This page contains the terms and conditions for both The Expop Startup Challenge (Fall 2025) and the Expop Platform and Services

THE EXPOP STARTUP CHALLENGE (FALL 2025) COMPETITION TERMS

1. Expop

The promoter is: Ascendance US Inc., a Delaware corporation located at 169 Madison Ave., Suite 11804, New York, New York, 10016  (“Expop”).

2. The competition

   1. The title of the competition is The Expop Start Up Challenge (Fall 2025) (“Challenge”). 

   2. The Challenge is an international educational programme aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial skills among 1,000 secondary school pupils aged 13 to 18. Participants take part individually over a six-month period. At the end of the programme, prizes are awarded to top-performing students based on their accumulated points, the quality of their written submissions, and their level of engagement.

   3. You may achieve points which are tracked on a leaderboard, through:

      1. attending webinars and workshops led by Expop staff and guest speakers, at least twice a month;

      2. engaging with articles and videos on entrepreneurship, finance, investing, and module-specific topics; and

      3. submitting assignments and tasks relating to the webinars, workshops, articles, and videos as outlined in 2.3.1 and 2.3.2, such as write-ups, quizzes, product descriptions, and business plan outlines

3. How to enter

   1. The Challenge will run from 12:00 am ET on 1 October 2025 to 23:59pm ET on 31 March 2025, in accordance with 3.3 and 4.1 (the "Closing Date") inclusive.

   2. All Challenge entries must be received by Expop by no later than the Closing Date. All Challenge entries received after the Closing Date are automatically disqualified.

   3. To enter the Challenge, registration must be completed to utilise the Expop platform, services and participate in the Challenge, following which you shall be entered into the Challenge. 

   4. Expop will not accept:

      1. responsibility for Challenge entries that are corrupted, not successfully completed or transmitted, lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in transit, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of any postal failure, equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, website, computer hardware or software failure of any kind; or

      2. proof of posting or transmission as proof of receipt of entry to the Challenge.

   5. By submitting a Challenge entry, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.

   6. For help with entries, please see expop.io.

   7. Please see expop.io for a copy of these Challenge terms and conditions.

   8. The Challenge entries will be judged by a panel of judges including Expop staff and guest speakers and advisors involved in the Challenge. The decision of the panel of judges (acting reasonably) will be final.

   9. A list of names of the judges can be viewed on expop.io from the Closing Date for a period of 30 days.

   10. Participants’ submissions will be evaluated by Expop judges using module-specific rubrics shared during the Challenge.

   11. In the event of a tie, Expop will re-review the tied participants’ overall performance and engagement. If needed, additional submissions may be requested. All tie-breaking decisions are final and at Expop’s sole discretion.

4. Eligibility

   1. The Challenge is only open to the first 1,000 individuals aged 13 to 18 years who register in accordance with 3.3, except:

   2. individuals actively enrolled full time in a university in pursuit of undergraduate or graduate degrees; 

   3. members of the immediate families or households of 4.1.3 and 4.1.5 below; 

   4. employees of Expop or its holding or subsidiary companies; or

   5. employees of agents or suppliers of Expop or its holding or subsidiary companies, who are professionally connected with the Challenge or its administration; or

   6. any judges of the Challenge, and any individuals involved in organising the Challenge.

   7. You must have a parent or legal guardian’s consent to register and participate. By participating in the Challenge, your parent or legal guardian is agreeing to these terms on your behalf. 

   8. Expop reserves the right to request written parental consent from you.  

   9. In entering the Challenge, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to claim any prize you may win. Expop may require you to provide proof that you are eligible to enter the Challenge.

   10. Expop will not accept Challenge entries that are:

       1. automatically generated by computer or created by artificial intelligence (including but not limited to chatbots such as ChatGPT or similar software applications), although you may use such tools for brainstorming purposes only;

1. completed by third parties or in bulk, noting while existing research may be referenced, all analysis must be your own and copying material without proper attribution is considered a contravention of 4.5.1; 

2. illegible, have been altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with;

3. photocopies and not originals; or

4. incomplete.

