TERMS AND CONDITIONS (the “Terms”) – Elevator Pitch International Competition 2025

Terms in relation to Contestant

Terms in relation to Contestant

COMPETITION OVERVIEW

Welcome to the Elevator Pitch International Competition (“Event”)! The Event is organised by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (the "Organiser").and will be held in Hong Kong 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, being a participant of the Event (“Participant”) are deemed to have accepted and agreed with the Terms and agreed to be bound by the same.


REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT

To participate the Event as a Participant you must complete the registration form which is available at the following website :

from 14 Mar to 17 Jun 2025, and accurately and truthfully complete the online registration form. Prior to registration for the event, you 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 which are incorporated for no more than 10 years. Each Participant must accept and agree with the Terms before they may proceed further with the Event.

  2. The 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.

BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE’S WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS

  1. Each Participant must designate one individual employee as the “Business Representative” for contact, other administrative purposes and representing the Participant for matters in relation to the Event.

  2. In addition to the Business Representative, each Participant may designate one individual employee who will be responsible to be the pitcher in the regional semi-pitch, semi-pitch, and final pitch of the grand finale of the Event (the “Pitcher”). Business Representative, the Pitcher and other representatives of each Participant are collectively referred to as the “Representatives”.

  3. The Business Representative will be responsible for submitting the entry on behalf of and representing the respective Participant. Any individual/natural person is not eligible to participate as contestant in the Event.

  4. By submitting an entry to the Organizer for and on behalf of the respective Participant, the Business Representative represents and warrants to the Organiser that the Business Representative (1) is a duly authorized representative of the Participant, and is submitting the entry on behalf of such Participant; and (2) has obtained all necessary approvals from the respective Participant to enter into the Event pursuant to the Terms, including but not limited to all permissions to submit any intellectual property to the Organiser. If the Business Representative has any questions about such authority and permissions, the Business Representative must clarify with the Participant before registration.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

By submitting an entry (by itself or through its Business Representative), 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;
  1. (a) the Business Representative and Pitcher are duly authorized representatives of the Participant; (b) the Business Representative is submitting the entry for and on behalf of the Participant ; (c) no person or entity other than the Participant has any right, title or interest in any part of its entry; and (d) the Business Representative has obtained all necessary consents and other approvals from the Participant to enter the Event for and on behalf of such Participant and to submit the company’s intellectual property/entry, as contemplated under the Terms;

  2. No other party is entitled to claim royalties or other interests from the use of the Participant’s entry;

  3. Each Participant’s entry does not and will not infringe or violate any rights of any third party, including without limitation any 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;

  4. 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;

  5. Each Participant’s entry does not contain content that is prohibited under these Terms or any applicable laws 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;

  6. 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

  7. 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 its 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 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 of the Event, 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” and “as available” 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 and subject to additional terms and conditions stipulated by HKSTP in its sole discretion, the Organiser may provide assistance to the Participant or the Pitchers (when such Participant becomes semi-finalists of the Event or at other stages as stipulated by the Organiser at its absolute discretion) on traveling and/or accommodation arrangements (“Arrangements”). The Organiser makes no warranty or representation on any of the Arrangements and all of such Arrangements are provided on a an “as is” and “as available” basis and each Participant agrees and acknowledges and shall procure and ensure its Pitcher to agree and acknowledge that the Organiser and the Released Parties 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 Participant agrees and acknowledges it shall and shall procure and ensure the Pitcher to agree and acknowledge that they shall proceed with or participant in 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. For the avoidance of doubt, any acts of any Representatives shall be deemed as acts of the Participant.

 

AWARDS

  1. Subject to the Terms, the winners will receive the followings:
    • Top 12 Finalists each Digital Health Tech, FinTech, or GreenTech (collectively the “Categories” each “Category”): Each of the top 12 finalists will be awarded a cash prize of US$10,000.
    • One Winner from each Category: One Winner will be selected among the top 12 finalists in each Category which will receive an additional cash prize of US$20,000.
    • EPIC 2025 Champion: The EPIC 2025 Champion will be selected among the Winners of the Categories which will receive an additional cash prize of US$60,000.
  1. Participant which is winner of any of the above prizes (“Winner”) will be subject to the Organiser’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.

  2. The Organiser reserves its right to amend any parts of the Due Diligence and any prizes will only be released to the respective Winner when the respective Due Diligence is completed to the Organizer’s full satisfaction.

