Legal

Terms of Service

Effective date: August 31, 2026

1. Acceptance of These Terms

By accessing, browsing, or using the Site, submitting a form, or registering for a program or event, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you are using the Site on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

2. About Inception Studio

Inception Studio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports a community of AI founders through retreats, co-founder matching, buildathons, SheStarts, demo days, and other programs and events. The Site provides information about these programs, allows you to apply or register, and shares stories and resources from our community. Our programs are run substantially by volunteers.

3. Eligibility

The Site and Services are intended for individuals who are at least 18 years of age. By using the Site, you represent and warrant that you are 18 or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If a program is ever offered to minors, separate written consent from a parent or legal guardian will be required, and additional terms will apply.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of, or restrict or inhibit the use of the Site by, anyone else. You agree not to:

• Violate any applicable law, regulation, or third party's rights;
• Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information through any form;
• Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or any code of a destructive nature;
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site, its servers, or any connected systems;
• Scrape, harvest, or collect information about other users without their consent;
• Use the Site to send unsolicited communications, advertising, or spam;
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Site; or
• Use the Site in any way that could harm, disable, or impair it or interfere with any other party's use.

5. Applications, Nominations, and Program Participation

Submitting an application, nomination, or registration does not guarantee acceptance into, or a place at, any program or event. We evaluate submissions at our sole discretion and may decline, waitlist, or revoke participation for any lawful reason.

Participation in our in-person programs and events (such as retreats) is governed by a separate Participant Agreement and our Code of Conduct, which you will be asked to accept before participating. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and a signed Participant Agreement with respect to program participation, the Participant Agreement controls for that program.

6. Your Submissions

When you submit information or content to us through the Site (for example, application materials, nominations, or messages), you represent that you have the right to provide it and that it is accurate. You grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, store, and process that information for the purpose of operating our programs and Services, in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Separate, broader licenses relating to your name, likeness, and recordings captured at our events are addressed in the Participant Agreement, not these Terms.

7. Intellectual Property

The Site and its contents — including text, graphics, logos, images, video, and software — are owned by or licensed to Inception Studio and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. "Inception Studio" and our logos are our trademarks and may not be used without our prior written permission.

We grant you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Site for your personal, non-commercial use. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, publicly display, or commercially exploit any part of the Site without our prior written consent, except as expressly permitted by these Terms or applicable law.

8. Third-Party Services and Links

The Site relies on and links to third-party services to provide its functionality, including HubSpot (forms and CRM), Luma (event calendar and registration), Zeffy (event ticketing), Dover (job postings), and Decile Hub (fundraising). When you interact with these services, their own terms and privacy policies apply. We do not control and are not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of any third-party service or website, and your use of them is at your own risk.

9. Events and Programs

Details of programs and events — including dates, locations, formats, capacity, and fees (if any) — may change. We may modify, postpone, or cancel any program or event, and may decline or remove any participant, at our discretion. Where an event involves a ticket or fee, any refund, cancellation, or transfer terms will be disclosed at the point of registration and may be administered by a third-party platform (such as Luma or Zeffy) under its own terms.

All attendees must comply with our Code of Conduct. We reserve the right to remove or refuse entry to any participant who violates it, without refund.

10. Newsletters and Communications

If you subscribe to our newsletter or otherwise opt in to communications, you consent to receive emails from us. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails or by contacting us. We send communications in accordance with applicable law, including the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act and, where applicable, consent requirements in other jurisdictions.

11. No Professional, Legal, Financial, or Investment Advice

Content on the Site is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Nothing on the Site is an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security, nor a recommendation regarding any investment. Any investment activity involving Inception Studio or its affiliates is governed exclusively by separate written agreements and applicable securities laws, and is not formed through the Site.

12. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Site and Services are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, secure, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components, or that any information on it is accurate, complete, or current.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Inception Studio and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, goodwill, or other intangible losses, arising out of or relating to your use of (or inability to use) the Site or Services, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total aggregate liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the Site or these Terms will not exceed one hundred U.S. dollars (US$100). Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations of liability, so some of the above may not apply to you.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Inception Studio and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.

15. Privacy

Your use of the Site is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect your information. By using the Site, you consent to the practices described in the Privacy Policy.

16. Changes to the Site and These Terms

We may modify or discontinue the Site, or any part of it, at any time without notice. We may also update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Effective date" above. Material changes will take effect when posted, and your continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

17. Suspension and Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Site or Services at any time, with or without notice, for any conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is otherwise harmful to other users, us, or third parties. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination — including intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, and indemnification — will survive.

18. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. You agree that the exclusive jurisdiction and venue for any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site will lie in the state and federal courts located in San Francisco County, California, and you consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

19. General

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any applicable Participant Agreement, constitute the entire agreement between you and Inception Studio regarding the Site and supersede any prior agreements. If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect. Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of it. You may not assign these Terms without our consent; we may assign them freely. Nothing in these Terms creates any partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship between you and us.

20. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us at organizers@inceptionstudio.org.