COMPETITION OVERVIEW

Welcome to the Elevator Pitch Competition (“Event”)! The Event is organised by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (the "Organiser") and will be held on sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck (sky100) or a virtual event platform.

Set out below are the terms for the contestants of the Event (“Terms”) which shall include any additional terms and/or modifications of the Terms made from time to time by the Organiser. In interpreting these Terms, words importing a gender include any other gender.  The latest version of the Terms can be found at the Organiser’s website epic.hkstp.org.

By proceeding further with the registration of the Event, you are deemed to have accepted and agreed with the Terms. 

REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT

To participate the Event as contestant, go to https://hkstp.wufoo.com/forms/r1wxvu4f1th1pnl/ from 26 Oct 2022 to 20 Jan 2023, and accurately and truthfully complete the online registration form. PRIOR TO REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT, MUST AGREE WITH AND PROVIDE YOUR CONSENT AND ACCEPTANCE TO THE TERMS. IF YOU ARE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE TERMS, PLEASE DO NOT REGISTER FOR THE EVENT.

Entry and participation in the Event are free of charge.

ELIGIBILITY

1. The Event is open and offered only to tech companies with no more than 10 years of establishment. Each participate of the Event as contestant (“Participant”) must accept and agree to the Terms before they may proceed further with the Event.
   
   
2. This Event is not open to (1) employees of the Organiser; (2) the immediate family members or members of the same household of any such employee; or (3) anyone professionally involved in the development or administration of the Event.
   
   
3. An entry submitted by a Participant must designate one individual member as the “Business Representative” for contact, other administrative purposes and representing the Participant. The Business Representative will be responsible for submitting the entry on behalf of and representing the respective Participant. Any individual is not eligible to participate as contestant in the Event.
   
   
4. By submitting an entry as the Business Representative, you represent and warrant to the Organiser that you, as the Business Representative, (1) are a duly authorized representative of the Participant, and is submitting the entry on behalf of such Participant; and (2) have obtained all necessary approvals from the Participant to enter the Event pursuant to the Terms, including but not limited to all permissions to submit any intellectual property to the Organiser. If you have any questions about such authority and permissions, you must clarify with your Business Participant before registration.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

By submitting an entry, each Participant represents, warrants and undertakes as follows:

1. All information provided in the registration form and in relation to the participation of the Event is complete, accurate and truthful. It agrees to be bound by the Terms; 

2. The Business Representative (a) is a duly authorized representative of the Business Participant; (b) is submitting the entry on behalf of the Business Participant ; (c) no person or entity other than the Business Participant has any right, title or interest in any part of its entry; and (d) has obtained all necessary corporate and other approvals from the Business Participant to enter the Event and submit the company’s intellectual property/entry, as contemplated under the Terms;

3. No other party is entitled to claim royalties from the use of the Participant’s entry;
   
   
4. Each Participant’s entry does not and will not infringe or violate any rights of any third party, including without limitation Intellectual Property Rights (as defined below), and does not constitute defamation, and any violation of any privacy, publicity, misappropriation, confidentiality or any contractual or other rights. “Intellectual Property Rights” means all current and future worldwide rights under patent, copyright, trade secret, trademark or moral rights laws and other similar rights;
   
   
5. Each Participant’s entry is an original work of the Participant and the Participant has all the rights, licenses, permissions and consents necessary to submit the entry and to grant all of the rights that the Participant has granted herein;
   
   
6. Each Participant’s entry does not contain content that is prohibited under these Terms including, but not limited to, any content that is unlawful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, libelous, invasive of another’s privacy, vulgar, profane, sexually explicit, obscene, racially or ethnically offensive or otherwise objectionable;
   
   
7. Each Participant will not upload, post or otherwise transmit any entry or content that contains software viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time bombs, cancelbots or any other computer code or files that are designed to disrupt, damage, or limit the functioning of any software or hardware; and
   
   
8. Each Participant shall duly observe and comply with all laws and regulations applicable to the Event or the Terms

NO CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP

No entry of the Event will be received or held in confidence and under no circumstances will any entry create a confidential relationship or obligation of secrecy between any Participant and the Organiser or between the Participant and any other party. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, each Participant understands and agrees that his entry may be publicly disclosed by the Organiser on its website, or virtual event platform, or in other public communications, forums and media.

