Tech Solutions to Reduce Sexually Transmitted Infections: Virtual

Tech Solutions to Reduce Sexually Transmitted Infections: Virtual (the “Hackathon”) Official Rules

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

SUBMISSION OF ANY ENTRY CONSTITUTES AGREEMENT TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES AS A CONTRACT BETWEEN ENTRANT (AND EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF ENTRANT), THE HACKATHON SPONSOR, AND DEVPOST.

1. Dates and Timing

Submission Period: September 19, 2023 (12:00 am Eastern Time) – October 30, 2023 (8:00 pm Eastern Time) (“Submission Period”).

Judging Period: October 31, 2023 (12:00 am Eastern Time) – November 14, 2023 (5:00 pm Eastern Time) (“Judging Period”).

Winners Announced: On or around November 15, 2023 (12:00 pm Eastern Time).

 2. Sponsor and Administrator

Sponsor and Administrator: National Academy of Sciences, 500 5th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

 3. Eligibility 

• The Hackathon IS open to:
  • Individuals who are 18 years of age or older and U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents who are currently domiciled in the U.S as of the time of entry (“Eligible Individuals”);
  • Teams of up to five (5) Eligible Individuals up (“Eligible Teams”); and
  • Organizations (including corporations, not-for-profit corporations and other nonprofit organizations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and other legal entities) that exist and have been organized or incorporated and domiciled in the United States at the time of entry (“Eligible Organizations”).

(the above are collectively, “Eligible Entrants”) 

An Eligible Individual may enter the Hackathon on an individual basis and may also compete as part of one or more Eligible Team(s) or under the aegis of one or more Eligible Organization(s). Eligible Entrants from all sectors are welcome to apply to compete, including academia, philanthropy, and private industry. If an Eligible Team or Eligible Organization is entering the Hackathon, they must appoint and authorize one individual (the “Representative”) to represent, act, and enter a Submission, on their behalf. By entering a Submission on behalf of an Eligible Team or Organization you represent and warrant that you are the Representative authorized to act on behalf of your Eligible Team or Organization.

• The Hackathon IS NOT open to:
  • Individuals, Teams, or Organizations domiciled in a country, state, province or territory outside of the United States
  • Organizations involved with the design, production, paid promotion, execution, or distribution of the Hackathon, including the Sponsor and Administrator (“Promotion Entities”).
  • Employees, representatives and agents** of such Promotion Entities, and all members of their immediate family or household*
  • Any other individual involved with the design, production, promotion, execution, or distribution of the Hackathon, and each member of their immediate family or household*
  • Any Judge (defined below), or company or individual that employs a Judge
  • Any parent company, subsidiary, or other affiliate*** of any organization described above
  • Any other individual or organization whose participation in the Hackathon would create, in the sole discretion of the Sponsor and/or Administrator, a real or apparent conflict of interest

*The members of an individual’s immediate family include the individual’s spouse, children and stepchildren, parents and stepparents, and siblings and stepsiblings. The members of an individual’s household include any other person that shares the same residence as the individual for at least three (3) months out of the year.

**Agents include individuals or organizations that in creating a Submission to the Hackathon, are acting on behalf of, and at the direction of, a Promotion Entity through a contractual or similar relationship.

***An affiliate is: (a) an organization that is under common control, sharing a common majority or controlling owner, or common management; or (b) an organization that has a substantial ownership in, or is substantially owned by the other organization.

4. How To Enter

Eligible Entrants may enter by visiting https://sti-hackathon-virtual.devpost.com (“Hackathon Website”) and following the below steps:

• Register for the Hackathon on the Hackathon Website by clicking the “Join Hackathon” button. To complete registration, sign up to create a free Devpost account, or log in with an existing Devpost account. This will enable you to receive important updates and to create your Submission.
• Entry in the Hackathon constitutes consent for the Sponsor and Devpost to collect and maintain an entrant’s personal information for the purpose of operating and publicizing the Hackathon.
• Create a video that includes footage that explains your project’s features and functionality through a comprehensive demonstration.
• Complete and enter all of the required fields on the “Enter a Submission” page of the Hackathon Website (each a “Submission”) during the Submission Period and follow the requirements below.
• All participants must follow the National Academies Preventing Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying: Policy for Participants in NASEM Activities

 Project Requirements.

