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These Coach Participation Terms apply to individuals engaged by IgniteAI as mentors, coaches, advisors, or workshop facilitators (“Coaches”) within the Programme.

By agreeing to participate as a Coach, you accept the following terms.

1. Role & Scope of Engagement

1.1 Coaches provide guidance, feedback, mentorship, and practical insights to participating Founders.

1.2 Coaches act in an advisory capacity only. Coaches do not:

• Make executive decisions for Founder businesses
• Represent IgniteAI in contractual or financial commitments
• Provide regulated professional services unless separately contracted

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1.3 Nothing in this engagement creates:

• Employment
• Partnership
• Joint venture
• Agency authority

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Coaches operate as independent contributors unless a separate written agreement states otherwise.

2. Standards of Conduct

2.1 Coaches must act professionally, respectfully, and in alignment with IgniteAI’s community values.

2.2 Coaches must:

• Provide constructive, honest, and non-abusive feedback
• Respect diversity of backgrounds, ideas, and cultures
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries

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2.3 Harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or inappropriate conduct toward Founders, volunteers, investors, or staff will result in immediate review and may lead to termination of involvement.

2.4 Coaches must not misuse their position for personal gain at the expense of Founders or the Programme.

3. Conflicts of Interest

3.1 Coaches must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest, including:

• Existing investments in participating startups
• Financial interests in competing businesses
• Advisory or board roles that may create bias
• Personal relationships that may influence objectivity

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3.2 IgniteAI may:

• Reassign coaching relationships
• Restrict access to certain startup information
• Require written conflict acknowledgment





⠀3.3 Coaches must not:

• Use privileged Programme information for competitive advantage
• Influence Founder decisions for undisclosed personal benefit

⠀Transparency is mandatory. If in doubt, disclose.

4. Intellectual Property Boundaries

4.1 Founders retain ownership of their startup’s intellectual property, including ideas, code, branding, business models, and materials.

4.2 Coaching input does not transfer ownership of Founder IP to the Coach.

4.3 Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• Coaches do not acquire equity automatically
• Advice, feedback, or suggestions do not create ownership claims

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4.4 Coaches retain ownership of:

• Their pre-existing materials
• Frameworks, templates, and proprietary methodologies

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4.5 If a Coach wishes to enter into a commercial agreement with a Founder (e.g., advisory equity, consulting arrangement), this must:

• Be separate from IgniteAI
• Be fully disclosed to IgniteAI
• Occur outside structured Programme sessions

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5. Confidentiality

5.1 Coaches may receive confidential information relating to Founder businesses.

5.2 Coaches agree to:

• Keep confidential information private
• Use information solely for Programme purposes
• Avoid sharing materials externally without consent

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5.3 Confidentiality obligations survive the end of Programme involvement.

6. Non-Solicitation

6.1 During participation in the Programme and for 6 months after its conclusion, Coaches must not:

• Directly solicit Founders for paid services initiated through Programme access
• Attempt to recruit Founders into external programmes or ventures for personal benefit
• Solicit IgniteAI staff or volunteers for competing programmes

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6.2 This clause does not prevent:

• Founders independently approaching Coaches after Programme completion
• Open market engagement not initiated through misuse of Programme position
• The key principle: no leveraging insider access for unfair advantage.

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7. Compensation & Equity (If Applicable)

7.1 Coaches may be:

• Voluntary
• Paid per session
• Engaged under separate consultancy agreement
7.2 Compensation terms (if any) will be defined in writing.

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7.3 Coaching participation does not automatically entitle Coaches to:

• Equity in IgniteAI
• Equity in Founder startups
• Revenue sharing

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Any such arrangement must be separately negotiated and documented after the cohort. 

8. Termination of Coach Participation

IgniteAI may suspend or terminate Coach involvement for:

• Breach of conduct standards
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• IP boundary violations
• Non-solicitation breaches
• Conduct harmful to the Programme

⠀Termination may be immediate where necessary to protect participants.

9. Limitation of Liability

Coaches provide guidance based on experience and perspective. IgniteAI is not responsible for advice given by Coaches, and Coaches are not liable for business outcomes resulting from Founder decisions unless otherwise required by law.