2. There is a limit of one entry per person. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed.

3. Expop reserves all rights to disqualify you if your conduct is contrary to the spirit or intention of the prize Challenge or where Expop considers you to not have met the eligibility requirements or where you have provided false information or where Expop considers you to have breached any rules of the platform. 

4. Challenge entries cannot be returned.

2. The prize

   1. The prizes are as follows:

      1. Top 5 scoring participants: Total USD 7500 for each of the Top 5 participants which breaks down to: 

1st Place : $ 2,500
2nd Place : $ 2,000
3rd Place : $ 1,500
4th Place : $ 1,000
5th Place: $ 500

2. Top 6 to 10 scoring participants: Access to exclusive summer internship opportunities led by Ivy League students.

3. 11 to 25 scoring participants: 3 months of access to startup accelerator virtual expert office hours consisting of 1-on-1 office hour slots with entrepreneurial experts to help incubate business ideas.

4. Top 26 to 50 scoring participants: Access to a virtual funder’s session to connect with investors and venture capital firms. Unlike office hours, this format offers a more organised opportunity to engage with funders, explore investment perspectives, and build meaningful relationships.

5. Top 51 to 100 scoring participants: Expop merchandise and materials delivered to participants.

2. Prizes are subject to availability. There is no cash alternative for the prize.

3. Expop reserves the right to replace the prize with an alternative prize of equal or higher value if circumstances beyond Expop's control makes it necessary to do so.

4. The prize is not negotiable or transferable.

5. In order to claim the prize you must submit a signed copy of these terms from a parent or guardian and email support@expop.io. 

3. Winners

   1. The decision of judges nominated by Expop is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.

   2. Expop will contact the winner personally as soon as practicable before April 30th (“Announcement Date”), using the telephone number or email address provided with the Challenge entry. Expop will not amend any contact information once the Challenge entry form has been submitted.

   3. Expop must either publish or make available information that indicates that a valid award took place. To comply with this obligation Expop will publish the surname and county of major prize winners and, if applicable, their winning entries on our website, expop.io on April 30th (Announcement Date) and may additionally use prize winners’ name, image, voice, school, city, and statements in promotional materials, press, and social media.  

   4. If you object to any or all of your surname, county, winning entry, or other details under 6.3 being published or made available, please contact Expop at support@expop.io. In such circumstances, Expop must still provide the information and winning entry to the Advertising Standards Authority on request.

4. Claiming the prize

   1. If you are the winner of the prize, you will have 30 days from the Announcement Date to claim the prize once the prize is announced and Expop contacts you, or by emailing admin@expop.io. If you do not claim the prize by this date, your claim will become invalid.

   2. The prize may not be claimed by a third party on your behalf save for your parent or guardian.

   3. Expop will make all reasonable efforts to contact the winner. If the winner cannot be contacted or is not available, or has not claimed their prize within 30 of days of the Announcement Date or has not provided information reasonably requested by Expop within 14 days of such request, Expop reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant selected from the correct entries that were received before the Closing Date.

   4. Expop does not accept any responsibility if you are not able to take up the prize.

5. Limitation of liability

Insofar as is permitted by law, Expop, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up the prize except where it is caused by the negligence of Expop, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected.

6. Disclaimers

   1. By participating, you acknowledge and accept the following:

      1. No guaranteed outcomes: Expop does not guarantee skill improvement, academic advancement, business success, or prize winnings. Results depend on individual effort and external factors.

      2. No academic or career advantage: Participation does not influence college admissions, confer credits, or create employment or internship opportunities.

      3. No business guarantees: Entrepreneurial success is not assured. Advice given is general and does not guarantee funding or viability.

      4. Programme changes: Expop may modify or cancel any part of the Challenge, including schedule, content, rules, or prizes, at any time without notice.