• What to Create: Entrants must create a working software application that helps prevent and control sexually transmitted infections (each a “Project”).
• Sponsor Prizes: Projects being submitted for the Sponsor Awards must also follow the specific requirements listed in section 8. Awards.
• Functionality: The Project must be capable of being successfully installed and running consistently on the platform for which it is intended and must function as depicted in the video and/or expressed in the text description.
• Platforms: A submitted Project must run on the platform for which it is intended and which is specified in the Submission Requirements.
• New & Existing: Projects must be either newly created by Entrant or, if Entrant’s Project existed prior to the Hackathon Submission Period, must have been significantly modified after the start of the Hackathon Submission Period.
• Third Party Integrations: If a Project integrates any third-party SDK, APIs and/or data, Entrant must be authorized to use them.

Submission Requirements.

Submissions to the Hackathon must meet the following requirements:

• Include a Project that aims to help prevent and control sexually transmitted infections and meets the above Project Requirements.
• Include a text description that should explain the features and functionality of your Project.
• Include a demonstration video of your Project. The video portion of the Submission:
  • should be less than three (3) minutes
  • should include footage that shows the Project functioning on the device for which it was built
  • must be uploaded to and made publicly visible on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook Video, or Youku, and a link to the video must be provided on the Submission form on the Hackathon Website; and
  • must not include third party trademarks, or copyrighted music or other material unless Entrant has express written permission to use such material.
• Additional Document Presentation including the following:
  • Brief synopsis of your solution (max 600 words). Include key points to address judging criteria. The description should also cover the project's objectives and any obstacles encountered during development.
  • An explanation of the technical aspects, methodologies, and algorithms used in the solution (no word limit).
  • An explanation of why you are the right team to be building this solution, and a description of who (if any) other people you might need involved in the future to successfully implement this project (e.g., support from a technology administrator at the CDC to implement a solution into CDC technology frameworks).
  • The document should be uploaded as a Word Document or Google Document.
• URL to a functional demo app OR URL to public code repository
  • Access to Your Prototype: Entrants must submit any relevant source code, design assets, or datasets necessary for the evaluation process. Provide necessary details for judges to access your solution, whether it's a test account or a website. Make sure the instructions are clear and straightforward and easy to access. Entrants  can use any format necessary to communicate the idea.

By using Devpost, you will be subject to Devpost’s terms of use and privacy policies. Devpost is not affiliated in any way with, or endorsed by, NAS.

Multiple Submissions: An Entrant may submit more than one Submission, however, each Submission must be unique and substantially different from each of Entrant’s other Submissions, as determined by the Sponsor and Devpost in their sole discretion.

Submission ownership. Be the original work of Entrant, be solely owned by Entrant, and not violate the IP rights of any other person or entity.

Public Distribution: Entrant may make the Project available to the public via a website or online store but is not required to do so.

Testing: Access must be provided to an Entrant’s working Project for judging and testing by providing a link to a website, functioning demo, or a test build. If Entrant’s website is private, Entrant must include login credentials in its testing instructions. Entrant must make the Project available free of charge and without any restriction, for testing, evaluation and use by the Sponsor, Administrator and Judges until the Judging Period ends. Judges are not required to test the Project and may choose to judge based solely on the text description, images, and video provided in the Submission.

If the Project includes software that runs on proprietary or third party hardware that is not widely available to the public, including software running on devices or wearable technology other than smartphones, tablets, or desktop computers, the Sponsor and/or Administrator reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to require Entrant to provide physical access to the Project hardware upon request.  For Projects running on widely available smartphones, tablets, or desktop computers, Entrants may make their Project available using one of the following methods:

• Android Applications:
  • Upload an .apk file on the Enter a Submission form or provide a link for downloading the Project in the “Testing Instructions” field on the Enter a Submission form.
•  iOS Applications
  • If your Project is available on the iTunes App Store provide a link on your Submission form. If you charge a fee for downloading your Project, you must provide a promo code.
  •   If your Project is not yet publicly available on the iTunes App Store, you must send a test build to [email protected] before the end of the Hackathon Submission Period iTunes TestFlight: https://developer.apple.com/testflight/ TestFlight / iTunes Connect: Enter the Administrator’s email address to share a build for testing. The Administrator’s TestFlight account email is: [email protected].  
• Web/Mobile Web: Provide a link for accessing your Project on the “Testing Instructions” field on the Enter a Submission form.

