not infringe the intellectual property rights or other legal rights of any third party. Users further acknowledge that the Platform operator may store, display, transmit, and process submitted materials to the extent necessary for the operation of the Platform and the administration of events hosted on it.

Users are solely responsible for protecting their intellectual property prior to submission, including securing patents or other protections where applicable. The Platform shall not be liable for any unauthorized use or disclosure of submitted materials. Users acknowledge that similar or identical ideas may be independently developed or submitted by other participants, and the Platform shall not be responsible for such similarities.

Nothing in this clause shall be interpreted as restricting the Platform operator’s right to implement technical measures necessary for the hosting, processing, or display of submissions on the Platform. However, except where intellectual property rights are assigned pursuant to the provisions governing Platform-hosted events, the Platform shall not claim ownership over user-generated content submitted through the Platform.

Users are strongly encouraged to review the rules governing each specific event prior to submitting any idea, concept, or solution, as participation may result in the transfer or licensing of intellectual property rights depending on the nature of the event and the terms under which it is conducted.

12. Acceptable Use and Platform Integrity

Users agree that access to and use of the Platform shall be undertaken solely for lawful purposes and in a manner that is consistent with the intended functions and objectives of the Platform. Users are expected to interact with the Platform in good faith and in a manner that respects the rights, security, and participation of other users. Any use of the Platform that is unlawful, abusive, fraudulent, or otherwise inconsistent with these Terms shall constitute a material breach of this agreement.

Users shall not engage in any conduct that interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the normal operation, security, integrity, or availability of the Platform, including attempting to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Platform or bypassing security mechanisms, authentication protocols, access restrictions, or technological safeguards.

Users further agree not to introduce malicious software, viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, ransomware, or any other code designed to damage, disable, interfere with, or gain unauthorized control over any systems or data associated with the Platform or its users.

The use of automated systems, scripts, bots, spiders, crawlers, or scraping technologies to access, collect, extract, monitor, copy, or reproduce data or content from the Platform is strictly prohibited unless expressly authorized in writing by the Platform operator, particularly the systematic harvesting of user data, event information, submissions, or other content.

Users shall also refrain from placing an unreasonable load on the Platform’s infrastructure, conducting denial-of-service activities, manipulating event outcomes, or exploiting vulnerabilities within the Platform’s technological framework, and shall not impersonate any individual or entity, misrepresent their identity or affiliation, or engage in fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative conduct.

The Platform reserves the right, but not the obligation, to monitor usage for the purpose of maintaining system integrity, detecting security vulnerabilities, preventing abuse, and ensuring compliance with these Terms. Where the Platform reasonably suspects a violation, it may take any enforcement action it deems appropriate, including removal or restriction of content, suspension or termination of accounts, restriction of access to features or events, or reporting suspected unlawful activities to appropriate authorities.

13. Content Moderation and Platform Protection

The Platform reserves the right, but shall not be obligated, to monitor, review, or moderate content, submissions, user profiles, opportunity listings, and other materials made available through the Platform.

The Platform may, at its sole discretion and without prior notice, remove, restrict access to, suspend, or modify any content or user activity where it reasonably believes that such content or activity:

• violates these Terms and Conditions;
• infringes or misappropriates the intellectual property rights or other rights of any third party;
• contains unlawful, defamatory, harmful, abusive, fraudulent, or misleading material;
• poses a risk to the security, integrity, or proper functioning of the Platform;
• violates applicable laws, regulations, or governmental orders.

The Platform shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from such moderation actions, and may also suspend or terminate user accounts associated with repeated violations or suspected misuse of the Platform.

14. Privacy and Data Protection

The Platform may collect and process personal data necessary for the operation of the Services, including information required for account management, communication between participants, and participation in events. Such data processing shall be conducted in accordance with the Platform’s Privacy Policy.

The Platform reserves the right to retain certain user data as required for legal, regulatory, or legitimate business purposes, even after account deletion, in accordance with applicable laws. The Platform implements reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect user data against unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse; however, users acknowledge that no digital system can guarantee absolute security.

The parties acknowledge and agree that both the Platform and the Organization shall act as independent Data Controllers, as the term is defined under applicable data protection laws. Each party shall independently be responsible for complying with its own privacy obligations, and shall not be considered joint controllers unless explicitly agreed otherwise.

Each party is responsible for providing necessary notices, obtaining consent (where required), and handling data subject rights requests or data breaches related to the personal data it processes. Any breach, complaint, or request regarding personal data shall be handled by the relevant data controller as identified in their own privacy policies.

15. Third-Party Services and External Infrastructure

The Platform may rely upon and integrate with a variety of third-party service providers, technological vendors, infrastructure operators, and software tools that support or enable its functionality, including cloud hosting, content delivery networks, analytics and monitoring tools, authentication services, communication systems, payment processors, file storage, email delivery, collaboration tools, and artificial intelligence systems.

Users acknowledge that the Platform does not own, control, or operate many of these third-party services, which may be governed by their own independent terms of service and privacy policies. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Platform shall not be responsible or liable for the availability, performance, security, reliability, or operational conduct of any such third-party services, including any interruptions, loss of data, system failures, errors, unauthorized access, or privacy violations arising from their use.

The use of third-party services in connection with the Platform is undertaken entirely at the User’s own discretion and risk, and users expressly release the Platform from any liability arising out of or relating to their use of such services.

16. Third-Party Interactions and Independent Agreements

The Platform operates solely as a technology-based facilitation platform that enables Organizations to publish innovation challenges and allows Candidates or other Users to participate in such opportunities. The Platform does not act as an employer, agent, broker, advisor, or representative for any User, Organization, sponsor, or participant.

