MOZILLA AFRICA MRADI INNOVATION WEEK CHALLENGE OFFICIAL RULES

1. Sponsor.
Sponsor of the Mozilla Africa Mradi Innovation Week Challenge (the “Challenge”) is Mozilla Corporation, 2 Harrison St. #175, San Francisco, CA 94105.

2.  No Purchase Necessary; Entry Instructions. 
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY MONEY IS NECESSARY TO ENTER.  A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.  This is a contest of skill.  Odds of winning the Challenge depend on the number and quality of eligible entries received during the Challenge Period.  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED AND WHERE ANY REGISTRATION, BONDING OR LOCALIZATION REQUIRED.

To enter and participate in the Challenge, you must fully complete the Challenge submission form on the Challenge page available at https://mozilla.africa/innovation-week-tech-challenge/ and submit the required entry submissions as provided on the Challenge page and in these Official Rules.  You may enter as an individual or as part of a Team.  Teams may have no more than two members.  Where a group of more than two innovators has worked on a project or idea, that project or idea may be submitted by an individual representative or a Team of two representatives, to the extent authorized by others who have participated in or who have rights to the project.  By submitting your entry, you are agreeing to these Official Rules on behalf of yourself and all Team members, and by participating, all Teams and individual Team members agree to the Official Rules as a participating entrant.  

Your entry submission information must include (i) your name and email address, (ii) your idea name, (iii) if applicable, the names of all Team members, and (iv) an answer to each question on  mozilla.africa/innovation-week-tech-challenge.  All requested entry information must be provided for an entry to be considered.  Any attempt by any participant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different email or addresses, accounts, identities, or any other methods will void that participant’s entries and that participant may be disqualified. 

In the event of a dispute as to any entrant, the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the entry will be deemed to be the entrant.  The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address.  A potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder.  In the event of an ongoing dispute as to the identity or representative of any entrant(s), Sponsor has the right to make determination as to the entrant(s) in its sole discretion.

For a group of individuals to enter the contest (a “Team”), the Team must agree to and designate one person as the agent of the Team to submit the entry and to accept the prize on behalf of the Team.  Each individual on a Team must agree to these Official Rules.  You may not make changes to your Team once registered to participate.  By submitting an entry, the submitter represents that all Team members have read and agreed to these Official Rules.

All entries must meet the following criteria:

• Each entry must include a written description as described in the application portal https://mozilla.africa/innovation-week-tech-challenge/, that presents the entry’s idea(s) or “pitch” for an alternative model or program that will serve the real life needs of African users in access to health, education, agriculture services, e-government services, or other social services.
• Entries must be innovative, feasible, and scalable.
• Entries must address one of the thematic areas of the Innovation Week: health, education, agriculture services, e-government services, or social services.  
• Entries may not contain likenesses of any individuals who are under 18 years of age, and may not contain the likeness of any individuals who have not provided their authorization.  By submitting likeness of any individual, you represent that you have received permission from such person to include their likeness.
  Entries may not contain material that is obscene, defamatory, libelous, threatening, pornographic, racially or ethnically offensive, or encourages conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or violate any law. Entries must be appropriate for viewing by the general public; appropriateness will be determined by Sponsor. 
• Entries must be original, exclusively created and owned by entrant, and the entrant must have all rights necessary to submit the entry.
• Entries must be in English.Sponsor reserves the right to reject any entry for any reason.

3. Challenge Period.
Proposals may be submitted starting on the date these terms are published, and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on 10th June, 2023 (the “Challenge Period”). Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device for the Challenge.  All entries must be received during the dates and times specified in the Challenge Period.  Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

4 Eligibility.
Participants must be located on the African continent, and must be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence (whichever is greater). Employees of Sponsor and its parent and affiliate companies as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. Individuals or entities are not eligible if they have won an award valued at $30,000 USD or greater in any innovation or entrepreneurship competition, or have won any award in that amount for the same project, within the last three years.  A Team is only eligible if both of its members are also eligible. 

