Terms & Conditions

HackCulture Member Hackathons Season 2025-26

These Terms & Conditions ("T&C") outline the roles, responsibilities, and commitments between HackCulture and the Hackathon Organizers for Member Hackathons. By applying for and conducting a Member Hackathon with HackCulture's support, organizers agree to abide by the following:

1. Partnership Scope

  • HackCulture provides end-to-end guidance and support across hackathon planning, industry connects, platform access, resources, mentorship, and marketing.
  • Organizers are independent entities and retain full ownership and responsibility for their hackathon. HackCulture acts as a facilitator and execution partner.

2. Sponsorship & Funding

  • HackCulture facilitates introductions to potential sponsors, corporates, and ecosystem partners relevant to the hackathon.
  • Sponsorship decisions, negotiations, and financial contributions remain solely at the discretion of external partners.
  • HackCulture does not guarantee or assure monetary sponsorships, grants, or financial outcomes.
  • Any contracts, funding agreements, or invoices with sponsors must be executed directly between organizers and sponsors.

3. Platform & Technology

  • HackCulture provides a dedicated hackathon management platform for registrations, submissions, evaluations, and judging.
  • Organizers are responsible for ensuring participants comply with platform guidelines and rules.
  • Any third-party tools or partner-provided APIs, credits, and resources are subject to availability, partner policies, and usage limits.

4. Resource Availability

  • Access to resources such as cloud credits, developer tools, API keys, swag, or vendor discounts is facilitated by HackCulture but depends on availability and partner discretion.
  • HackCulture will make best efforts to secure these benefits, but delivery timelines and quantities may vary.

5. Branding & Promotion

  • All hackathons supported under the Member Hackathon program must acknowledge HackCulture's role in all collaterals, including posters, banners, websites, and social media.
  • Organizers must include HackCulture's logo on digital and print assets, and mention HackCulture in pre-hackathon and post-hackathon promotions.
  • HackCulture reserves the right to feature the hackathon in its media, reports, and publications.

6. Communication & Timelines

  • Organizers are expected to maintain clear and timely communication with HackCulture representatives.
  • Pre-hackathon planning timelines must be mutually agreed and followed to ensure effective execution.
  • Delays, lack of response, or missed deadlines by organizers may impact the support and resources HackCulture can provide.

7. Organizer Responsibilities

  • The organizing team is responsible for securing the venue, handling on-ground logistics (seating, internet, power, food, safety, etc.), and managing volunteers.
  • HackCulture will not be liable for venue-related issues, technical disruptions, or logistical failures outside of its direct scope.
  • Organizers must ensure compliance with local laws, institutional policies, and necessary permissions for hosting the hackathon.

8. Code of Conduct & Inclusivity

  • All hackathons must follow HackCulture's Community Values and Code of Conduct, ensuring a safe, inclusive, and harassment-free environment.
  • Hackathons must be open to all eligible participants without bias based on gender, orientation, background, or region.
  • Any violations of the Code of Conduct must be addressed promptly by the organizing team with HackCulture's support if required.

9. Intellectual Property (IP) & Data

  • Hackathon participants retain rights to the projects they build unless otherwise agreed with sponsors or industry partners.
  • Organizers must clearly communicate IP ownership rules to participants before the hackathon begins.
  • HackCulture may collect and use aggregated, anonymized data from the hackathon (registrations, outcomes, feedback) for reporting and impact measurement.

10. Liability & Indemnity

  • HackCulture will not be liable for financial losses, venue damages, accidents, or disputes arising during the hackathon.
  • Organizers are responsible for ensuring necessary insurance, permissions, and compliance for their hackathon.
  • Both HackCulture and the organizing team agree to indemnify and hold each other harmless from claims arising due to negligence, misconduct, or breach of obligations by either party.

11. Post-Hackathon Activities

  • HackCulture provides pathways for selected teams to access mentorship, accelerators, grants, and industry pilots.
  • These opportunities depend on partner availability and participant interest.
  • HackCulture reserves the right to feature hackathon outcomes in reports, showcases, and future collaborations.

12. Termination of Support

  • HackCulture reserves the right to withdraw support if organizers breach these T&C, fail to uphold inclusivity and quality standards, or misuse HackCulture branding.
  • Any misuse of resources, false representation, or violation of the Code of Conduct will result in immediate termination of partnership.

By participating in the HackCulture Member Hackathon program, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

Best,
Team HackCulture

Questions or Clarifications?

For any questions about these Terms & Conditions, please reach out:

soham@hackculture.in

By joining the HackCulture Member Hackathon program, you agree to uphold these Terms & Conditions and contribute to building impact-driven, inclusive hackathons.