Any agreements, collaborations, employment arrangements, consulting engagements, research partnerships, licensing agreements, funding arrangements, investment negotiations, or other commercial relationships arising from participation in any event, challenge, or opportunity hosted through the Platform shall be entered into solely between the relevant parties involved. The Platform shall not be a party to any such agreements and shall not assume any responsibility or liability for the negotiation, formation, or performance of such agreements; representations or commitments made by any Organization or participant; or disputes, claims, or liabilities arising from interactions between Users.

17. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Platform and all services, features, tools, content, and functionalities made available through it are provided on an “as is,” “as available,” and “with all faults” basis, without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise. The Platform does not warrant or guarantee that the services will be continuously available, uninterrupted, timely, secure, accurate, or free from errors, bugs, viruses, malware, or other harmful components.

The Platform makes no representation or warranty regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability, legality, or usefulness of any content, information, opportunities, or materials made available through the Platform, whether provided by the Platform itself, by event organizers, or by other users. In particular, the Platform makes no guarantees regarding the success, outcome, recognition, evaluation, or rewards associated with participation in any events; such participation is undertaken entirely at the User’s own risk and discretion.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Platform disclaims all implied warranties, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, title, accuracy of information, system integration, quiet enjoyment, and freedom from security vulnerabilities.

Users acknowledge and agree that ideas, project concepts, research proposals, technological solutions, or innovations submitted through the Platform may be similar or identical to ideas independently developed or submitted by other Users, Organizations, sponsors, or third parties. The Platform does not guarantee the uniqueness, originality, or exclusivity of any submission or idea, and shall not be responsible or liable for any claims arising from perceived or actual similarities between independently developed ideas or solutions. Users are solely responsible for protecting their own intellectual property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights, trademarks, or trade secrets, prior to submitting ideas through the Platform.

18. Indemnification

The User agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Platform, its parent entities, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, licensors, service providers, and representatives (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, proceedings, liabilities, damages, judgments, settlements, losses, penalties, fines, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or relating to:

• the User’s access to, use of, or interaction with the Platform;
• any content, submissions, ideas, files, materials, or information uploaded, posted, transmitted, or otherwise made available by the User through the Platform;
• the User’s breach or alleged breach of these Terms or any policies incorporated herein by reference;
• the User’s violation of any applicable law, regulation, or third-party rights, including intellectual property, privacy, confidentiality, or contractual rights;
• the User’s participation in any challenge, event, competition, or activity facilitated or hosted through the Platform;
• any dispute arising between the User and any Organization, sponsor, participant, or third party in connection with the Platform.

The Platform reserves the right, at its own expense and discretion, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by the User, in which case the User agrees to cooperate fully with such defense. These obligations survive the termination, suspension, or expiration of the User’s account and continued use of the Platform.

19. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, the Platform, its owners, administrators, operators, affiliates, employees, contractors, advisors, licensors, and service providers shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages arising out of or in connection with the User’s access to or use of the Platform or participation in any activities conducted through it, regardless of the legal theory under which such damages are claimed.

Without limitation, the Platform shall not be liable for damages arising from or relating to loss of profits, loss of revenue, loss of business opportunities, loss of goodwill, reputational damage, loss or corruption of data, interruption of services, technical failures, unauthorized access to user accounts, or dissatisfaction with the evaluation, results, or outcomes of any event hosted through the Platform. The Platform shall also not be responsible for any disputes, claims, or damages arising between users and third-party event organizers, sponsors, collaborators, or other participants.

In no event shall the aggregate liability of the Platform, regardless of the nature of the claim or the number of incidents giving rise to the claim, exceed the total amount, if any, paid by the User to the Platform for access to the services during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim. Where the User has not paid any fees for access to the Platform, the Platform’s total liability shall in no event exceed a nominal amount deemed minimal under applicable law.

20. No Guarantee of Outcomes

Participation in any challenge, competition, event, or opportunity made available through the Platform does not guarantee any specific outcome or benefit. Without limitation, the Platform does not guarantee employment opportunities, internships or job offers, research partnerships or collaborations, funding, grants, or investment opportunities, commercialization or implementation of submitted ideas, or professional recognition, awards, or career advancement. Any such outcomes are subject solely to the independent evaluation, discretion, and decision-making of participating Organizations, sponsors, or other relevant parties.

21. Suspension and Termination

The Platform reserves the right to suspend or terminate a user’s access to the Platform where it reasonably believes that the user has violated these Terms, engaged in fraudulent conduct, or otherwise threatened the security or integrity of the Platform. Termination of access may occur without prior notice where necessary to protect the interests of the Platform or its users.

22. Force Majeure

The Platform shall not be liable for any delay or failure in performance resulting from causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, cyber incidents, system failures, network disruptions, or governmental actions.

23. Amendments to These Terms

The Platform reserves the right to modify or update these Terms at any time in response to changes in law, technology, or operational requirements. Updated versions of the Terms will be published on the Platform along with the revised effective date. Continued use of the Platform after such updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

24. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. Any disputes arising from or relating to these Terms or the use of the Platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located within that jurisdiction.

25. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Platform’s Privacy Policy and any applicable event rules, challenge guidelines, or supplemental policies published on the Platform from time to time, constitute the entire agreement between the User and the Platform regarding the use of the Platform and its services. These Terms supersede all prior or contemporaneous agreements, communications, representations, or understandings, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter herein.

If any provision of these Terms is determined by a competent court or authority to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, such provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions.

26. Contact Information

Any legal inquiries or requests relating to these Terms may be directed to:

ZenixBio
Email: legal@agilisium.com
Address: Agilisium Consulting India Private Limited – SEZ, World Trade Center, 1st Floor of Tower B, Unit 102, Perungudi Real Estates Private Limited, 5/142, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Old Mahabalipuram Road, Perungudi, Chennai – 600096