Before participating in the Challenge, you should consider whether you or your Team members have any conflicting obligations that prevent participation. If an entrant is an employee of a corporation, government or an academic institution, or enrolled as a student, it is his or her sole responsibility to review, understand and abide by his or her employer’s, or academic institution’s policies regarding eligibility to participate in the Challenge.  If an entrant is found to be in violation of his or her employer’s or academic institution’s policies, then he or she will be, and the Team may be, disqualified from participating in the Challenge and from being awarded or retaining any prize.  Sponsor disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for disputes arising between an employee or student and his or her employer or academic institution related to the Challenge.

Contestants who submit entries as designated “Student Participants” must be individuals or Teams of two individuals who are affiliated with a recognized university or a college.  Where Student Participants enter as a Team, both students must be affiliated with the same university or college. Student Participants will be required to present a letter from the learning institution or an authentic school ID, to confirm their affiliation.  Each Participant may only submit one entry, and will not be permitted to enter the contest as both a Student Participants and an Innovator/Entrepreneur.

Contestants are not eligible to receive prizes if they are on the US Specifically Designated Nationals (SDN) list or if there are sanctions against the contestant’s country such that Mozilla is prohibited from paying them.

5. Finalists and Winners.
Mozilla staff will evaluate the submissions, and create a shortlist of 20 finalists, based on the strength of the proposal, as well as the proposal’s alignment with Mozilla’s mission and values. The 20 finalists will then be invited to showcase their solutions during Mozilla Africa Mradi Innovation Week in Nairobi on 26th and 27th June, 2023.  

After the showcase, one winner and two runners up will be selected from the student entries, as well as three Innovator and Entrepreneur winners selected from the other entries. All winners and runners up will be announced on or about 27th June 2023.  

Judging will be done by a combination of people, including Sponsor and its designees, government delegates, and members of the public, and will be based on the following equally weighted criteria: 

• Innovativeness and originality of the proposal
• Potential long-term sustainability of the proposal, once the grant is exhausted
• Presentation/Pitching 
• Impact on social issues
• Feasibility and scalability

Innovation Week participants will be asked to score other submissions based on each of the criteria laid out above, after which the scores will be aggregated to select a winner.  Where two submissions receive the same score, the tie will be broken through a decision by Mozilla and its Innovation week partners.

6. Prizes.
Winners will be announced on or about 27th June 2023, and prizes will be awarded according to the table laid out below.  

Students	Award	Innovators/ Entrepreneurs Award	Award/grants
Winner	Ksh 100,000 upfront grant, plus technical support for a year, as well as exclusive rights to an additional Ksh 400,000 in milestone-based grants	Winner	Ksh 500,000 upfront grant, plus technical support for a year, as well as exclusive rights to an additional Ksh 3,500,000 in milestone-based grants.
Runner up	Ksh 75,000 upfront grant, plus technical support for six months, as well as exclusive rights to an additional Ksh 225,000 in milestone-based grants	Winner	Ksh 500,000 upfront grant, plus technical support for a year, as well as exclusive rights to an additional Ksh 3,500,000 in milestone-based grants.
Second Runner up	Ksh 50,000 upfront grant, plus technical support for three months, as well as exclusive rights to an additional Ksh 150,000 in milestone-based grants	Winner	Ksh 500,000 upfront grant, plus technical support for a year, as well as exclusive rights to an additional Ksh 3,500,000  in milestone-based grants.

We welcome submissions from participants across the African continent. Kindly note that our implementing partner who will issue the awards is Strathmore University, a Kenya-based university. All awards will be paid out in Kenyan Shillings, regardless of location of the selected group.

Milestone-based grants will be disbursed based on the achievement of specific milestones, which will be negotiated by the team, and our partners at Strathmore University.  Where an individual or Team fails to meet one of its designated milestones by the established date, the Team will not receive that, or any further grant disbursements.  Teams that do meet all of their milestones will receive the entire funding amount.

All winning Teams and individuals shall also benefit from mentorship and non-financial planning support from Mozilla and its partners, including Strathmore University.  

The aggregate retail value of all the prizes is approximately Ksh 14,600,000. Team prizes will be awarded to the agent of the Team, and Team members may determine how to divide prizes among themselves. No substitution, assignment or transfer of the prize is permitted, except by Sponsor, who has the right to substitute a prize with another of comparable or greater value.  Winners are responsible for all taxes and fees associated with the receipt and/or use of the prize, and the winner may be required to provide tax information prior to receiving the prize.  

