Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account on the CAGE Research Platform ("Platform"), clicking "I Agree," or otherwise accessing or using the Platform, you ("User," "you," or "your") agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"), as well as all policies and documents incorporated by reference, including but not limited to:

• The Mutual Non-Disclosure and Contributor Agreement ("NDA"), which you must execute before accessing gated research content;
• The Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

If you do not agree to these Terms in their entirety, you must not create an account or use the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform following any modification of these Terms constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

2. Definitions

• "Platform" means the CAGE Research Platform, including all web applications, APIs, databases, and related services operated by CAGE Chemical Inc.
• "User" means any individual who creates an account on the Platform, whether or not they have executed the NDA or made any Contributions.
• "Contributor" means a User who has executed the NDA, completed identity verification, and has been granted access to one or more Research Tracks.
• "Content" means all information, data, text, photographs, images, experimental results, notes, protocols, and other materials submitted to or generated through the Platform by a User.
• "AI Review" means the automated analysis and feedback provided by artificial intelligence systems (including Google Gemini) integrated into the Platform for the purpose of evaluating experiment submissions.
• "Research Track" means a structured research program hosted on the Platform that contains confidential methodologies, protocols, and experimental guidance related to a specific area of investigation.

3. Eligibility and Registration

3.1 Minimum Age. You must be at least fourteen (14) years of age to create an account on the Platform. Users between the ages of fourteen (14) and seventeen (17) must obtain verifiable parental or legal guardian consent before registering. CAGE reserves the right to request proof of parental consent at any time and to suspend or terminate accounts where such consent cannot be verified.

3.2 One Account Per Person. Each individual may maintain only one (1) account on the Platform. Creating multiple accounts, or creating an account on behalf of another person without proper authorization, is a violation of these Terms and grounds for immediate termination.

3.3 Accurate Information. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during the registration process and to update such information as necessary to maintain its accuracy. You are responsible for safeguarding your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.

3.4 Identity Verification. Access to Research Tracks and Contributor status requires identity verification through Stripe Identity or such other verification service as CAGE may designate. You consent to the collection and processing of identity documents as part of this verification process.

3.5 Identity Verification Age Requirement. Stripe Identity verification requires the user to be at least sixteen (16) years of age. Users aged fourteen (14) to fifteen (15) may create accounts and participate with parental consent but cannot complete identity verification or achieve full Contributor status until reaching age sixteen (16).

4. NDA Requirement

4.1 Access to Research Tracks and all confidential methodologies, protocols, and related materials on the Platform is strictly conditional upon your execution of the Mutual Non-Disclosure and Contributor Agreement. No access to gated content will be granted until the NDA has been fully executed and identity verification has been completed.

4.2 The confidentiality obligations set forth in the NDA survive termination of your account and these Terms. Termination of your account does not release you from your obligations under the NDA, which shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 CAGE Platform IP. CAGE Chemical Inc. owns and retains all right, title, and interest in and to the Platform, including its software, design, architecture, branding, trademarks, logos, and all related technology. Nothing in these Terms grants you any right, title, or interest in the Platform or CAGE's intellectual property except the limited right to use the Platform in accordance with these Terms.

5.2 Pre-Existing User IP. You retain full ownership of any intellectual property you owned prior to using the Platform ("Pre-Existing IP"). Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of your Pre-Existing IP to CAGE.

5.3 License Grant for Contributed Content. By submitting Content to the Platform, you grant CAGE a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, modify, distribute, display, and create derivative works from such Content for purposes related to CAGE's research, commercial, and educational activities. The specific terms of this license are further detailed in the NDA.

5.4 No Implied License to Patents. Nothing in these Terms shall be construed as granting you any license, express or implied, under any patent, patent application, or other intellectual property right owned or controlled by CAGE, except as expressly stated herein or in the NDA.

5.5 Moral Rights. To the extent permitted by applicable law, including the Canadian Copyright Act, you hereby waive all moral rights in and to any Content you submit to the Platform, including but not limited to the right of attribution and the right of integrity, in favour of CAGE and its successors and assigns.

6. User-Generated Content

6.1 Warranties of Originality. You represent and warrant that all Content you submit to the Platform is your original work, or that you have obtained all necessary rights, licenses, and permissions to submit such Content. You further warrant that your Content does not infringe upon the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or any other rights of any third party.