Language Requirements

All Submission materials must be in English or, if not in English, Entrant must provide an English translation of the demonstration video, text description, and testing instructions as well as all other materials submitted.

Team/Organizational Representation

If a Team or Organization is entering the Hackathon, the Team or Organization must appoint and authorize one individual (the “Representative”) to represent, act, and enter a Submission, on the Team’s/Organization’s behalf. The Representative must meet the eligibility requirements above. By entering a Submission on the Hackathon Website on behalf of a Team or Organization you represent and warrant that you are the Representative authorized to act on behalf of your Team or Organization.

Intellectual Property: Your Submission must: (a) be Entrant’s original work product; (b) be solely owned by Entrant with no other person or entity having any right or interest in it; and (c) not violate the intellectual property rights or other rights including but not limited to copyright, trademark, patent, contract, and/or privacy rights, of any other person or entity. An Entrant may contract with a third party for technical assistance to create the Submission provided the Submission components are solely Entrant’s work product and the result of Entrant’s ideas and creativity, and Entrant owns all rights to them. An Entrant may submit a Submission that includes the use of open source software or hardware, provided Entrant complies with applicable open source licenses and, as part of the Submission, creates software that enhances and builds upon the features and functionality included in the underlying open source product. By entering the Hackathon, you represent, warrant, and agree that your Submission meets these requirements.

Financial or Preferential Support: A Project must not have been developed, or derived from a Project developed, with financial or preferential support from the Sponsor or Administrator. Such Projects include, but are not limited to, those that received funding or investment for their development, were developed under contract, or received a commercial license, from the Sponsor or Administrator any time prior to the end of Hackathon Submission Period. The Sponsor, at their sole discretion, may disqualify a Project, if awarding a prize to the Project would create a real or apparent conflict of interest.

 5. Submission Modifications.

1. Draft Submissions: Prior to the end of the Submission Period, you may save draft versions of your Submission on Devpost to your portfolio before submitting the Submission materials to the Hackathon for evaluation. Once the Submission Period has ended, you may not make any changes or alterations to your Submission, but you may continue to update the project in your Devpost portfolio.
2. Modifications: The Sponsor and Devpost may permit you to modify part of your Submission after the Submission Period for the purpose of adding, removing or replacing material that potentially infringes a third party mark or right, discloses personally identifiable information, or is otherwise inappropriate. The modified Submission must remain substantively the same as the original Submission with the only modification being what the Sponsor and Devpost permits. 

 6. Judges & Critieria 

Eligible Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of judges selected by the Sponsor (the “Judges”). Judges may be employees of the Sponsor or third parties, may or may not be listed individually on the Hackathon Website, and may change before or during the Judging Period. Judging may take place in one or more rounds with one or more panels of Judges, at the discretion of the Sponsor.

Stage One) The first stage will determine via pass/fail whether the ideas meet a baseline level of viability, in that the project reasonably fits the theme and reasonably applies the required APIs/SDKs featured in the Hackathon.

Stage Two) All Submissions that pass Stage One will be evaluated and scored in Stage Two based on the following equally weighted criteria (the “Judging Criteria”):

Except as expressly noted below, Submissions will be judged on the following equally weighted criteria, and according to the sole and absolute discretion of the Judges:

1. Potential for Impact: The extent to which the proposed idea may have a significant impact on prevention and control of STIs. Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? How will this idea advance scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice? What are the current challenges in data sharing that provide support for why this idea is important?
2. Feasibility/ Progress During the Hackathon

Have a clear path to implementation and adoption, overcome technical, financial, or legal barriers. Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyzes well-reasoned and appropriate to the unmet needs of the STI epidemic? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? Will the strategy establish feasibility and how will particularly risky aspects be managed? Are there ethical issues that may be encountered that need to be addressed (e.g., use of private data, patients may experience stigma or discomfort knowing about or participating in this solution)? If so, what are they and how would you address them?