      5. No warranties: The Challenge is provided “as is.” Expop disclaims all warranties and is not liable for errors, interruptions, or unmet expectations.

      6. Participant responsibility: Success depends on your own effort and circumstances. Expop is not responsible for outcomes or decisions made based on Challenge participation.

7. Ownership of competition entries and intellectual property rights

   1. Expop does not claim any rights of ownership in your Challenge entry, including any business plans, pitches, or prototypes. Where you submit any third-party material or AI-generated content, you must have the necessary rights to any third-party material included and cite AI-generated content appropriately. 

   2. You agree that Expop may, in their sole discretion, make your entry available on its website expop.io and in any other media, whether now known or invented in the future, and in connection with any publicity of the Challenge. You grant Expop a non-exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable licence in perpetuity, for the full period of the intellectual property rights in the Challenge entry and any accompanying materials, to use, display, publish, transmit, copy, edit, alter, store, re-format and sub-licence the intellectual property rights in the Challenge entry and any accompanying materials for such purposes.

8. Data protection and publicity

Expop will only process your personal information as set out in the Privacy Policy. See also condition 6.3 and condition 6.4, with regard to the announcement of winners.

9. General

   1. If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, Expop may, at its sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude you from participating in the Challenge.

   2. Expop reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel, or amend the prize Challenge where it becomes necessary to do so.

   3. These terms and conditions are governed by English law. If any entrants to this promotion wish to take court proceedings, then they must do this within the courts in Great Britain.

EXPOP PLATFORM AND SERVICES TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

BY CLICKING ‘ACCEPT’ ON THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, SUBMITTING YOUR REGISTRATION, UTILIZING THE SERVICES AND/OR PARTICIPATING IN THE CHALLENGE FOLLOWING THESE CONDITIONS, YOU ARE CONFIRMING THAT YOU AGREE TO AND ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING TERMS WHICH WILL BE BINDING ON YOU WHEN USING THE PLATFORM AND ANY SERVICES PROVIDED ON IT.

1. THESE TERMS

1.1 What these terms cover. These are the terms and conditions on which we supply services to you. They are legally binding between you and us, Ascendance US Inc t/a Expop. These terms and conditions will apply to your use of the Platform and any Services you use on the Platform (“Terms and Conditions”).

1.2 Why you should read them. Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully, as they set out important information and your rights and obligations. Please note that you must agree to these Terms and Conditions before you submit your Registration. These Terms and Conditions tell you who we are, how we will provide services to you, how you and we may change or end the contract, what to do if there is a problem and other important information.

2. ABOUT US AND OUR PLATFORM

2.1 Who we are. Ascendance US Inc. t/a Expop is a company registered in Delaware, USA with company number 5587942 and whose registered office is at 169 Madison Ave., Suite 11804, New York, New York, 10016. Ascendance US Inc. operates services branded as Expop. These Terms and Conditions cover services offered on our platform found at expop.io or any other websites by which Expop offers services to you (the “Platform”).

2.2 The Platform. The Platform is a digital subscription service designed to provide students with a centralized space to access educational content, attend live workshops, complete challenge activities, track their progress and more. It also offers access to the Start Up Challenge (the “Challenge”), which is a global entrepreneurial education program and competition designed for high school students over the age of 13 to participate in on an individual basis. For further information on the Challenge, please see the Challenge terms and conditions on our website.

In these Terms and Conditions, “we”, “us”, “our” means Ascendance UK Inc. also trading as Expop. “you”, “your” means the person using the Platform or the Services.

“writing” includes emails. When we use the words “writing” or “written” in these terms, this includes emails.

“Registration” means you registering for use of the Platform and any Services therein on a subscription basis using the form on our website and “Service(s)” means the service or services we will provide to you, including the Challenge.

2.3 How to contact us. Expop can be contacted by email at admin@expop.io or by such other contact details as communicated to you from time to time. 