  3. 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 the Organiser and to the Organiser’s satisfaction. Failing which, such Winner will not be eligible to receive the corresponding prizes and will be removed from being a Winner and in such event such; Participant will not be compensated whatsoever. For the avoidance of doubt if a Participant is being removed from being a Winner in accordance with this clause; such Participant shall not represent itself as Winner.

  4. Each Winner is fully responsible for all taxes, VAT or fees or all other tariffs of similar nature in relation to any prizes received under the Event.

 

SELECTION OF WINNERS

Winners will be selected based on the following criteria:

  1. Uniqueness
  2. Market Size; and
  3. 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 its entry for publicity, 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 the Participant address on its business registration and/or prize information of the Participant as part of the Publicity Purposes, without additional compensation to the Participant.

ATTENDING THE EVENT IN HONG KONG

  1. 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 attend the Event physically in Hong Kong.

  2. Without prejudice to the generality of other provisions of the Terms, additional terms and conditions of the Event (“Additional Terms”) may be made by the Organiser from time to time and the each Participant is required to accept and shall procure and ensure all its Representatives fully comply to all Additional Terms which are applicable to the Representatives before proceeding further with the Event. Any Participants which do not accept all of the Additional Terms or Terms amended by HKSTP from time to time shall withdraw from the Event immediately. Each Participant is deemed to (i) have accepted all Terms including all Additional Terms or any Terms amended by HKSTP from time to time; and (ii) have represented and warranted all Representatives also have agreed to fully comply with all Terms including all Additional Terms (where applicable) if it remains in and proceed further with the Event.

 

USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

  1. Any Personal Data (as defined in Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance of Hong Kong Laws (“PDPO”)) collected from the Participant or its Representatives in relation to the Event 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/. Without prejudice to the generality of other provisions of the Terms, each Participant undertakes to procure and ensure that all Representatives acknowledge, agree to the said privacy policy and matters stated in this section “USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION” and provide all necessary written consents for the Participant to disclose their respective Personal Data to HKSTP . Each Participant is required to provide the Organiser with all Representatives’ written consents to the use of their Personal Data stated in the Terms.

  2. Personal Data may also be collected through and/or stored at our external registration platforms/service providers including EventXtra and Wufoo. The respective privacy policies and other terms and conditions 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 and shall procure and ensure all Representatives (where applicable) to agree the EX Privacy Policy and Wufoo Privacy Policy prior to the registration of the Event. By registering the Event each Participant is deemed to have agreed and to have represented and warranted that all Representatives have agreed with the EX Privacy Policy and Wufoo Privacy Policy. HKSTP and the Released Parties (1) shall not be considered as parties to EX Privacy Policy and Wufoo Privacy Policy; and (2) be responsible for any matters in relation to EX Privacy Policy or Wufoo Privacy Policy.

  3. 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;
    • Private chat messaging between the Organiser and the Participant or Representatives in relation to the Event, private chat messengers including but not limited to WhatsApp, WeChat, LinkedIn, Email;
    • Survey to collect feedbacks of the Event;
    • Direct marketing (if the Participant or Representatives choose to opt-in).
  1. Personal Data retained by the Organiser will be purged after the 3-month data retention period unless the Participant and/or any of its representatives/employees have opted in for direct marketing.

  2. If a Participate is located outside of Hong Kong, Personal Data provided by such Participant may be transmitted and/or stored abroad including without limitation transmitted to and/or stored at storages located in Hong Kong. Without prejudice to the generality of other provisions of the Terms, such Participant represents and warrants that (i) it has obtained all necessary consents from the Data Subject (as defined in the PDPO) for the purpose of transferring and storing such Personal Data abroad to HKSTP; and (ii) transfer of such Personal Data abroad to HKSTP is in compliance with all applicable laws. 

  3. In no event, each Participant or any of its representatives/employees 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 any matters 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 Participants confirmed by HKSTP are eligible to participate in the Event.

  5. The Organiser reserves the right to refuse anyone’s entry to the Event and to request any party to cease participating in the Event in the sole discretion, if such party (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 its and undertakes to procure and ensure all Representatives have provided and their consents to the use of all their 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 and undertakes to procure all Representatives to agree for being filmed through security cameras for the purpose of ensuring public security at the Event and preventing crime where applicable.

  7. Participant shall not use and undertake to procure and ensure all Representatives not 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 and all Representatives 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. Each Participant shall be fully responsible for all acts carried out by all Representatives in the Event.

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

  15. Any person who is not a party to the Terms shall not have any right under the Agreements (Right of Third Parties) Ordinance (Cap. 623) of the Hong Kong laws to enforce any provisions of the Terms.