SPOTLIGHT 2021
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
LAST UPDATED: 05 October 2021
Welcome to Spotlight 2021!
- Organizer and Event
The sponsor and entity responsible for organizing Spotlight 2021 (“Spotlight”) is How to Web Media SRL, (“How to Web”, “we”, “us”, “our”) in collaboration with our partners and sponsors.
Spotlight will be organized in accordance with these Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) which will be binding for all individuals and entities participating at Spotlight (“Participants” or “You”). The Terms will be available to any interested party, free of charge, during the entire period of Spotlight, at: https://2022.howtoweb.co/terms-and-conditions-spotlight/ .
We reserve the right to amend or modify the Terms and such modifications will be made available immediately here https://2022.howtoweb.co/terms-and-conditions-spotlight/ and we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of these Terms. You agree to follow up on our website periodically to be updated on such modifications.
By accepting our invitation to join Spotlight, by registering and/or or by participating in Spotlight you accept these Terms for you as well as on behalf of the startup/entity you belong to and warrant and represent that you have the legal standing to accept these Terms on behalf of such entity or that an authorized representative of your organization has accepted these Terms.
If you have any objections to these Terms, contact us at [email protected], otherwise you will be deemed to have understood and agreed to these Terms in their entirety, including any and all provisions below which refer to any limitation of rights, termination, applicable law, jurisdiction, etc.
- Eligibility and Participation Criteria
Before applying and/or accepting our invitation to join Spotlight, please make sure you meet the following criteria:
- your organisation must be an early-stage tech start-up incorporated in Eastern Europe, no older than 5 years and that hasn’t raised more than €1mln to date (“Startup”).
We reserve the right to disqualify any participants that do not meet these criteria.
Spotlight is not open to:
- Organizations involved with the design, production, paid promotion, execution, or distribution of Spotlight, including How to Web (“Promotion Entities”);
- Any other individual or organization whose participation in Spotlight would create, in the sole discretion of How to Web, a real or apparent conflict of interest.
- Spotlight Timeline and Evaluation Details
Across all evaluation phases presented below, the evaluation criteria are: Market Size, Team Experience, Product Value and Traction (“Criteria”).
Evaluations shall be carried out by a panel of judges selected by How to Web (“Jury”).
Jurors will exercise a reasonable degree of objectivity during their evaluation. However, the evaluation criteria may not hold equal weight with regards to final rankings and other relevant factors (such as legal challenges, competition, roadmap etc.) may be taken into account (“Additional Criteria”).
| Dates | Phase | Evaluation |
| Aug 17 – Sep 19 | Startups can apply for Spotlight either at their own initiative or upon our invitation | See Eligibility and Participation Criteria |
| Sep 20 – Sep 23 | All Startups that have applied are reviewed and evaluated; the Jury will select from all applicants 40 Startups | Evaluation criteria: Market Size, Team Experience, Product Value and Traction |
| Sep 24 – Sep 27 | The selected Startups are invited to Spotlight and must confirm their participation by September 27 | N/A |
| Sep 27 | The selected Startups must confirm their participation by September 27; failure to do so will result in disqualification from Spotlight, and Startups on the waiting list will be invited instead. | N/A |
| Oct 4 – Nov 21 | All selected Startups benefit from 1:1 meetings and group Q&As according to the Spotlight Schedule available at 2022.howtoweb.co/spotlight
During this phase, all Startups are expected to take part and become involved in general mentoring and training sessions, workshops, 1:1 sync with coaches and mentors, etc. |
N/A |
| Nov 23 | All selected Startups enter the semi-finals where they shall hold their pitch for investment and get assessed by the program investors and partners; based on the Jury’s scoring we select 10 Startups to pitch in the final. | Selection and evaluation criteria: Market Size, Team Experience, Product Value and Traction
The Jury will be formed of highly reputable specialists in various fields of technology and business development (e.g. sponsors’, board members). |
| Nov 24 | The 10 selected Startups pitch in the final.
Each Startup will give a 5-minute pitch, timed, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. The questions will be asked only by the Jury members. |
N/A |
| Nov 24 | One of the 10 selected Startups is awarded the investment prize in the form of a convertible note with a value of EUR 350.000 (“Investment Prize”). | The Jury will be formed of highly reputable specialists in various fields of technology and business development (e.g. sponsors’ board members).
The Jury members will grade each of the finalist teams on a scale from 1 (the lowest) to 5 (the highest), based on their evaluation of the Criteria, the Additional Criteria and pitch and response quality. |
- Active participation.
We aim to provide a customized experience and impose no mandatory activities, other than as provided above.
However, we expect you to engage with Spotlight in an active way, participate in Spotlight meetings, attend Q&As, pitches and other such events.
Participants and Startups that do not meet this requirement may be disqualified during any phase.
- Participant Benefits
The benefits for the Spotlight selected Participants are published on our website at https://2022.howtoweb.co/spotlight/.
Benefits offered by our partners and sponsors are subject to change according to their own terms and policies.
The Investment Prize is syndicated by business angel groups and venture capital funds to be announced in September on our website page.
Details regarding mentors, investors, guests and speakers are provided for informational purposes only and are subject to change.
Your identity and the Investment Prize/benefit you receive may be made public on How to Web websites, community forums and/or social media accounts.
- Benefits and prize distribution
We have the right to make an Investment Prize substitution of equivalent or greater value. If we decide to change the Investment Prize, we will amend these Terms and publish the amended version before appointing the winners.
You are responsible for any fees associated with receiving or using the Investment Prize and any other benefits, including but not limited to, wiring fees, if the case. You are responsible for reporting and paying all applicable taxes resulting from or related to the benefits and/or Investment Prize.
- Entry Conditions and Release
By entering Spotlight, you (and, the Startup you are representing) agree(s) to the following:
- You will be bound by and comply with these Terms and the decisions of How to Web and/or the Jury which are binding and final in all matters relating to Spotlight;
- You release, indemnify, defend and hold harmless How to Web and the Promotion Entities, and their respective parent, subsidiary, and affiliated companies, the Investment Prize suppliers and any other organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting Spotlight, and all of their respective past and present officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (hereafter the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to your entry, participation in Spotlight, acceptance or use or misuse of the Investment Prize and/or other benefits (including any travel or activity related thereto).
Without limiting the foregoing, the Released Parties shall have no liability in connection with any injury or damage (including to persons or property) which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from your/your Startup’s participation in Spotlight or receipt or use or misuse of the Investment Prize and/or any other benefits.
- Intellectual Property Rights
By entering Spotlight, you represent and warrant that:
- you are the owner of the intellectual property rights over any material, content and/or information that you use and/or submit for Spotlight (“Materials”), or have otherwise obtained any and all consents, approvals, or licenses required for you to use the Materials in relation to Spotlight, and that the Materials do not breach any rights, including the intellectual property rights of a third party;
- by entering Spotlight, you grant us an exclusive, non-limited, worldwide, transferable, and valid for the entire duration of the protection of rights, license over any and all rights, including the intellectual property rights over your feedback, for any and all modalities of exploitation and use (including the right to reproduce, distribute, license, loan, develop derivative works, sell) in any media, including in connection with any of How to Web’s existing or future products.
- Confidentiality
During Spotlight you may be provided with training and development resources of How to Web and of the Promotion Entities (“Resources”) and you may be exposed to information and material which contain trade secrets and proprietary information of How to Web, the Promotion Entities or other Startups and participants (“Confidential Information”). The following is not Confidential Information: (i) information received from a third person who was not subject to any contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation t in respect of that information; or (ii) is or becomes publicly available otherwise than as a result of a breach of the Terms by you.
Except as permitted under these Terms, you agree that (i) you will not disclose to any third party any Confidential Information; (ii) you will not use for any purpose any Confidential Information disclosed to you either than for the participation in the Spotlight; and (iii) you will take all reasonable measures to maintain the confidentiality of all Confidential Information in your possession or control.
Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions on use and disclosure of Confidential Information, you may disclose Confidential Information to the extent required by a court of competent jurisdiction or other governmental authority to which it is subject, or otherwise as required by law, provided that you notify us and use reasonable efforts to obtain confidential treatment of the disclosed information or a protective order before such disclosure.
The confidentiality obligation will survive for 3 (three) years after the end of Spotlight, except for Confidential Information protected as trade secrets, in relation to which the confidentiality obligation will be perpetual or will exist for as long as such Confidential Information remains a trade secret under applicable law.
You shall be able to use the feedback that you receive during Spotlight, as well as the knowledge you gain during the Spotlight activities, provided that in such use you do not breach any fair use and competition law provisions.
- Publicity
You explicitly consent to How to Web’s use of personal information about you, such as, but not limited to, your name, photograph, voice, opinions, comments and hometown and country of residence for promotion purposes.
- Cancellation and other modification of Spotlight
We reserve the right to cancel, postpone or modify the timeline of Spotlight due to unforeseen events or reasons that are beyond our control. We will provide a reasonable notice of any such major changes.
We reserve the right, in our sole discretion to disqualify any Startup if we find it to be actually or presenting the appearance of tampering with the entry process or the operation of Spotlight or to be acting in violation of these Terms or in a manner that is inappropriate, unsportsmanlike, not in the best interests of Spotlight, or a violation of any applicable law or regulation.
- Participant information
Further information regarding your Startup such as incorporation details and personal data regarding you and your team may be requested. It is your duty to provide accurate information. Personal data will be processed according to our Data Protection Policy https://2022.howtoweb.co/data-protection-policy/
- Limitation of liability
By accepting these Terms and/or entering Spotlight, you (and the Startup you represent) agree to be bound by the Terms and hereby release the Released Parties from any and all liability in connection with the Investment Prize, the benefits or your participation in Spotlight.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we will not be liable to you for any loss or damage, weather in contract, tort or any other legal theory, even if foreseeable, arising under or in connection with your participation in Spotlight. In particular, we will not be liable of any loss of profits, sales, business, or revenue, business interruption, loss of business opportunity, goodwill or reputation, or any indirect or consequential loss or damage.
- Disclaimer of Warranty
We make no promises or representations and grant no warranties with respect to the awards, investment deals and other benefits offered to Spotlight participants and/or Startups. All such benefits are offered by our partners and sponsors, and we have no control over their final delivery.
- Applicable law and jurisdiction
These Terms and any disputes arising therefrom or in relation to the Terms and Spotlight are governed by Romanian law. Romanian courts will have jurisdiction over matters arising from these Terms and Spotlight.
- Contact
If you have any questions or comments, or wish to send us any notice regarding Spotlight, please email us at [email protected].