2.4 How we may contact you. If we need to contact you, we will do so using the contact details you provided to us in your Registration.

3. PLATFORM AND SERVICES RESTRICTIONS

3.1 Age Requirements: By accepting these Terms and Conditions, you certify that you are 18 years of age or older.

3.2 Minors (Under 18). If you are under the age of 18 but at least 13 years of age, you may use the Platform, the Services and/or participate in the Challenge provided you have parental or guardian consent and are supervised by them at all times. To signify that you have the required consent, your parent or guardian needs to submit the Registration on your behalf as set out below. Children under the age of 13 may not use the Platform, Services or participate in the Challenge under any circumstances. 

4. OUR CONTRACT WITH YOU

4.1 If you are over 18 and wish to use the Platform and utilize the Services, you must first complete your Registration. You must check that you meet all eligibility requirements before you submit. When you submit your Registration, this constitutes an offer by you to purchase access to the Platform and the Services on a subscription basis in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.

4.2 As part of your Registration, you will be required to:

4.2.1 provide us with your name, age, email address, billing address, and credit/debit card information as otherwise directed by us. In some cases, additional documentation may be requested and required to process your Registration. Your personal data will be used in accordance with our Privacy Notice which can be found here. Your information and documentation will be processed securely;

4.2.2 make payment of the relevant fees as set out on the Platform. Sales taxes may be charged in addition to the subscription fee.

4.3 After you complete your Registration and have made payment via the payment process on the Platform and processed by Stripe, [we will send a confirmation email to via email (“Acceptance Email”)], at which point a legally binding subscription contract is formed between you and us for the supply of the Platform and the Services and subject to these Terms and Conditions (the “Contract”). The Contract will continue for the initial subscription period (which you selected at Registration, for example, 6 or 12 months). Once the initial subscription period expires, the Contract will automatically renew for subsequent subscription periods (each renewal period set at the same length as the initial period) until you end the Contract. 

4.4 In terms of any minor wishing to use the Platform, the minor’s parent or guardian will need to complete the Registration process set out above on their behalf. Upon a parent of guardian submitting a Registration, the Contract shall be formed between us and such parent or guardian and they agree to be responsible for the actions of the minor whilst using the Platform and the Services and for any terms under the Contract and these Terms and Conditions in respect of such minor. 

4.5 Following your Registration, you are entitled to cancel the Contract within the statutory cancellation period of 14 days and will be entitled to a refund but this right is lost once you start to download, stream, or otherwise access any content on the Platform.    

4.6 We have the right to refuse any Registration for any reason. The Services are subject to availability. We cannot guarantee that the Services will be available at any given time.

5. SUPPLY OF SERVICES

5.1 Once you have completed your Registration, you will be entitled to use any of the Services on the Platform and/or participate in the Challenge. We shall supply the Service to you in accordance with the description herein, in the Contest Rules, and on our website expop.io (“Service Description”). 

5.2 We reserve the right to amend the Service Description if necessary to comply with any applicable law or regulatory requirement, or if the amendment will not materially affect the nature or quality of the Services.

5.3 We will provide the Services to you with reasonable care and skill and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

6. COMMUNICATION WITH YOU

6.1 Subject to the Contract, we grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable right to access and use the Platform solely for our provision of the Services to you. 

6.2 We may need to communicate with you at any time regarding the Platform or the Services. We will communicate by email and/or via the Platform. 

