# Poe Hackathon #1 (10/7) Rules

### Introduction

We’re excited to welcome you to the Poe Hackathon (“Hackathon”). The Hackathon is open to anyone, anywhere (except certain countries listed below) and there is no cost to enter. You must register with a Poe account to enter.&#x20;

Details on how to join and participate in the Hackathon can be found on the [Hackathon website](http://hackathon). By participating in the Hackathon, you agree to these Poe Hackathon Rules, the [Poe Terms of Service](https://poe.com/tos) and [Privacy Policy](https://poe.com/privacy).

The Hackathon will begin on October 7, 2023 from 7:00 am PST and end on October 8, 2023 at 10:00 am PST. Prize winners will be announced on or about October 9, 2023.

No Hackathon submissions will be accepted after 10:00 am PST on October 8, 2023.

**ARBITRATION NOTICE: These Rules contain a section on arbitration. You and Quora agree that certain disputes between us regarding the Hackathon will be resolved by mandatory binding arbitration in applicable jurisdictions, and that you and Quora waive any right to participate in a class-action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.**

### Who can participate?

Participants must be individuals who are at least eighteen (18) years of age, or the age of majority in your place of residence, whichever is older at the time of entry.

If a Participant is an employee of a corporation or academic institution, enrolled as a student or representing their employer or academic institution in this Hackathon, it is their sole responsibility to review, understand and abide by their employer’s or academic institution’s policies regarding eligibility to participate in the Hackathon. If a Participant is found to be in violation of their school’s or employer’s policies, they will be disqualified from entering the Hackathon and being awarded or retaining Hackathon Prizes. Quora disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for disputes arising between a student or employee and their school or employer related to this Hackathon.

Current and former employees, officers, contractors and agents of Quora, its subsidiaries and affiliates, together with members of their immediate families (parent, child, sibling and spouse of each) and those living in their same households, or Quora and independent contractors supporting the Hackathon, are ineligible to enter and participate in the Hackathon or be awarded or retain any Hackathon Prize.

Residents of Quebec, Tasmania, Balkans, Burma, Cuba, Liberia, Iran, Syria, and North Korea and any country included on the OFAC list are ineligible to participate. The Hackathon is void in these countries and where prohibited or restricted by law. Quora reserves the right to limit, or restrict upon notice, participation in the Hackathon to any person at any time for any reason.

### Registration

Details on how to join and participate in the Hackathon can be found on the [Hackathon website](http://hackathon).

### Criteria for submissions

* Creation of an account on Poe.com&#x20;
* Only Poe[ server bots](https://developer.poe.com/#ways-to-create-a-bot-on-poe) are eligible for submission
* Multiple submissions per user are allowed

### Scoring Criteria

When evaluating the winning bots, we will be looking at the following:

* Uniqueness: How unique your bot is and different from what else is out there
* Usefulness: How well your bot addresses a practical need
* Robustness: How stable and reliable your bot is
* Synergy: How well your bot fits into the Poe platform and the chat paradigm

### Judging of Qualifying Answers

At the end of the Hackathon Term, qualifying submissions will be judged based on the scoring criteria above. In the case of any tied scores, the valid submission that is earlier in time will win. The decisions of the Hackathon judges are final.

Once answers are verified by the judges, Quora will award the appropriate Hackathon Prizes to the winning Participants as described below.&#x20;

### Award of Hackathon Prizes

* Top place: $5,000 USD
* Second place: $2,000 USD
* Third place: $1,000 USD
* Fourth place: $1,000 USD
* Fifth place: $1,000 USD

Each of the prizes shall be granted to qualifying participants according to the judging criteria described above.

Limit one (1) prize per Participant. Potential winners will be notified on or about October 9, 2023 either by posting on the Discord server or via direct message. In the event a qualified potential winner does not return the Prize Documentation (defined below) within fourteen (14) days, a Hackathon Prize is declined, or a potential winner is not in compliance with these Rules or eligible for award of a Hackathon Prize for whatever reason, Quora reserves the right to choose an alternate potential winner, who shall be verified in accordance with these Rules. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

Return of a Hackathon Prize or failure of Hackathon Prize delivery will result in disqualification and an alternative potential winner will be chosen and verified in accordance with these Rules.