6.2 No Obligation to Publish. CAGE is under no obligation to publish, display, or otherwise make available any Content submitted by you. CAGE reserves the right to remove or decline to publish any Content at its sole discretion, with or without notice.

6.3 AI Review Consent. By submitting Content to the Platform, you consent to having your Content processed and analyzed by AI systems, including Google Gemini, for the purpose of providing automated feedback, scoring, and review. You acknowledge that AI-generated feedback may be stored alongside your Content.

6.4 Data Retention After Termination. Upon termination of your account, CAGE may retain your Content for legitimate research, legal compliance, and archival purposes. Content that has been incorporated into active Research Tracks or that has been relied upon by other Contributors may be retained indefinitely, subject to the terms of the NDA and applicable privacy legislation.

7. AI-Powered Review Disclaimer

7.1 The Platform integrates Google Gemini and potentially other AI systems to provide automated feedback on experiment submissions. This feedback is generated algorithmically and has not been reviewed or endorsed by CAGE's team unless expressly indicated.

7.2 No Warranty on Accuracy. CAGE makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of any AI-generated feedback. AI systems may produce errors, hallucinations, or misleading information.

7.3 Not a Substitute for Professional Review. AI Review is not a substitute for independent safety review, institutional ethics approval, peer review, or any other form of professional or regulatory review. You must not rely solely on AI-generated feedback when making decisions about experimental safety, protocol design, or regulatory compliance.

7.4 You acknowledge and agree that CAGE shall not be liable for any loss, injury, damage, or expense arising from your reliance on AI-generated feedback provided through the Platform.

8. Revenue Sharing

8.1 Revenue sharing between CAGE and Contributors is governed by the terms set forth in the NDA (Section 10) and any separate Revenue Sharing Schedule that CAGE may publish from time to time.

8.2 Modification. CAGE reserves the right to modify the revenue sharing structure, contribution point methodology, and payout schedule with a minimum of thirty (30) days' prior written notice to affected Contributors. Such modifications shall not retroactively affect revenue shares already earned and vested.

8.3 Compliance Contingency. Revenue sharing payouts are contingent upon your continued compliance with these Terms, the NDA, and all applicable laws and regulations. CAGE may withhold or forfeit revenue share distributions if you are found to be in material breach of these Terms or the NDA.

8.4 Tax Responsibility. You are solely responsible for reporting and paying all taxes owed on any revenue share, reimbursement, or other payment received from CAGE, including but not limited to income tax, GST/HST, and any applicable withholding taxes. CAGE may issue T4A slips or equivalent tax documentation to Canadian residents as required by the Canada Revenue Agency. For non-Canadian residents, CAGE may be required to withhold tax on royalty payments in accordance with the Income Tax Act and applicable tax treaties.

8.5 No Employment Relationship. Nothing in these Terms or any revenue sharing arrangement shall be construed as creating an employment, partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship between you and CAGE. Contributors are independent participants.

9. Research Track Proposals

9.1 Users may propose new Research Tracks through the Platform's proposal system. CAGE has sole and absolute discretion in determining whether to accept, modify, or reject any proposed Research Track.

9.2 Submitting a Research Track proposal does not create any intellectual property rights in the proposed track for the proposer. If CAGE develops a Research Track similar to or based on a proposal, the proposer shall have no claim to ownership of, or compensation for, such Research Track beyond any contribution points or revenue share earned through actual Contributions.

9.3 By submitting a proposal, you grant CAGE a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use, modify, and implement the ideas and concepts contained in the proposal.

10. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree not to use the Platform to:

• Falsify data: Submit fabricated, falsified, or plagiarized experimental data, results, photographs, or other Content;
• Reverse engineer: Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise attempt to discover the source code, underlying algorithms, or architecture of the Platform;
• Scrape or harvest: Use automated tools, bots, scrapers, or other means to extract, collect, or harvest data from the Platform;
• Share NDA content: Disclose, distribute, publish, or otherwise share any Confidential Information or gated content obtained through the Platform with any third party in violation of the NDA;
• Harass or abuse: Harass, threaten, intimidate, or abuse other Users, Contributors, or CAGE personnel;
• Weapons or illegal use: Use any information, methodology, or materials obtained through the Platform for the development of weapons, controlled substances, or any other illegal purpose;
• Circumvent verification: Attempt to bypass, circumvent, or interfere with the Platform's identity verification, authentication, or access control mechanisms;
• Impersonate: Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity;
• Interfere with operations: Introduce viruses, malware, or other harmful code, or take any action that could disrupt, damage, or impair the Platform's functionality or infrastructure.