Each winner agrees to self-report to applicable taxing authorities, as may be required by applicable laws.
Prize monies should be retained by individuals only in conformity with any applicable policies of his or her employers, academic institutions, or government regarding participation in and receipt of promotional consideration relating to the Challenge and receipt and retention of prize. If a government, employer’s or school’s policies are applicable, it is the entrant’s sole and ultimate responsibility, in consultation with his or her government, employer or school, to determine how and if prize will be retained and/or distributed and accounted for and we assume no responsibility for the decisions made by such government, employers or schools regarding this issue.

7. Conditions of Participation.
span style=”font-weight: 400;”>By submitting an entry for or participating in this Challenge, you agree to abide by these rules and any decision Sponsor makes regarding this Challenge, which Sponsor shall make in its sole discretion.  Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify and prosecute to the fullest extent permitted by law any Participant or winner who, in Sponsor’s reasonable suspicion, tampers with Sponsor site, the entry process, intentionally submits more than a single entry, violates these rules, engages in fraud, attempted fraud, or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. This may include restricting such Participants’ participation in future competitions held by Sponsor.

By submitting an entry for or participating in this Challenge, you agree to abide by Mozilla’s Community Participation Guidelines (“CPG”). Violation of the CPG by any Entrant will result in that Entrant’s disqualification. 

Each Team is solely responsible for its own cooperation and division of labor. In no event will Sponsor officiate in any dispute between or among any Team(s) or its/their members regarding their conduct, participation, cooperation or contribution.  In the event that any dispute cannot be resolved, Sponsor reserves the right to make a determination as to the identity of Team members or the team agent, and to disqualify Teams and/or Team members in its sole discretion.

8. Intellectual Property.
Ownership of the pre-existing underlying intellectual property of the entrant remains the property of the entrant subject to Sponsor’s rights to reprint, display, reproduce, perform, use, and exhibit the entry and materials and information submitted, for the purpose of administering and promoting the Challenge and for any business, marketing and advertising purposes for the benefit of Sponsor. By participating in the Challenge, each entrant grants to Sponsor a non-exclusive, worldwide, fully paid, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, sub-licensable license to reprint, display, reproduce, exploit, perform, use, and exhibit (including the right to make derivative works of) the entry and materials and information submitted on and in connection with the Challenge or use or receipt of the prize for any and all purposes in any medium. 

Each Participant hereby warrants that (1) any entry and other materials and information provided by Participant are original and owned by such Participant, (2) that they do not violate or infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity, moral rights or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity, and (3) that they do not violate any rules, regulations, or laws. If the entry or information or materials provided by Participant contain any material or elements that are not owned by Participant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, Participant represents he or she has obtained, prior to submission of the entry and information or materials, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit use and exploitation of the entry and information and materials by Sponsor in the manner set forth in the Official Rules without additional compensation.  

Participant warrants that the entry and materials and information provided do not contain information considered by Participant, its employees, employer, or personnel, or any other third party to be confidential, and that submission of the materials and information will not violate any agreements with third parties or policies that entrant is subject to. Participant agrees that Sponsor has the right to verify the ownership and originality of all entries and that, upon Sponsor’s request, Participant will submit a written copy of any release or permission Participant has obtained from a third party granting Participant the right to use such property. Participant understands and acknowledges that in the event a submission is selected as a winning entry, and Participant’s ownership, rights and the originality of the entry cannot be verified to the satisfaction of Sponsor or is in any other way ineligible, Participant may select an alternate winner based on the same judging criteria. Participant acknowledges that other entrants may submit entries that are similar to yours and that they, or Sponsor, may already be considering or developing, or may subsequently consider or develop independent of the Challenge, content or ideas that are related or similar to yours. You acknowledge that this does not create in Sponsor or others any obligation or liability to you. 