• Innovation and Originality:

• The extent to which the proposed idea challenges existing paradigms and employs new methodologies or concepts. Does the solution challenge and seek to shift current paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Does the solution address equity and/or social and economic impacts related to access to sexual health in a unique or novel manner? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel? Specifically, what are the current approaches being used by key stakeholders that are relevant to your idea (e.g., patients, families, health providers/systems, STI clinics) and why is your idea novel/different and likely to make a significant impact/contribution by addressing an unmet need? NOTE: The NAM Innovation Award (supported by the NAM Catalyst Fund for Reproductive Health, Equity, and Society Program) will be based on success in this category.

• Technical Complexity

• The extent to which the prototype/proposal is technically interesting, innovative, and challenging; effective technical strategy to address the specific need.

• Implementation:

• Team issues: What environment is in place to assist the team to be able to continue working on this project after the hackathon? Does the team have a specific plan on how to continue/when to meet/how, etc?
• Key Stakeholder issues: What are the anticipated logistical infrastructural barriers in implementing this idea into a public health setting? If unknown, how would the team contact and gain information and support from key stakeholders to learn about the barriers to implementation of their idea and address the barriers? If this is an entirely new product that does not slightly advance existing technology infrastructure, how would the team get the support and/or interest in key stakeholders in getting key stakeholders interested in their idea? What tools or approaches would the team use to market/pitch their idea to the key stakeholders?

• Presentation

• Clarity of content and logic of flow; time management; engagement; visual aesthetic; professionalism, poise,and polish 

The scores from the Judges will determine the potential winners of the competition. Potential Winners as selected by the Judges will become eligible for the awards listed in accordance with Section 8, below.

Tie Breaking. If two or more Submissions receive tied scores, the tied Submission with the highest score in the first applicable criterion listed above will be considered the higher scoring Submission. In the event any ties remain, this process will be repeated, as needed, by comparing the tied Submissions’ scores on the next applicable criterion. If two or more Submissions are tied on all applicable criteria, the panel of Judges will vote on the tied Submissions. 

7. Intellectual Property Rights.

All Submissions remain the intellectual property of Entrant. By entering a Submission, Entrant agrees that the Sponsor will have a fully paid, irrevocable, sublicensable, non-exclusive license to use the Submission for in connection with publicizing the Hackathon and Entrant’s proposed solutions for NAS-tax-exempt purposes. Entrant agrees that the Sponsor and Devpost shall have the right to promote the Submission and use the name, likeness, voice and image of the Entrant (including all individuals contributing to a Submission), in any materials promoting or publicizing the Hackathon and its results.  By entering a Submission or accepting any award, Entrant represents and warrants that (a) submitted content is not copyrighted, protected by trade secret or otherwise subject to third party intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights, including privacy and publicity rights, unless entrant is the owner of such rights or has permission from their rightful owner to post the content; and (b) the content submitted does not contain any viruses, Trojan horses, worms, spyware or other disabling devices or harmful or malicious code. 

8. Awards.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON MULTIPLE PRIZE ELIGIBILITY:

Each Submission is only eligible for up to one award. 

1. Substitutions & Changes: Awards are non-transferable by the winner. Sponsor in its sole discretion has the right to make an award substitution of equivalent or greater value. Sponsor will not award an award if there are no eligible Submissions entered in the Hackathon, or if there are no eligible Entrants or Submissions for a specific prize.
2. Verification Requirement: THE AWARD OF AN AWARD TO A POTENTIAL WINNER IS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION OF THE IDENTITY, QUALIFICATIONS AND ROLE OF THE POTENTIAL WINNER IN THE CREATION OF THE SUBMISSION. No Submission or Entrant shall be deemed a winning Submission or winner until their post-competition award affidavits have been completed and verified, even if prospective winners have been announced verbally or on the competition website. The final decision to designate a winner shall be made by the Sponsor and/or Administrator. Deadline for Returning Required Forms: ten (10) business days after the Required Forms are sent. Failure to return the required forms may result in disqualification. Failure of the winner to return the paperwork in more than three months will result in forfeiture of the award.
3. Award Delivery: Cash awards will be payable to the Entrant, if an individual; to the Entrant’s Representative, if a Team; or to the Organization, if the Entrant is an Organization. It will be the responsibility of the winning Entrant’s Representative to allocate the award among their Team or Organization’s participating members, as the Representative deems appropriate. Cash awards will be transmitted electronically to the Entrant, Entrant’s Representative, or Organization’s bank account, only after receipt of the completed winner affidavit and other required forms (collectively the “Required Forms”), if applicable. Failure to provide correct information on the Required Forms, or other correct information required for the delivery of a cash award, may result in delayed award delivery, disqualification or the Entrant, or forfeiture of an award. Cash awards and honorable mention “swag bags” will be delivered within 60 days of the Sponsor or Devpost’s receipt of the completed Required Forms.  Other awards (opportunity to receive a grant from NAS and/or publish an article in NAM Perspectives are not subject to “delivery” as such NAS will work with confirmed winners on a reasonable basis to negotiate grant awards and publication opportunities.
4. Fees & Taxes: Winners (and in the case of Team or Organization, all participating members) are responsible for any fees associated with receiving or using an award, including but not limited to, wiring fees. Winners (and in the case of Team or Organization, all participating members) are responsible for reporting and paying all applicable taxes in their jurisdiction of residence (federal, state/provincial/territorial and local. Taxes are the responsibility of the winner. United States residents may be required to provide a completed form W-9 and Electronic Funds Transfer form.