11. Content Reporting and Moderation

11.1 Reporting. Users who have signed the NDA may report Content that they believe violates these Terms, including suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, safety violations, or inappropriate material. Reports are submitted through the Platform's content flagging system.

11.2 Review Process. CAGE will review all reports in good faith and may take action including, but not limited to, removing Content, issuing warnings, suspending access, or terminating accounts. CAGE is under no obligation to disclose the outcome of any investigation to the reporter.

11.3 Good Faith Reporting. You agree to submit reports in good faith and not to abuse the reporting system to harass other Users or to interfere with legitimate research activities. Abusive or vexatious reporting is a violation of these Terms.

12. Experimental Safety Disclaimer

12.1 Assumption of Risk. You expressly acknowledge and agree that any experiments you conduct, whether based on protocols provided through the Platform or otherwise, are performed entirely at your own risk. Chemistry and materials science experiments inherently involve risks including, but not limited to, chemical burns, toxic exposure, fire, explosion, environmental contamination, and other hazards that may result in serious injury, death, or property damage.

12.2 Informational Purposes Only. All protocols, methodologies, procedures, and experimental guidance provided through the Platform are for informational and educational purposes only. They do not constitute instructions, directives, or recommendations to perform any specific experiment or procedure. CAGE does not guarantee that any protocol is safe, complete, accurate, or suitable for any particular purpose or environment.

12.3 User Responsibility. You are solely responsible for:

• Ensuring your own personal safety and the safety of others in your vicinity;
• Obtaining all necessary institutional approvals, ethics reviews, and regulatory permits before conducting any experiment;
• Complying with all applicable local, provincial, national, and international laws and regulations regarding chemical handling, waste disposal, laboratory safety, and environmental protection;
• Using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety measures;
• Conducting a thorough independent risk assessment before beginning any experimental work;
• Maintaining appropriate insurance coverage for your experimental activities.

12.4 No Institutional Oversight. CAGE does not provide laboratory facilities, safety equipment, institutional oversight, or on-site supervision. The Platform is a digital research coordination tool, not a laboratory or research institution. CAGE has no ability to monitor, control, or ensure the safety of experiments conducted by Users.

12.5 Waiver and Release. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you hereby waive and release CAGE Chemical Inc., its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from any and all claims, demands, causes of action, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including attorney's fees) arising out of or related to any experiment you conduct, any injury or damage you suffer, or any injury or damage suffered by any third party as a result of your experimental activities.

13. Limitation of Liability

13.1 Liability Cap. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the total aggregate liability of CAGE Chemical Inc. and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates arising out of or related to these Terms, the Platform, or your use thereof, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or any other legal theory, shall not exceed the greater of: (a) one hundred Canadian dollars (CAD $100); or (b) the total fees paid by you to CAGE in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

13.2 Exclusion of Consequential Damages. In no event shall CAGE be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages, including but not limited to damages for loss of profits, goodwill, data, revenue, business opportunities, or other intangible losses, even if CAGE has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

13.3 Savings Clause. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages. If you reside in such a jurisdiction, the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you to the extent prohibited by applicable law. In such cases, CAGE's liability shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of your jurisdiction.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CAGE Chemical Inc., its officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, and licensors from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) your violation of these Terms or the NDA; (b) any Content you submit to the Platform; (c) any experiment you conduct, whether or not based on protocols obtained through the Platform; (d) your violation of any third party's rights, including intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or contractual rights; or (e) your violation of any applicable law or regulation.

15. Dispute Resolution

15.1 Governing Law. These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the applicable federal laws of Canada, without regard to conflict of law principles.

15.2 Informal Resolution. Before initiating any formal legal proceeding, you agree to first contact CAGE in writing and attempt to resolve any dispute informally for a period of at least thirty (30) days. You may send notice of a dispute to CAGE's registered address or via the contact information provided on the Platform.

15.3 Jurisdiction. If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, you agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the courts of the Province of British Columbia, and you irrevocably submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

16. Account Termination

16.1 Termination by User. You may terminate your account at any time by contacting CAGE or using the account deletion functionality on the Platform. Termination of your account does not release you from obligations incurred prior to termination, including confidentiality obligations under the NDA.