9. Disclaimer, Release and Limit of Liability.
SPONSOR MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING ANY PRIZE OR REGARDING YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTIONAL CONTEST. BY ENTERING THE PROMOTION OR RECEIPT OF ANY PRIZE, EACH ENTRANT AGREES TO RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS SPONSOR AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS, DISTRIBUTORS, ADVERTISING/PROMOTION AGENCIES, PARTNERS, AND PRIZE SUPPLIERS, AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PARENT COMPANIES AND EACH SUCH COMPANY’S OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) FROM AND AGAINST ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, OR DAMAGE TO OR LOSS OF PROPERTY (INCLUDING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY), ARISING OUT OF PARTICIPANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION OF OR PARTICIPANT’S RECEIPT, USE OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE. THE RELEASED PARTIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR: (1) ANY INCORRECT OR INACCURATE INFORMATION, WHETHER CAUSED BY ENTRANTS, PRINTING ERRORS OR BY ANY OF THE EQUIPMENT OR PROGRAMMING ASSOCIATED WITH OR UTILIZED IN THE PROMOTION; (2) TECHNICAL FAILURES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO MALFUNCTIONS, INTERRUPTIONS, OR DISCONNECTIONS IN PHONE LINES OR NETWORK HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE; (3) UNAUTHORIZED HUMAN INTERVENTION IN ANY PART OF THE ENTRY PROCESS OR THE PROMOTION; (4) TECHNICAL OR HUMAN ERROR WHICH MAY OCCUR IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROMOTION OR THE PROCESSING OF ENTRIES; OR (5) ANY INJURY OR DAMAGE TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY WHICH MAY BE CAUSED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, FROM ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION OR RECEIPT OR USE OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE.  No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded.  If someone cheats, or a virus, bug, bot, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected action or event affects the fairness and/or integrity of this Challenge, Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, change, or suspend this Challenge.  This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error.  If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Challenge, we reserve the right, but are not required, to select winner(s) from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Challenge.

10. Privacy and Use of Personal Information.
Sponsor collects personal information from you when you enter this Challenge.  Sponsor reserves the right to use any information collected in accordance with its privacy policy, which may be found at https://www.mozilla.org/privacy/.

11. GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTES.
THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND THE PROMOTION ARE GOVERNED BY, AND WILL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND THE FORUM AND VENUE FOR ANY DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES SHALL BE IN SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. IF THE CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM IS NOT OTHERWISE RESOLVED THROUGH DIRECT DISCUSSIONS OR MEDIATION, IT SHALL THEN BE RESOLVED BY FINAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION ADMINISTERED BY JUDICIAL ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION SERVICES, INC., IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS STREAMLINED ARBITRATION RULES AND PROCEDURES OR SUBSEQUENT VERSIONS THEREOF (“JAMS RULES”). THE JAMS RULES FOR SELECTION OF AN ARBITRATOR SHALL BE FOLLOWED, EXCEPT THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL BE EXPERIENCED AND LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW IN CALIFORNIA. ANY SUCH CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM WILL BE ARBITRATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, AND WILL NOT BE CONSOLIDATED IN ANY ARBITRATION WITH ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY OF ANY OTHER PARTY. ALL PROCEEDINGS BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. THE REMEDY FOR ANY CLAIM SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL DAMAGES, AND IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING ATTORNEY’S FEES OR OTHER SUCH RELATED COSTS OF BRINGING A CLAIM, OR TO RESCIND THIS AGREEMENT OR SEEK INJUNCTIVE OR ANY OTHER EQUITABLE RELIEF. SPONSOR’S TOTAL LIABILITY UNDER, ARISING OUT OF, OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE PRIZE OFFERED TO THE WINNER OF THE CHALLENGE. 

12. Publicity Grant.
Except where prohibited, participation in the Challenge constitutes entrant’s consent to Sponsor’s and Sponsor’s designees’ publication, broadcast, display, sharing and use of entrant’s and Team’s name, likeness, voice, image, persona, biographical information, entry and audio and visual content shared by entrant for any purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration.

13. No Confidentiality.
Submissions will be shared with others and portions of entries may be reproduced elsewhere, including in connection with Challenge-related publicity materials. You should not disclose any information in your entry that is proprietary or confidential. No confidential relationship is established between you and Sponsor in connection with your entry.

14. Winners List.
Individuals may request the name of winners by submitting a self-addressed stamped envelope prior to 10th July 2023 to Mozilla Challenge Winners List Request, 2 Harrison St. #175, San Francisco, CA 94105.  Vermont residents may omit postage.