Any costs or expenses associated with the acceptance and use of any Hackathon Prize monies are the sole responsibility of the Hackathon Prize winners. All Hackathon Prize details are at Quora’s sole discretion. A Hackathon Prize winner may make no substitutions or assignment of a Hackathon Prize other than as specified in these Rules. Monetary prizes will be sent by wire transfer or, in limited cases, by check. Total value of the prize in winner’s local currency at the time it is awarded may depend on exchange rates with winner’s country of residence.

Prize monies should be retained by Participants only in conformity with any applicable policies of their employers or academic institutions, regarding participation in and receipt of promotional consideration relating to the Hackathon and receipt and retention of Hackathon Prizes. If an employer’s or school’s policies are applicable, it is the Participant’s sole and ultimate responsibility, in consultation with their employer or school, to determine how and if any Hackathon Prize will be retained and/or distributed and accounted for. Quora assumes no responsibility for the decisions made by such employers or schools regarding this issue.

### Promotion of Participants & Winners

By entering the Hackathon, you agree we may use your entry and Your Bot to market and promote the Hackathon and Poe generally. You grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable license to use  your entry and Your Bot as outlined in the foregoing sentence.&#x20;

### General Hackathon Terms and Conditions

A. Delivery. A Participant is solely responsible for the equipment and Internet access required to connect to the Site and/or participate in the Hackathon. Quora will not be responsible for lost, late, incomplete, stolen, misdirected, undelivered, delayed, inaccurate, garbled or illegible materials, entries, email or mail; or for any computer, telephone, cable, network, satellite, electronic or Internet hardware or software malfunctions, failures, connections, or availability, or for garbled or jumbled transmissions, or for service provider/Internet/Web site/use net accessibility or availability, traffic congestion, or unauthorized human intervention, or for inaccurate capture of any information, or the failure to capture any such information.

B. Entries; Verification/Audit; Participant Cooperation. All activities relating to Participant’s participation in the Hackathon and material submitted are subject to verification and/or auditing for compliance with these Rules and Participants agree to reasonably cooperate with Quora concerning verification and/or auditing. In the event that Hackathon verification activity or an audit evidences non-compliance with the Rules or official Hackathon communications, as determined in Quora’s reasonable discretion, a Participant’s continuing participation in any aspect of the Hackathon may be suspended or terminated. Quora reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reasonably suspend or cancel the Hackathon should any virus, bug and/or other cause corrupt the administration, security or proper operation of the Hackathon. In the event the Hackathon is cancelled, Quora may, at its sole discretion, determine the winners from among all eligible and non-suspect validated entries received up to the time of such action using the judging procedure outlined above.

C. Participants’ Affidavits, Hackathon Consent and Releases. As a condition of winning the Hackathon and receipt and acceptance of a Hackathon Prize, within fourteen (14) days of the date of winning status notification, a Participant will be required to complete, sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability Release; wire transfer information, if applicable; and applicable U.S. tax withholding-related documentation including, if necessary, proof of foreign status, as beneficiaries of U.S.-sourced promotional consideration (collectively, “Prize Documentation”). The Prize Documentation will include consent by a winner and/or his or her employer/principal for Quora and those acting under its control to use a winner’s name, picture, voice, likeness, and the name, description and Application comprising winner’s entry, worldwide in perpetuity, for the purposes of Hackathon-related advertising, promotion and publicity, and additionally including those specific purposes disclosed on the Site, without further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law.

Without limitation, if the foregoing documents are not executed by the prescribed persons noted therein and returned timely, or if notification is returned as non-deliverable, or if a Participant is found to be ineligible or otherwise not in compliance with these Rules, a Hackathon Prize may be forfeited at the sole discretion of Quora and, at Quora’s discretion, the next eligible Participant in accordance with these Rules will be notified.

Prizes will be awarded six to eight (6 – 8) weeks after Quora has received Prize Documentation back from winners.

D. Tax Consequences. Participation and receipt of benefits from the Hackathon will have tax consequences. Participants should speak with their tax advisors prior to participation and receipt and acceptance of Hackathon Prizes to prevent any undesired results. Should there be any local tax liability for participation in the Hackathon or the receipt of a Hackathon Prize, or costs or expenses relating to participation in the Hackathon or for the use and enjoyment of any Hackathon Prizes, or for any other reason, such taxes and/or expenses are the sole responsibility of the Participant. Quora will issue Hackathon-related tax reporting, as may be required by applicable laws and regulations. As a condition of winning the Hackathon and receipt and use of any Hackathon Prize, Participants agree to self-report to applicable local taxing authorities, as may be required by local laws.

