## Hackathon rules
These rules govern participation in the Obserc Safety Hackathon ("the Hackathon"). By registering and submitting a project, all participants agree to these rules in full.
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## 1. Eligibility
1.1 The Hackathon is open to individuals and teams worldwide, subject to any local laws or restrictions that may apply in your jurisdiction.
1.2 Participants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of registration. Participants under 18 must have written consent from a parent or legal guardian.
1.3 Employees, contractors, and immediate family members of Obserc are not eligible to participate or win prizes.
1.4 Participation is free. No purchase is required to enter or win.
1.5 Teams may consist of 1 to 4 members. Each individual may only be part of one team and one submission.
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## 2. Registration
2.1 All participants must register via Devpost before the registration deadline.
2.2 Each team must designate one member as the primary contact. All official communications will be sent to this person.
2.3 Obserc reserves the right to disqualify any participant who provides false or misleading registration information.
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## 3. The hackathon period
3.1 The Hackathon begins and ends on the dates published on the Devpost hackathon page. All times are in UTC.
3.2 All work submitted must have been created during the Hackathon period. Code, designs, or other work predating the start date will result in disqualification.
3.3 The use of open source libraries, public APIs, and third-party services is permitted provided they are properly attributed in the submission.
3.4 Participants may use AI-assisted coding tools (such as GitHub Copilot or similar) provided the core idea and implementation are their own.
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## 4. Submissions
4.1 All submissions must be made via Devpost before the submission deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.
4.2 Each team may submit only one project. A project may only be submitted to one track — Track 1 (Build for Obserc) or Track 2 (Build a safety app or tool).
4.3 Submissions must meet all requirements listed in the Submission Requirements section of this Hackathon, including a working prototype, a public GitHub repository, a written project description covering all four required sections, and at least one screenshot.
4.4 Submissions must not contain content that is unlawful, offensive, discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Obserc reserves the right to remove any submission that violates this rule without notice.
4.5 Submissions must not infringe the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or any other rights of any third party.
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## 5. Intellectual property
5.1 Participants retain full ownership of all intellectual property they create during the Hackathon.
5.2 By submitting a project, participants grant Obserc a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display, share, and reference their submission for promotional and marketing purposes, including on Obserc's website, social media channels, and App Store materials. This licence does not transfer ownership.
5.3 If a Track 1 winner accepts an invitation to join the Obserc team, any subsequent development work on that feature as part of the team will be subject to a separate agreement negotiated at that time. Accepting a prize does not automatically assign IP to Obserc.
5.4 Participants are responsible for ensuring their submission does not infringe any third-party intellectual property. Obserc accepts no liability for IP disputes arising from participant submissions.
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## 6. Judging
6.1 All eligible submissions will be judged by the Obserc team using the criteria published on the Hackathon page: Impact (35%), Technical execution (30%), Design and usability (20%), and Originality (15%).
6.2 Judges' decisions are final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding judging outcomes.
6.3 Obserc reserves the right to withhold a prize in any category if the quality of submissions does not meet the required standard.
6.4 In the event of a tie, judges will re-evaluate the tied submissions against the Impact criterion to determine a winner.
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## 7. Prizes
7.1 Prizes are as described on the Hackathon page. Obserc reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if the stated prize becomes unavailable.
7.2 Prizes are non-transferable and non-exchangeable for cash.
7.3 Lifetime Obserc Pro access is subject to the Obserc Terms of Service and may be modified or discontinued in line with those terms.
7.4 The invitation to join the Obserc team is an offer to collaborate, not a guaranteed employment contract. The terms of any team engagement will be discussed and agreed separately with the winner after the Hackathon concludes.
7.5 Winners are responsible for any taxes, duties, or charges applicable to their prize in their jurisdiction.
7.6 Winners will be contacted via Devpost within 7 days of the winners announcement. If a winner does not respond within 14 days of being contacted, the prize may be forfeited and awarded to the next eligible submission.
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## 8. Code of conduct
8.1 All participants are expected to treat each other, the organising team, and any third parties with respect throughout the Hackathon.
8.2 Harassment, discrimination, bullying, or any form of abusive behaviour — whether on Devpost, social media, or any other channel — will result in immediate disqualification.
8.3 Participants must not attempt to sabotage, copy, or misrepresent another team's work.
8.4 Any suspected violation of this code of conduct should be reported to Obserc via the contact page at https://obserc.com. Reports will be treated confidentially.
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## 9. Privacy
9.1 Personal information collected during registration will be used solely for the purposes of administering the Hackathon and awarding prizes. It will not be sold or shared with third parties except as required by law.
9.2 By participating, you agree to Devpost's Privacy Policy in addition to these rules.
9.3 Winners' names and project titles may be published publicly on Devpost and across Obserc's social channels as part of the prize announcement.
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## 10. General
10.1 Obserc reserves the right to cancel, modify, or suspend the Hackathon at any time if circumstances beyond its control make this necessary.
10.2 Obserc reserves the right to amend these rules at any time. Participants will be notified of material changes via Devpost.
10.3 These rules are governed by the laws of the Republic of Ireland Any disputes arising from participation in the Hackathon shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Republic of Ireland.
10.4 If any provision of these rules is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
10.5 By registering for the Hackathon, participants confirm they have read, understood, and agree to these rules in full.
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Organised by Elisha Seruma — Obserc
https://obserc.com