6.3 We will not send marketing communications to you unless you indicate, via opt-in that you wish to receive them.

7. ACCEPTABLE USE

7.1        Except as expressly permitted by law, in relation to your use of the Platform and any material or documentation you upload or share to it, the following provisions shall apply:

7.1.1 you shall use the Platform at all times in accordance with any instructions or user guidance and these Terms and Conditions;

7.1.2 you must not knowingly transmit any data, send or upload any material that contains viruses, Trojan horses, worms or other harmful programs or similar computer code designed to adversely affect the operation of any computer software or hardware;

7.1.3 you must not access or use the Platform, or permit it to be accessed or used by or on behalf of any third party;

7.1.4 you must not make the Platform available over a network or any other method of remote access or facilitate the same;

7.1.5 you must not use, copy, modify, adapt or create derivative works from the Platform, or decode, reverse engineer, disassemble or make alterations to the Platform, or otherwise seek to obtain or derive the source code to the Platform;

7.1.6 any information or material you share or upload must not infringe the intellectual property of any other person, and must not be fraudulent or misleading;

7.1.7 you will inform us immediately on becoming aware of any unauthorised or illegal use of the Platform;

7.1.8 you shall keep confidential and not share with any third party your password or any access details; and

7.1.9 we may monitor, collect, store and use information on the use and performance of the Platform (including documents and data uploaded to it) to detect threats or errors to the Platform and/or our operations and for the purposes of the further development and improvement of our Services, provided that such activities at all times comply with the Privacy Notice.

7.2 You acknowledge that:

7.2.1 you must keep your own copies of all documentation and data you upload;

7.2.2 we may modify the features and functionality of the Platform and carry out planned maintenance on the Platform outside of normal business hours. We may not inform you in advance of any unavailability of the Platform caused by events outside our control; 

7.2.3 we do not accept any liability in relation to the Platform meeting your needs or requirements or the Platform operating in a manner that is uninterrupted or free from minor errors or defects; and

7.2.4 the Platform, Services and the Challenge are provided “as is” and we do not give any warranties in respect of them. We cannot guarantee that the information provided is up to date, accurate, or complete, and you should not rely on it for any decision or to take any action. 

8. YOUR OBLIGATIONS

8.1 You shall for each Service you use:

8.1.1 read the Privacy Notice before providing any personal data to us;

8.1.2 ensure that any information provided to us, including all documentation uploaded to us via the Platform, is true, accurate and up-to-date;

8.1.3 co-operate with us in all matters relating to the Service including adherence to these Terms and Conditions, Contest Rules, and Code of Conduct;

8.1.4 provide us with such information and materials as we may reasonably require in order to supply the Service, and ensure that such information is complete and accurate in all material respects;

8.1.5 at all times comply with all applicable laws and regulations; and

8.1.6 be responsible for maintaining complete and accurate records of all data, information and all other documentation you submit to us relating to the provision of the Service under the Contract.

8.2 If our performance of any of our obligations under the Contract is prevented or delayed by any act or omission by you or failure by you to perform any relevant obligation (“Your Default”):

8.2.1 without limiting or affecting any other right or remedy available to us, we shall have the right to suspend your access to the Platform and our performance of the Services until you remedy Your Default, and to rely on Your Default to relieve us from the performance of any of our obligations in each case to the extent Your Default prevents or delays our performance of any of our obligations;

8.2.2 we shall not be liable for any costs or losses sustained or incurred by you arising directly or indirectly from our failure or delay to perform any of our obligations; and

8.2.3 you shall reimburse us for any costs or losses sustained or incurred by us arising directly or indirectly from Your Default.

9. CHARGES AND PAYMENT

9.1 The subscription charges for Registration onto the Platform will be as quoted on our website at the time of your Registration, and confirmed in your Acceptance email (the “Charges”). 

9.2 Payment will be made in United States Dollars ($)] via credit or debit card online, or any other payment method specified on our Platform from time to time, and will be confirmed on the Platform and via Stripe at the time of Registration. Payments made from outside the US may be subject to additional charges. For the avoidance of doubt, the Contract will not be binding until the point of our Acceptance Email in accordance with clause 4.3.

9.3 As you are registering for a subscription to the Platform as opposed to one-off access, you acknowledge that the Contract between us will automatically renew at the end of each subscription term and as such, we will take payment of Charges for any renewal periods at the date of renewal using the original payment method used at Registration. We will always send you a renewal notice in the event you would like to cancel a renewal before the scheduled renewal date and if you do, you will not be charged for the next renewal period.

