Terms of Service for
Open Innovation Platform

By accessing or using Cofogram's Open Innovation Platform (the 'Platform'), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you are using the Platform on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these terms. These terms apply to all users, including enterprises posting challenges, innovators submitting solutions, and team members participating in collaborative projects.

To access certain features of the Platform, you must create an account. You are responsible for maintaining the security and confidentiality of your account credentials. Different user types (Enterprise, Innovator, Judge, Team Member) have access to different platform features based on their role.

• You must be at least 18 years old or have parental/guardian consent to use the Platform
• Provide accurate, current, and complete registration information
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of your account credentials
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breach
• You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account
• Multiple accounts per user are not permitted without explicit authorization

Cofogram connects enterprises with innovators to solve real-world problems. This section outlines the rules and expectations for participating in challenges, submitting proposals, and collaborating on solutions.

Organizations posting challenges on Cofogram must adhere to professional standards and provide clear, accurate information about their challenges, evaluation criteria, and rewards.

• Provide accurate, complete, and honest challenge descriptions and requirements
• Clearly define evaluation criteria, timelines, deliverables, and intellectual property terms
• Honor all stated prizes, rewards, grants, or contracts offered in challenge briefs
• Communicate transparently and promptly with participants throughout the challenge lifecycle
• Handle all participant data and submissions in accordance with stated confidentiality terms and applicable laws
• Comply with integrated NDA terms and respect innovator intellectual property rights
• Provide fair and unbiased evaluation of all submissions according to stated criteria

To maintain the integrity and security of our Open Innovation ecosystem, certain behaviors are strictly prohibited. Violations may result in account suspension, disqualification, legal action, or permanent ban from the Platform.

• Submitting plagiarized work, stolen code, or solutions that infringe third-party intellectual property
• Harassment, discrimination, hate speech, or unprofessional conduct toward any user
• Spamming, unsolicited marketing, or commercial solicitation unrelated to legitimate collaboration
• Automated scraping, data mining, or unauthorized collection of user or challenge information
• Impersonating other users, organizations, or Cofogram representatives
• Attempting to manipulate the AI matching system, evaluation scores, or platform algorithms
• Sharing confidential challenge information outside of authorized NDA-protected channels
• Uploading malware, viruses, or code designed to disrupt platform operations

Intellectual property ownership is defined by individual challenge terms. By default, innovators retain ownership of their submissions unless otherwise specified in the challenge brief. When you submit a proposal, you grant the challenge organizer a license to review, evaluate, and—if your solution is selected—implement it according to the terms specified in the challenge agreement. Enterprises posting challenges retain ownership of their proprietary information and challenge descriptions. Cofogram retains ownership of the Platform itself, including all AI algorithms, matchmaking technology, evaluation tools, and platform features. You may not reverse-engineer, copy, or create derivative works of Cofogram's proprietary technology.

Challenge organizers are solely responsible for fulfilling all stated prizes, grants, and contracts. Cofogram facilitates the connection between enterprises and innovators but is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Payment terms, tax obligations, and legal contracts are between the challenge organizer and the winning innovator(s). Winners must provide necessary documentation for payment processing and tax compliance. Prizes may be subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with challenge rules. Cofogram reserves the right to withhold payment facilitation if fraud or rule violations are suspected.

Your use of the Platform is governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. By using Cofogram, you consent to our data practices as outlined in the Privacy Policy. Challenge organizers who access innovator data must comply with all applicable data protection laws (GDPR, CCPA, etc.). When you agree to an NDA for a specific challenge, you accept additional confidentiality obligations specific to that engagement. Cofogram uses enterprise-grade security measures to protect your data, but you acknowledge that no system is completely secure.

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. COFOGRAM DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT CHALLENGES WILL RESULT IN PRIZES, CONTRACTS, OR EMPLOYMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE. Cofogram is not responsible for disputes between challenge organizers and innovators, though we may provide mediation support. We are not liable for the actions, conduct, or content of any user on the Platform. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, COFOGRAM'S LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO USE THE PLATFORM IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.

Cofogram reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these Terms, fraudulent activity, or conduct harmful to the Platform community. You may close your account at any time through your account settings. Upon termination, you lose access to all Platform features, but your obligations under any signed NDAs or challenge agreements remain in force. Challenge organizers must fulfill all outstanding prize obligations even if their account is terminated. Innovators retain ownership of their submitted work according to the original challenge terms.

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time to reflect changes in our Platform, legal requirements, or business practices. When we make significant changes, we will notify you via email or through a prominent notice on the Platform. Your continued use of Cofogram after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated terms. If you do not agree to the modified terms, you must stop using the Platform.