These domain experts Participation Terms apply to individuals engaged by IgniteAI as domain experts (“Experts”) within the Programme.

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

1. Role & Scope of Engagement

1.1 Experts provide guidance, feedback, advice, and practical insights to participating Founders in their respective fields.

1.2 Experts act in an advisory capacity only. Experts 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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Experts operate as independent contributors unless a separate written agreement states otherwise.

2. Standards of Conduct

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

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

3. Conflicts of Interest

3.1 Experts 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 Advising relationships
• Restrict access to certain startup information
• Require written conflict acknowledgment





⠀3.3 Experts 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 Experting input does not transfer ownership of Founder IP to the Expert.

4.3 Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

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

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4.4 Experts retain ownership of:

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

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4.5 If an Expert 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 Experts may receive confidential information relating to Founder businesses.

5.2 Experts 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, Experts 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 Experts 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 Experts 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 Advising participation does not automatically entitle Experts 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 Expert Participation

IgniteAI may suspend or terminate Expert 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

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