9.4 If any subscription Charge is not paid (for example, due to an expired card or insufficient funds), we may suspend or terminate your access to the Platform but you will still be responsible for any amounts that you already owe us at the time of suspension. You agree to provide updated payment information promptly if this is the case.

9.5 We may change our Charges from time to time but any changes will not affect your current subscription price.  

9.6 Where VAT or other taxes are required to be paid, these will be listed on the Platform prior to payment and on your Acceptance Email.

9.7 Any fees owed to you in accordance with these terms and conditions will be refunded to the payment method used for the original purchase.  Payments and/or refunds made to or from countries outside of the US may be subject to additional charges. 

10. PROTECTING YOUR DATA

10.1 We will comply with applicable UK data protection laws at all times during the Contract and when processing your personal data.

10.2 For purposes of this clause 10, “controller”, “processor”, “processing”, and “personal data” shall have the meaning given to them in the UK data protection laws (and the terms “process” and “processed” shall be construed accordingly).

10.3 Any information that you provide to us in respect of your Registration or any Services will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice, which can be read here. Our Privacy Notice also contains information on the types of Personal Data which will be shared between the parties during the Contract.

10.4 In respect of the personal data processed under the Contract, we shall act as an independent controller in respect of any processing activity that we carry out in connection with the Contract.

11. LIABILITY

11.1 We are responsible for losses you suffer caused by us breaking this Contract, unless the loss is:

11.1.1 Unexpected. It was not obvious that it would happen and nothing you said to us before we

accepted your Registration meant we should have expected it (so the loss was unforeseeable);

11.1.2 Caused by a delaying event outside our control. We are not responsible for delays outside our control; or

11.1.3 Avoidable. Something you could have avoided by taking reasonable action. For example,

any losses resulting as a result of a delay to you receiving the Services, which was caused by your delay in providing the necessary documentation to us.

12. CHANGING OUR CONTRACT

12.1 From time to time, we may need to make changes to our Contract, for example, the Services that we provide on the Platform may change over time and become no longer available. If we need to make a change that we deem to be material to your Contract, we will send you 30 days’ notice of such change. If you are not happy with the change, you may end our Contract by emailing us at any time within the 30 days’ notice period to cancel our Contract. If you choose to cancel on this basis, we will refund you any fees already paid in advance in respect of the remainder of our Contract. 

12.2 Where we make a change set out above and you (i) do not email us to cancel our Contract during the 30 day notice period and (ii) continue to use the Platform following expiry of our 30 days’ notice period, we will take this to mean that you are happy with the change and continue provision of the Platform and Services to you. 

13. ENDING THIS CONTRACT

13.1 We may end the Contract with you, suspend the supply of the Platform and any Services under the Contract, with immediate effect by giving you notice in writing if:

13.1.1 we suspect or detect any dishonesty or fraudulent activity which has been committed by you;

13.1.2 we suspect that you are not using our Services for your own personal, non-commercial and lawful purposes;

13.1.3 you have provided us with any materially incomplete or inaccurate information; or

13.1.4 you have behaved in an inflammatory, offensive, or otherwise unacceptable manner

towards us or any of our employees or contractors acting on our behalf or otherwise breached our Code of Conduct.

13.2 We may end the Contract with you in the very limited circumstance where the contract which we have in place with a third party relating to the provision of the Platform or Services expires or a third part cancels such contract with us, and as a result we are no longer able to fulfil the provision of the Platform or Service to you. We may also end the Contract at any time during your subscription provided such ending is reasonable in the circumstances (for example, where we can no longer host the Platform or offer the Services). In these circumstances, we will provide you with two months’ prior written notice before ending this Contract and we will refund all the fees you have paid in respect of the purchased Services which have not already commenced.

13.3 If we end the Contract, suspend your use of the Platform or the Services due to the reasons set out above, you may raise a complaint following the procedure set out below.

13.4 Unless we end the Contract as described above, your subscription is fixed for the length of the subscription term that you selected at Registration. Whilst you cannot cancel the subscription during this term, you are able to notify us that you do not wish for your subscription to renew before it is set to do so. If you send us notice that you do not wish to continue with the subscription prior to an upcoming renewal date, we will cancel the renewal, and no further Charges will be payable at the end of the then current subscription. We will always send you 2 months’ notice to remind you of any upcoming renewals so that you have a reasonable timeframe to cancel. 

14. RESOLVING ERRORS AND DISPUTES

14.1 Errors: you should contact us immediately via email if you think we have made any errors in respect of your Registration or our provision of the Services or the Challenge. 

14.2 Our complaints policy: If you have any complaint about the Platform or the Services provided under the Contract (including if you are unhappy with the result of the Challenge or if you would like to appeal a decision) you can raise the complaint in accordance with us at expop.io. We agree to attempt in good faith to resolve any complaints.

14.3 Resolving disputes without going to court: If we are unable to resolve your complaint after following our Complaints Policy, we would encourage you to submit the complaint to an ADR body approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, who will attempt to help us resolve the dispute without the need to go to court. Please contact us for the name and website address of an approved ADR body in our business sector. The ADR body will not charge you for making a complaint. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can still go to court.

14.4 Going to court: These Terms and Conditions are governed by English law and wherever you live you can bring claims against us in the English courts. If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can also bring claims against us in the courts of the country you live in. We can claim against you in the courts of the country you live in.

15. OTHER IMPORTANT TERMS

15.1 Events beyond your or our control. Neither you nor we shall be in breach of the Contract nor liable for delay in performing, or failure to perform, any of your or our obligations under the Contract if such delay or failure result from events, circumstances or causes beyond your or our reasonable control.

15.2 Transfer of Contract. We may at any time transfer our Contract with you, so that a different

organisation is responsible for supplying the Services to you. We will inform you in writing if this happens and we’ll ensure that the transfer won’t affect your rights under the Contract.

15.3 Confidentiality.

15.3.1 You and we shall not at any time disclose to any person any confidential information concerning the business, affairs, customers, clients or suppliers of the other, except as permitted by clause 15.3.2.

15.3.2 We may disclose your confidential information:

1. to the extent necessary to perform our obligations under the Contract;

2. as may be required by law, a court of competent jurisdiction or any governmental or regulatory authority or any UK Government Department to the extent necessary; and

3. to the extent that any third party to whom you give consent to requests that we confirm the contents against our records as a fraud prevention measure. 

15.4 Entire agreement. The Contract (together with our Privacy Policy and any Service Descriptions) constitutes the entire agreement between you and us and replaces all previous agreements, promises, and understandings between you and us.

15.5 Changes to the Contract. Except as set out in these Terms and Conditions, no changes can be

made to the Contract unless changes are agreed in writing and signed by both of us.

15.7 Records. You should print out or save a copy of these Terms and Conditions for your records, as

we will not save or file a copy for you. These terms are only available in English.

15.8 Delay in enforcing rights. You or we might not immediately enforce a right we have under the

Contract, but that does not mean that either of us can’t enforce that right later. You or we only give up our rights or remedies if this is set out in writing. When you give up any rights or remedies under the Contract or by law in this way, this doesn’t mean that you are agreeing to give up any subsequent rights or remedies.

15.9 If a court invalidates some of the Contract, the rest of it will still apply. If any provision or part-provision of the Contract is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be deemed deleted, but that shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the rest of the Contract.

15.10 Notices.

15.10.1      Any notice given to a party under or in connection with the Contract shall be sent by email to the following addresses, unless otherwise agreed between you and us:

1. in the case of us: admin@expop.io and

2. in the case of you: your email address, as specified in your Registration.

15.10.2      Any notice shall be deemed to have been received if sent by email at the time of transmission, or, if this time falls outside business hours in the place of receipt, when business hours (9.00am to 5.00pm (GMT) Monday to Friday on a day that is not a public holiday in the place of receipt) resume.