E. Rules Amendment and Interpretation. The Hackathon and its continuing terms and conditions, benefits and participation are offered to Participants at the sole discretion of Quora and its affiliated companies. Quora reserves the right to amend or interpret the Rules or official Hackathon communications and any element or elements arising under or relating to the Hackathon at any time, upon published notice to Participants on the Site. A Participant shall be deemed to have notice of any such amendments or interpretations upon publication of the same on the Site and shall be deemed to have accepted such amendments or interpretations by virtue of a Participant’s continuing participation in the Hackathon. Should a Participant not wish to continue to participate in the Hackathon pursuant to the prevailing Rules, as amended or interpreted, a Participant may terminate participation in the Hackathon by abandoning their registration on the Site. All submitted material remain the property of Quora.

F. Rule Compliance Interpretation; Adjudication and Remedial Process. Quora reserves the right to make all decisions, in its discretion, arising out of or relating to instances of suspected abuse, fraud, error or anomalies in the operation of the Hackathon, including the Site, or any other interpretation, activity or suspected violation relating to the Hackathon, and such decisions by Quora are final and binding. Aggrieved Participants further agree, prior to resort to formal dispute resolution specified below, to submit to Quora via certified mail (Poe Hackathon, 605 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA 94041) for internal adjudication a written statement concerning and fully describing any grievance for expeditious review and formal response by Quora. The formal response and decision by Quora shall be final and binding on a Participant, absent clear and convincing evidence that Quora has acted in an arbitrary or capricious manner. Quora’s decision of a particular matter with an individual Participant shall not bind Quora as to decisions or adjudications of similar future matters, if there is a rational basis for distinguishing the facts and circumstances of such matters. A Participant must first exhaust the internal adjudication process for grievances before proceeding to formal dispute resolution. The foregoing deference and evidentiary standards relating to Quora’s decision-making shall apply in the formal dispute resolution described below.

**Legal Disputes and Arbitration Agreement for Users in Applicable Jurisdictions. Please Read the Following Clause Carefully – It May Significantly Affect Your Legal Rights, Including Your Right to File a Lawsuit in Court**

Agreement to Binding Arbitration. If an agreed upon solution is not reached within a period of thirty (30) days pursuant to the initial dispute resolution procedure provided above, then either party may initiate binding arbitration to formally resolve claims, subject to the terms and exclusion set forth below. All claims arising out of or relating to these Rules (including their formation, performance, and breach), the parties’ relationship with each other, and/or your participation in the Hackathon will be finally settled by binding arbitration administered by AAA, in accordance with the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules, excluding any rules or procedures governing or permitting class actions. Each party will have the right to use legal counsel in connection with arbitration at its own expense. The parties will select a single neutral arbitrator in accordance with the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitrator, and not any federal, state or local court or agency, will have exclusive authority to resolve all disputes arising out of or relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, or formation of these Rules, including, but not limited to, any claim that all or any part of these Rules is void or voidable. Either party may elect to appear at the arbitration by phone or, if mutually agreed, to conduct it online, in lieu of appearing live. The arbitrator will be empowered to grant whatever relief would be available in a court under law or in equity. The arbitrator’s award will be in writing and provide a statement of the essential findings and conclusions, will be binding on the parties and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. The interpretation and enforcement of these Rules will be subject to the Federal Arbitration Act.

Arbitration Rules. The AAA rules governing the arbitration may be accessed at[ https://www.adr.org/](https://www.adr.org/). Each party will be responsible for its arbitration fees as set forth in the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules. You will not be required to pay fees and costs incurred by us if you do not prevail in arbitration. The parties understand that, absent this mandatory provision, they would have the right to sue in court and have a jury trial. They further understand that the right to discovery may be more limited in arbitration than in court.

Class Action and Class Arbitration Waiver. The parties each further agree that any arbitration will be conducted in our respective individual capacities only and not as a class action or other representative action, and each expressly waives its respective right to file a class action or seek relief on a class basis. If any court or arbitrator determines that the class action waiver set forth in this paragraph is void or unenforceable for any reason or that an arbitration can proceed on a class basis, then the arbitration provision set forth above will be deemed null and void in its entirety and the parties will be deemed to have not agreed to arbitrate disputes.

Exception: Small Claims Court Claims. Notwithstanding the parties’ agreement to resolve all disputes through arbitration, either party may seek relief in a small claims court for disputes or claims within the scope of that court’s jurisdiction and on an individual (non-class) basis only.