Each Participant recognizes that other persons or entities may have provided the Organiser or others, or made public, or may in the future submit, or make public, materials that are the same or similar to his entry. Each Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Organiser shall have the right to use such same or similar materials, and that the Participant will not be entitled to any compensation arising from the Organiser’s use of such materials. In the event that any entry of a Participant is identical or similar to the entry of another Participant, the Participant acknowledges that the judging panel has a sole discretion to determine the score.

LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY AND RELEASE

1. Organiser, its affiliates, divisions, subsidiaries, and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, representatives and agents (collectively the “Released Parties”) will have no liability whatsoever for, and will be released and held harmless by any Participant for any claims, liabilities, or causes of action of any kind or nature for any injury, loss or damages of any kind including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages to persons, including without limitation disability or death. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, everything in connection with the Event is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties and merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
   
   
2. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, HKSTP may provide assistance to the Participants (when they become semi-finalists of the Event) of the Event on traveling and/or accommodation arrangements (“Arrangements”). HKSTP makes no warranty or representation on any of the Arrangements and all of such Arrangements are provided on a an “as is” basis and each Participant agrees and acknowledges that HKSTP shall not be responsible for and injury, loss or damages of any kind including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages to persons, including without limitation disability or death resulted from or in relation to any Arrangements.  Each Participate agrees and acknowledges that it shall proceed with any Arrangements at its own risks. 

INDEMNIFICATION

Each Participant agrees that he will indemnify and hold the Organiser and Released Parties harmless on demand from and against all claims, actions liabilities, costs, expenses, loss or damage (including but not limited to consequential losses, loss of profit and loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal and other professional costs and expenses) incurred by the Organiser arising from or relating to (directly or indirectly) any default or any violation of any of such Participant’s obligations under the Terms.

AWARDS

Subject to the Terms, the winners will receive the following:

• Top 10 Finalists: US$10,000 (each)
• Tech Winners* (x2): additional US$20,000 (each)
• EPiC 2023 champion: additional US$60,000
• Favourite Pitcher: US$10,000

*Tech Categories: PropTech and FinTech

Participant which is winner of any of the above prizes (“Winner”) will be subject to HKSTP’s due diligence exercises (“Due Diligence”) which will be carried out for the purposes of (1) ascertaining each winner’s eligibility of the Event; and (2) Winner’s compliances with all Terms including without limitation its contents of the entry are fully compliance with the Terms. 

HKSTP reserves its right to amend the elements and/or requirements of the Due Diligence and any prizes will only be released to the respective Winner when the respective Due Diligence is completed and to HKSTP’s full satisfaction. 

For the purpose of facilitating the Due Diligence, each Winner is required to provide information and/or answer questions in accordance with requirements to be stipulated by HKSTP.  Failing which, HKSTP reserves the right to withdraw and/or cancel any of the above prizes in its absolute discretion and in such event; the respective Winner will not be compensated whatsoever. 

Each winner is fully responsible for all taxes, VAT or fees of the similar nature in relation to any of the above prizes.     

SELECTION OF WINNERS

Winners will be selected based on the following criteria:

1. Uniqueness
2. Market Size
3. Go-To-Market Strategy

Please refer to the following website https://epic.hkstp.org/ for the rules on selection of winners which (1) shall form part of the Terms; and (2) may be amended by the organizer from time to time at its sole discretion.

PUBLICITY

Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Organiser may use and edit his entry for publicity, public voting for Favourite Pitcher award, virtual event platform, advertising or other marketing purposes (collectively “Publicity Purposes”), in any media, and may use the name, likeness (including but not limited to photos, pitch videos, video capture for live performance and recorded video of the Event), and hometown name and/or prize information of Participants as part of the Publicity Purposes, without additional compensation to any Participants.

ATTENDING THE EVENT IN HONG KONG

All Participants which become semi-finalists of the Event are required to attend the Event physically in Hong Kong through their representatives.  Details of the same will be provided to the Participants along with their acceptances to the Event.

Without prejudice to the generality of other provisions of the Terms, additional terms and conditions of the Event (“Additional Terms”) may be provided by HSKTP together with the Participants’ acceptance of the Event and each Participant is required to accept all Additional Terms (if any) before proceeding further with the Event upon acceptance.  You shall withdraw the Event if you do not accept any of the Additional Terms or Terms amended by HKSTP from time to time.  You are deemed to have accepted all Terms (which shall include all Additional Terms) if you remain in the Event.     

USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

Any personal data collected from the Participant in relation to the Event (“Personal Data”) shall be used, stored, or retained in accordance with the privacy policy of the Organiser which shall be found in the following website https://www.hkstp.org/en/privacy-policy/.

Personal Data may also be collected through and/or stored at our external registration platforms, EventXtra and Wufoo. The respective privacy policies of EventXtra (the “EX Privacy Policy”) and Wufoo (the “Wufoo Privacy Policy”) may be applicable to any information collected through or stored at EventXtra or Wufoo. Participants must agree to the EX Privacy Policy and Wufoo Privacy Policy prior to the registration of the Event. By registering the Event you are deemed to have agreed with the EX Privacy Policy and Wufoo Privacy Policy. The EX Privacy Policy can be found at https://eventxtra.com/privacy-policy/ and the Wufoo Privacy Policy can be found at https://www.wufoo.com/terms-of-service/2015-11-18/. 

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, all Personal Data will be collected, used and processed for the following purposes:

• Contestant application and identification
• Registration of the Event
• User account set-up and use of the virtual event platform
• Business and Investment matchmaking
• Private chat messaging
• Survey to collect feedbacks
• Data analysis for events
• Direct marketing (if an applicant opts in)

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, each Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Organiser may disclose any Personal Data and/or any information in relation to the Event (including but not limited to any entry) to third parties including but not limited to [the virtual event platform] for the purposes of (1) matching Participant to potential investors or business partners; (2) Participant identification; (3) user account set-up and use of the virtual event platform; (4) private chat messaging; (5) live webinar viewing (6) survey to collect feedbacks; (7) data analysis for events; and (8) polling

Personal Data retained by the Organiser will be purged after the 3-month data retention period unless the Participant has opted in for direct marketing.

In no event, each Participant will be compensated whatsoever for any use of information of the Event and Personal Data as stipulated in the Terms.

GENERAL RULES

1. The Organiser reserves the right to cancel or make changes to the Event. Should there be cancellations or changes, announcements will be made on event website (i.e. epic.hkstp.org), and email notification(s) will be sent to registered Participants. In the event that the Event is cancelled for whatever reason, the Organiser will not incur any liability towards any Participant arising from such cancellation.

2. The Organiser reserves the right to change the programme details of the Event without prior notification.

3. No automated entry devices and/or programs permitted. Receipt of entry will not be acknowledged or returned. Organiser is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, postage-due, misdirected, technically corrupted or garbled entry, which will be disqualified, nor Organisers be responsible in any circumstances for problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic.

4. Only confirmed Participants shall be eligible to participate in the Event.

5. The Organiser reserves the right to refuse anyone’s entry to the Event and to request any person to cease participating in the Event in the sole discretion, if such person (i) fails to comply with any of the Terms; or (ii) is found to have behaved in an illegal or anti-social manner; or (iii) is found to have violated any of these Terms. The decision of the Organiser in this regard shall be binding and conclusive.

6. The Event may be recorded and/or used for internet streaming. By participating in the Event each Participant is deemed to have provided his consent to the use of his actual or simulated likeness in connection with the production, exhibition, advertising or exploitation of any film, video and /or audio recording of the Event or any element thereof in any media of whatever form throughout the world. Each Participant also agrees to being filmed through security cameras for the purpose of ensuring public security at the Event and preventing crime where applicable.

7. No Participant shall be permitted to use the names and/or logos of the Organiser in any manner without the prior written consent of the Organiser.

8. Without prejudice to the generality of the Terms, the Organiser shall not be liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense, except in the case of death or personal injury if due to any negligent act or omission on its part. Participants attending the Event are responsible for their own valuables and the Organiser will not be liable for any loss or damage to any personal property brought to the Venue.

9. If any provision contained in the Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by any court, the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be severed or amended in such a manner as to render the rest of the provision(s) and remainder of these Terms shall remain valid and enforceable.

10. Any failure or delay on the part of the Organiser to enforce any of the Terms shall not constitute a waiver of any of its rights hereunder.

11. The Terms may be subject to change from time to time. Please visit the Organiser’s website epic.hkstp.org from time to time for any updates.

12. Interpretation of any of the Terms is the sole prerogative of the Organiser. All decisions by the Organiser regarding the interpretation of the Terms and any issues arising from the Event shall be binding and conclusive on all Participants.

13. The Terms shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and any disputes shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Hong Kong.