9. Entry Conditions and Release.

1. By entering the Hackathon, you (and, if you are entering on behalf of a Team, Organization each participating members) agree(s) to the following:

1. 1. The relationship between you, the Entrant, and the Sponsor and Administrator, is not a confidential, fiduciary, or other special relationship.
   2. You will be bound by and comply with these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, Administrator, and/or the Hackathon Judges which are binding and final in all matters relating to the Hackathon.
   3. You release, indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Promotion Entities, and their respective parent, subsidiary, and affiliated companies, the Sponsor, Administrator, Devpost and any other organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the Hackathon, and all of their respective past and present officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (hereafter the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to a Entrant’s entry, creation of Submission or entry of a Submission, participation in the Hackathon, acceptance or use or misuse of the Award (including any travel or activity related thereto) and/or the broadcast, transmission, performance, exploitation or use of the Submission as authorized or licensed by these Official Rules. 
2. Without limiting the foregoing, the Released Parties shall have no liability in connection with: 
3. 1. 1. Any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by the Sponsor or Administrator’s electronic or printing error, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Hackathon; 
      2. Technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines, internet connectivity or electronic transmission errors, or network hardware or software or failure of the Hackathon Website;
      3. Unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Hackathon; 
      4. Technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Hackathon or the processing of Submissions; or 
      5. Any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from the Entrant’s participation in the Hackathon or receipt or use or misuse of any Prize.

The Released Parties are not responsible for incomplete, late, misdirected, damaged, lost, illegible, or incomprehensible Submissions or for address or email address changes of the Entrants. Proof of sending or submitting the aforementioned will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by the Sponsor or Administrator. If for any reason any Entrant’s Submission is determined to have not been received or been erroneously deleted, lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, the Entrant’s sole remedy is to request the opportunity to resubmit its Submission. Such a request must be made promptly after the Entrant knows or should have known there was a problem and will be determined at the sole discretion of the Sponsor.

Entering the Hackathon does not guarantee that the proposed solution will be displayed or used by NAS. Use by NAS of a proposed solution does not necessarily reflect the views of the NAS, and in no event shall NAS assume or have any responsibility or liability for any proposed solution, in whole or in part, or for any claims, damages, or losses resulting from the use and/or solution, in whole or in part, or for any claims, damages, or losses resulting from the use and/or appearance of any proposed solution or the contents thereof. NAS reserves the right to refuse any proposed solution in its sole discretion. NAS also reserves the right at any time during the Hackathon to remove or disqualify any Entrant and their proposed solution when it believes in its sole discretion that the entrant has: (i) infringed any third party’s copyright; (ii) failed to comply with these Terms and Conditions; or (iii) failed to obtain the necessary consents as set out in these terms and conditions. NAS shall not be liable for any claims, costs, liabilities, damages, expenses, and losses arising out of (i) NAS’s use of the proposed solution; (ii) the Entrant’s participation in the Hackathon; (iii) technical failures of any kind including but not limited to problems or delays arising from software or equipment malfunctions or computer viruses; and (iv) any events outside NAS’s reasonable control.

All references to NAS contained herein refer to the National Academy of Sciences.