16.2 Termination by CAGE for Violations. CAGE may suspend or terminate your account immediately, without prior notice, if CAGE determines in its sole discretion that you have violated these Terms, the NDA, or any applicable law or regulation.

16.3 Termination by CAGE Without Cause. CAGE may terminate your account for any reason with thirty (30) days' prior written notice.

16.4 Immediate Termination. CAGE may terminate your account immediately and without notice in cases of fraud, identity misrepresentation, NDA breach, or any activity that poses a risk to the safety, security, or integrity of the Platform or other Users.

16.5 Effect on Content. Upon termination, CAGE may retain your Content in accordance with Section 6.4. You will no longer have access to the Platform or any gated content.

16.6 Effect on Revenue Share. If your account is terminated for cause (violation of Terms, NDA breach, fraud), CAGE reserves the right to forfeit any unpaid revenue share. If your account is terminated without cause or by your own election, vested revenue share obligations shall survive in accordance with the NDA.

17. Modification of Terms

17.1 CAGE reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. CAGE will provide at least thirty (30) days' prior notice of any material changes via email to the address associated with your account and/or through a prominent notice on the Platform.

17.2 Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any modification constitutes your acceptance of the modified Terms. If you do not agree to the modified Terms, you must discontinue use of the Platform and terminate your account before the effective date of the modification.

18. Privacy

Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information. The Privacy Policy is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Platform, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in the Privacy Policy.

19. Third-Party Services

19.1 The Platform relies on third-party services to provide certain functionality, including but not limited to:

• Google Cloud Platform — hosting, infrastructure, and cloud services;
• Google Gemini — AI-powered experiment review and analysis;
• Stripe — identity verification and payment processing.

19.2 CAGE is not responsible for any interruption, downtime, error, or failure of any third-party service. Your use of third-party services may be subject to the respective third party's terms of service and privacy policies.

19.3 CAGE makes no warranties or representations regarding the availability, reliability, or performance of any third-party service integrated with the Platform.

20. Disclaimers

20.1 THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR COURSE OF PERFORMANCE.

20.2 CAGE does not warrant that: (a) the Platform will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free; (b) the results obtained from the Platform will be accurate or reliable; (c) any defects in the Platform will be corrected; or (d) the Platform or the servers that make it available are free of viruses or other harmful components.

20.3 No advice or information, whether oral or written, obtained from CAGE or through the Platform shall create any warranty not expressly stated in these Terms.

21. General Provisions

21.1 Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, or if modification is not possible, severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

21.2 Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with the NDA, the Privacy Policy, and any other documents expressly incorporated by reference, constitute the entire agreement between you and CAGE with respect to your use of the Platform and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications, proposals, and agreements, whether oral or written.

21.3 Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights or obligations hereunder without CAGE's prior written consent. CAGE may assign these Terms without restriction, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, corporate reorganization, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets.

21.4 Waiver. The failure of CAGE to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Any waiver of any provision of these Terms will be effective only if in writing and signed by CAGE.

21.5 Force Majeure. CAGE shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms if such failure or delay results from circumstances beyond CAGE's reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, war, terrorism, government actions, power failures, internet disruptions, or failures of third-party service providers.

21.6 Language. These Terms are drafted in the English language. In the event of any conflict between the English version and any translation, the English version shall prevail.

21.7 Notices. CAGE may provide notices to you via the email address associated with your account or through the Platform. You may provide notices to CAGE by contacting us at the address provided on the Platform. Notices shall be deemed received upon sending (for email) or upon posting (for Platform notifications).

22. Survival

The following provisions shall survive termination or expiration of these Terms and your account: Section 4 (NDA Requirement), Section 5 (Intellectual Property), Section 6 (User-Generated Content, subsections 6.1 and 6.4), Section 8 (Revenue Sharing, to the extent of vested obligations), Section 11 (Content Reporting), Section 12 (Experimental Safety Disclaimer), Section 13 (Limitation of Liability), Section 14 (Indemnification), Section 15 (Dispute Resolution), and Section 22 (Survival).

23. Export Control

You agree to comply with all applicable export control laws and regulations, including Canadian Export and Import Permits Act, United States Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) where applicable. You shall not use, export, re-export, or transfer any information, methodology, or materials obtained through the Platform in violation of any applicable export control law.

24. Limitation Period

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any claim or cause of action arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Platform must be commenced within one (1) year after the cause of action accrues. Any claim not brought within this period is permanently barred. This limitation period applies regardless of the form of action, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise.