By applying to participate in the BioIncubate Ignite Grant offered by BioIncubate, a program of the Student Biolab Zürich Society (“SBL”), you, the Participant, hereby acknowledge and agree to the following terms and conditions:

1. Terms of Funding:

Upon being selected as the BioIncubate Ignite Grant winner the following conditions apply to you as a participant and your team:

1.1 Purpose of Funds: The grant funding is intended to support research, project development and prototyping. Some examples of appropriate funding use include laboratory expenses, consumables and materials. This grant funding cannot be used to pay salaries of team members. The winning team will have to provide a budget with the intended spending per category and meaningful project development milestones. This will be approved by the BioIncubate Committee before the funds are disbursed. SBL does not acquire any form of financial advantage over the team by awarding the BioIncubate Ignite Grant.

1.2 Timeline for Spending: Funding should be spent on materials or activities performed during the Build Phase (April 2026 to September 2026). Exceptions can be proposed via the budget proposal, and the BioIncubate Committee will consider them.

1.3 Budget Submission & Final Approval: After admission into the Build Phase, the team must submit a detailed budget categorizing spending of the funds and meaningful milestones. The budget must be submitted within 2 weeks of admission into the Build Phase unless exceptions are approved by the BioIncubate Committee, who will review the budget and provide the final approval. Any significant deviation from the approved budget during the course of the program must be communicated and approved in advance.

1.4 Fund Disbursement: In many cases, the BioIncubate Committee will have favorable access to reagents, consumables, discounts, etc, and thus most purchases will be made by the BioIncubate Committee for the team. A purchase or multiple purchases can be made by the winning team and be reimbursed, but this should be made clear in the budget proposal and have a distinct purpose. Furthermore, individual approval from the BioIncubate Committee is required for each individual purchase made by the team. Purchases made without prior approval by the BioIncubate Committee may not be reimbursed.

1.5 Milestones: Teams are required to submit, together with their budget proposal, a set of meaningful milestones and the expected date at which they will be achieved. Failure to meet milestones as approved by the BioIncubate Committee may result in the temporary interruption of fund disbursement or in the full revocation of the grant funding. Where a team expects to not be able to meet one such milestone, they shall inform the BioIncubate Committee, which may or may not approve an amendment.

1.6 Transparency & Reporting: Teams are required to provide regular updates on their progress and financial expenditure to the BioIncubate Committee. 

1.7 Misuse of Funds: Misallocation or misuse of funds can result in penalties, including but not limited to partial or full revocation of the grant funding, and exclusion from future BioIncubate programs or events.

1.8 In case of one or multiple teams dropping out of or being excluded from the competition, the amount of the final prize may be adjusted to reflect the efforts and progress of the winning team. This decision is at the sole discretion of the BioIncubate Committee.

2. Participation & Expectations:

The expectations for the team admitted into the Build Phase of the BioIncubate Ignite Grant are outlined below. 

2.1 Team Eligibility: Since one of BioIncubate’s stated missions is to promote student entrepreneurship, we require that at least one team member is enrolled (either a bachelor's, master’s or PhD student) or is employed (as a postdoctoral researcher) at a recognized Swiss university.

2.2 Workload & Presence: We do not require any fixed number of hours per week working on your project, and we understand that most participants will have other study or employment commitments. Thus, it is permissible to work on your project alongside such commitments. We do, however, expect that the team is fully committed to pushing the project forward to achieve significant milestones, that will be proposed in the initial application form, during the Build Phase and are willing and able to dedicate the necessary time to achieve this. A clear lack of commitment may lead to disqualification if not addressed promptly upon warning by the BioIncubate Committee.

2.3 Regular update meeting: We expect weekly check-in meetings with the BioIncubate Committee where at least one person from your team presents updates and on your project. These should be transparent updates on progress towards the milestones defined in the application and any challenges being faced. Any deviations from the initial project plan should be discussed in detail and mutually agreed upon by both parties. 

2.4 Usage of lab space: Safety is the foremost priority in any lab work. All teams are expected to adhere to safe lab practices, and any additional regulations or guidelines set out by the laboratory facility provider or the BioIncubate Committee. Any breaches of safety protocols can result in immediate disqualification from the program and potential legal consequences.

2.5 Transparent Communication & Updates: Open communication fosters trust and enables the BioIncubate Committee to provide support and guidance when necessary. In addition to the financial transparency requirements stated above, teams must also disclose any significant challenges, setbacks, or unforeseen circumstances that might impact their project's progress. This will allow the BioIncubate Committee to help identify solutions or alternative strategies to navigate through potential challenges.

2.6 Participation in Events: We expect that the majority of team members will attend all relevant Ignite Grant events, to ensure that the selected teams maximize the benefits of the program. 

3.Intellectual Property:

The teams retain all Intellectual Property (IP) that they develop during the program. The winning team is responsible for any IP searches, filings, negotiations with third parties, or other Intellectual property-related activities.

4. Confidentiality & Respect for Third-Party Agreements:

4.1 All information, data, and materials submitted as part of the BioIncubate Ignite Grant application process will be treated as confidential. The BioIncubate Committee agrees not to disclose, reproduce, or distribute any part of the submitted materials without the express written consent of the applicant, except as required by law or for the purposes of evaluation, selection, or support within the program. This confidentiality extends to any discussions, feedback, and communication related to the application. All involved parties shall take reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of the application materials. Any breach of this agreement may result in disqualification from the BioIncubate Ignite Grant and potential legal action.

4.2 You are responsible for upholding any pre-existing contractual obligations related to non-disclosure of confidential information, trade secrets, and proprietary knowledge from your past or present employers, internships, or other engagements.

5. Ethical and Legal Conduct:

Participating teams must ensure that all activities undertaken during the course of the program are legal, ethical, and morally sound. We strongly urge all teams to approach their work with a commitment to the betterment of society and the scientific community.

6. Review & Questions

Please carefully review and consider these terms before registering for the BioIncubate Ignite Grant. Your agreement to these terms is essential to ensure fair and ethical participation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these terms, please contact us: bioincubate@studentbiolab.ch

7. Acceptance of Terms & Conditions

By submitting your registration & application to the BioIncubate Ignite Grant, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the terms of this disclaimer. Failure to adhere to these terms may result in consequences, including but not limited to disqualification from the BioIncubate Ignite Grant.