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Terms & Conditions

Last updated: Draft — legal review pending

1. Agreement

By accessing or using the Surge Foundry platform (surgefoundry.org, app.surgefoundry.org, api.surgefoundry.org), you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions, our Privacy Policy, and our Code of Conduct. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

2. Eligibility

  • You must be 18 years of age or older at the start date of any cohort you apply to.
  • You must provide accurate information during registration. Misrepresentation is grounds for removal.
  • You must have the right to use any third-party accounts you connect (GitHub) and any AI tools you use during the program.
  • Organisation accounts may engage with the ecosystem (discover builders, post challenges, mentor, sponsor) but may not join a cohort or build a project — the sprint verifies individual builders.

3. The program is free

Participation in the Surge Foundry Builder Sprint is free. You are responsible for your own internet access and any costs associated with AI tools you choose to use. Free tiers of recommended tools are sufficient to participate.

Surge Foundry Foundation is a Section 8 (not-for-profit) company. We do not charge builders for participation, verification, or Product Passport issuance.

4. Your work and ownership

  • You own your product. Everything you build during the sprint lives in your own GitHub repository and belongs to you.
  • Commons listing. By publishing your project to the Commons, you grant Surge Foundry Foundation a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display your project name, description, links, and Product Passport summary on the platform. You may remove your Commons listing at any time.
  • Open-source licence. Projects listed on the Commons must carry an open-source licence in the repository. The choice of licence is yours.
  • Product Passport. Your Product Passport is a verified record of your work. It may be revoked if you are found to have violated the Code of Conduct, committed fraud, or misrepresented your contribution. Revocation is logged and auditable.

5. Acceptable use

You agree not to:

  • Build products that are harmful, deceptive, illegal, or designed to cause harm to individuals or groups.
  • Plagiarise — present someone else’s work, or AI-generated work you did not review and direct, as your own.
  • Harass, intimidate, or discriminate against other participants, mentors, staff, or community members.
  • Attempt to circumvent the verification process, manipulate scores, or fraudulently obtain a Product Passport.
  • Interfere with the platform’s operation, attempt unauthorised access, or exploit vulnerabilities.
  • Use the platform to collect other users’ personal data without their consent.

6. No guarantee of outcomes

A Product Passport is a verification of your demonstrated skills and project work. It is not a guarantee of employment, funding, admission, or any other outcome. Surge Foundry facilitates discovery and introductions; hiring, investment, and other decisions are made by the parties involved.

7. Third-party services

The platform integrates with third-party services including GitHub and various AI tools. Your use of these services is governed by their respective terms of service. Surge Foundry is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or practices of third-party services.

8. Disclaimers and liability

The platform is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Surge Foundry Foundation shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the platform or participation in the program.

Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot be excluded under Indian law.

9. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of the platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at Bengaluru, Karnataka.

10. Changes

We may update these terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or a notice on the platform. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

11. Contact

Questions about these terms: legal@surgefoundry.org

Surge Foundry Foundation, India.