15.10.3    This clause relating to notices does not apply to the service of any proceedings or other documents in any legal action or, where applicable, any other method of dispute resolution.

15.11 Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption. For the purposes of this clause, the expressions adequate

procedures and associated with shall be construed in accordance with the Bribery Act 2010 and legislation or guidance published under it. You shall, during the term of this Contract:

15.11.1 comply with all applicable laws relating to anti-bribery and anti-corruption, including but not limited to the Bribery Act 2010;

15.11.2    not engage in any activity, practice or conduct which would constitute an offence under sections 1, 2 or 6 of the Bribery Act 2010 if such activity, practice or conduct had been carried out in the UK;

15.11.3      immediately notify us as soon as you become aware of a breach or possible breach of any of the requirements in this clause 15.11. Any breach of this clause 15.11 shall be deemed a material breach of this Contract and shall entitle us to terminate the Contract with immediate effect; and

15.11.4    shall provide such supporting evidence of compliance with the provisions of this clause 16.11 as we may reasonably request.

15.12 Third party rights. The Contract and these Terms and Conditions are between you and us. No other person can enforce it, end it, or change the terms of it.

15.13 Relationship. Use of the Platform, Service or participation in the Challenge does not make you an employee, agent or partner of ours and you agree not to represent yourself as such. 

16. Code of Conduct. All participants are expected to maintain the highest standards of integrity and behavior throughout the Challenge, both online and during any in-person events. By joining the Challenge, you agree to conduct yourself in a manner that is respectful, lawful, and in keeping with the spirit of learning and entrepreneurship. This Code of Conduct applies to all Challenge-related interactions, including virtual meetings, workshops, webinars, forums, and any in-person finals or events. Expop reserves the right to expel participants determined, at Expop’s sole discretion to have Violated or deviated from this Code of Conduct:

1. Online Conduct: When participating in Expop’s online platforms or virtual sessions, you agree to the following rules of conduct. 

2. Respect and Courtesy: Treat all fellow participants, mentors, judges, and staff with courtesy and respect. Refrain from using inappropriate or profane language, and avoid any behavior or language that might bring discredit upon yourself, other participants, or the Challenge. Harassment, bullying, hate speech, abusive or derogatory remarks, and personal attacks are strictly prohibited. This includes verbal, written, and electronic communications.

3. Academic and Competition Integrity: Compete honestly and fairly. Do not engage in cheating, plagiarism, or any form of misrepresentation of your work. All submissions must be your team’s original work (except where the use of third-party materials is expressly allowed with proper attribution). No sabotage or interference with other teams’ projects is allowed. You must abide by any honor code or guidelines provided for the competition (e.g., rules on research, collaboration, etc.). Participants must ensure their work is original and does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights.

4. Legal and Policy Compliance: Follow all applicable laws and regulations during your participation. Do not upload or share anything illegal, fraudulent, threatening, or discriminatory, or anything that violates these Terms or any other policies applicable to the Challenge. This includes avoiding the sharing of pirated software, malware, or any content that you do not have the right to use. You also agree not to attempt to disrupt or hack the platform, introduce viruses or malicious code, or do anything that undermines the security or proper functioning of expop.io services.

5. Responsible Online Behavior: Do not spam, phish, or engage in any unwanted solicitation or advertising to other participants. Maintain a professional and educational environment – conduct not conducive to a constructive learning atmosphere (such as persistent disruptions, off-topic ranting, or associating Challenge activities with unrelated individuals/groups) is not allowed. If you participate in any Expop online forums or social media groups, adhere to the posted rules of those communities as well.

6. Safety and Privacy: Do not share personal information of others without consent. Do not record or take screenshots of online sessions or communications without permission. If the Challenge provides a collaborative online space, use it only for Challenge-related purposes. Report any behavior that violates this Code of Conduct to Expop staff.