10. Publicity.

By participating in the Hackathon, Entrant consents to the promotion and display of the Entrant’s Submission, and to the use of personal information about themselves for promotional purposes, by the Sponsor, Administrator, and third parties acting on their behalf. Such personal information includes, but is not limited to, your name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, comments and hometown and country of residence. It may be used in any existing or newly created media, worldwide without further payment or consideration or right of review, unless prohibited by law. Authorized use includes but is not limited to advertising and promotional purposes.

11. General Conditions.

1. Sponsor and Administrator reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Hackathon, or any part of it, in the event of a technical failure, fraud, or any other factor or event that was not anticipated or is not within their control.
2. Sponsor and Administrator reserve the right in their sole discretion to disqualify any individual or Entrant it finds to be actually or presenting the appearance of tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Hackathon or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in a manner that is inappropriate, unsportsmanlike, not in the best interests of this Hackathon, or a violation of any applicable law or regulation.
3. Any attempt by any person to undermine the proper conduct of the Hackathon may be a violation of criminal and civil law. Should the Sponsor or Administrator suspect that such an attempt has been made or is threatened, they reserve the right to take appropriate action including but not limited to requiring an Entrant to cooperate with an investigation and referral to criminal and civil law enforcement authorities.
4. If there is any discrepancy or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of the Official Rules and disclosures or other statements contained in any Hackathon materials, including but not limited to the Hackathon Submission form, Hackathon Website, or advertising, the terms and conditions of the Official Rules shall prevail.
5. The terms and conditions of the Official Rules are subject to change at any time, including the rights or obligations of the Entrant, the Sponsor and Administrator. The Sponsor and Administrator will post the terms and conditions of the amended Official Rules on the Hackathon Website. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any amendment will become effective at the time specified in the posting of the amended Official Rules or, if no time is specified, the time of posting.
6. If at any time prior to the deadline, an Entrant or prospective Entrant believes that any term in the Official Rules is or may be ambiguous, they must submit a written request for clarification.
7. The Sponsor or Administrator’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Should any provision of these Official Rules be or become illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction whose laws or regulations may apply to an Entrant, such illegality or unenforceability shall leave the remainder of these Official Rules, including the Rule affected, to the fullest extent permitted by law, unaffected and valid. The illegal or unenforceable provision shall be replaced by a valid and enforceable provision that comes closest and best reflects the Sponsor’s intention in a legal and enforceable manner with respect to the invalid or unenforceable provision.
8. Excluding Submissions, all intellectual property related to this Hackathon, including but not limited to copyrighted material, trademarks, trade-names, logos, designs, promotional materials, web pages, source codes, drawings, illustrations, slogans and representations are owned or used under license by the Sponsor and/or Administrator. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized copying or use of any copyrighted material or intellectual property without the express written consent of its owners is strictly prohibited. Any use in a Submission of Sponsor or Administrator’s intellectual property shall be solely to the extent provided for in these Official Rules.
9. This competition is void where prohibited.

12. Limitations of Liability.

By entering, all Entrants (including, in the case of a Team or Organization, all participating members) agree to release the Released Parties from any and all liability in connection with the Prizes or Entrant’s participation in the Hackathon. Provided, however, that any liability limitation regarding gross negligence or intentional acts, or events of death or body injury shall not be applicable in jurisdictions where such limitation is not legal.

13. Disputes.

1. Under no circumstances will Entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and Entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than contestant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs associated with entering this Hackathon), and Entrant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.
2. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the Entrant and Sponsor in connection with this Hackathon, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the substantive laws of the the District of Columbia, USA without regard to District of Columbia choice of law rules.

14. Additional Terms.

Please review the Devpost Terms of Service at https://info.devpost.com/terms for additional rules that apply to your participation in the Hackathon and more generally your use of the Hackathon Website. Such Terms of Service are incorporated by reference into these Official Rules, including that the term "Poster" in the Terms of Service shall mean the same as "Sponsor" in these Official rules." If there is a conflict between the Terms of Service and these Official Rules, these Official Rules shall control with respect to this Hackathon only.

15. Entrant’s Personal Information.

Information collected from entrants is subject to Devpost’s Privacy Policy, which is available at https://info.devpost.com/privacy.

For questions, send an email to [email protected].