Exclusive Venue for Litigation. To the extent that the arbitration provisions set forth above do not apply, or if you have opted out of arbitration, the parties agree that any litigation between them must be filed exclusively in state or federal courts located in Santa Clara County, California (except for small claims court actions which may be brought in the county where you reside). The parties expressly consent to exclusive jurisdiction in Santa Clara County, California for any litigation other than small claims court actions. In the event of litigation relating to these Rules, the parties agree to waive, to the maximum extent permitted by law, any right to a jury trial, except where a jury trial waiver is not permissible under applicable law.

Applicable Jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions outside of the United States, this Section F may not be applicable to you under governing law.

G. NO WARRANTY. QUORA, ORGANIZERS AND THEIR SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATED COMPANIES AND ALL OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND (WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE), INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL RELEASED PARTIES BE HELD RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR A PARTICIPANT’S USE OF THE INFORMATION AND/OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED AND/OR MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE Hackathon OR FOR ERRORS OR ANOMALIES RESULTING IN THE UNINTENDED OR ERRONEOUS PARTICIPATION, AWARD OF Hackathon PRIZES OR OTHER BENEFITS UNDER THE Hackathon TO PARTICIPANTS. RELEASED PARTIES OFFER NO ASSURANCES, GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS THAT THE Hackathon OR Hackathon WEBSITES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE AND DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH THE Hackathon. RELEASED PARTIES ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY COMPUTER-RELATED DAMAGES DUE TO DOWNLOADING MATERIALS. RELEASED PARTIES WILL NOT BE LIABLE, AND ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE, FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND RELATED TO A PARTICIPANT’S PARTICIPATION OR INABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE Hackathon, WHETHER THE DAMAGES ARE DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL. FURTHER, BY PARTICIPATING IN THE Hackathon AND/OR ACCEPTING A Hackathon PRIZE, A PARTICIPANT AGREES THAT RELEASED PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR, AND WILL BE HELD HARMLESS BY PARTICIPANT AGAINST, ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE, INJURY OR LOSS TO PERSON (INCLUDING DEATH) OR PROPERTY DUE IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, TO ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE OR MISUSE OF A Hackathon PRIZE, PARTICIPATION IN ANY Hackathon PRIZE-RELATED ACTIVITY, RELEASED PARTIES’ USE OF ANY TENDERED ENTRY OR PARTICIPATION IN THIS Hackathon. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES; THEREFORE THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY.

H. Indemnification. Participants agree to release, defend, indemnify and hold harmless Released Parties from and against, and accept all responsibility of any kind, including but not limited to financial, for any liability, claims, losses, damages or proceedings (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) relating to any actions taken by a Participant, including submission of answers, or anyone else using a Participant’s e-mail or password or otherwise purporting to act on Participant’s behalf in regard to the Hackathon (whether or not such use occurred with or without your permission). Participant also agrees to release, defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Released Parties from any and all liability, claims, losses, damages or proceedings (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) relating to Prizes and any other matter in connection with a Participant’s participation in the Hackathon or Quora’s or its designees or Quora’s or its designees use of his/her Application.\


These rules, terms and conditions specified here comprise the Hackathon’s official rules and, together with the Hackathon Site’s[ Terms of Service](https://poe.com/tos) and official Hackathon communications or publications by Quora, shall govern and apply to all participation and activity arising out of and relating to the Hackathon and use of the Site. These Rules cannot be modified or superseded except by Quora, in its reasonable discretion.

I. Data Privacy. Participants agree that their personal data, including, as applicable, name, e-mail address, phone number, and physical address, may be processed, stored and otherwise used for the purposes and within the context of this Hackathon (including used by the Sponsor in order to contact the winners, check a Participant’s identity and contact information, or to otherwise verify a Participant’s eligibility to participate in the Hackathon or to receive a prize) and for any of the purposes set forth in Sponsor’s[ Privacy Policy](https://poe.com/privacy). By participating in this Hackathon, Participants are agreeing to Sponsor’s[ Privacy Policy](https://poe.com/privacy).

J. Winners List. For a list of winners, please send an email to [hackathon@poe.com](mailto:hackathon@poe.com). The winners list will be available once all winners have been confirmed.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

K. Sponsor. Quora, Inc., 605 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA 94041.

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