2020 SXSW HACKATHON Official Rules and Regulations

COMMON TERMS USED IN THESE RULES

These are the Official Rules and Regulations (the “Official Rules” or “Agreement”) that govern how the SXSW Hackathon operates (the "Contest"). In these rules, "we," "our," "us," and “SXSW” refer to SXSW, LLC. “You,” “Yourself,” and “Participant” refer to an eligible participant.

OVERVIEW

The Contest is for and will take place during the 2020 SXSW Conference and Festivals (“SXSW 2020”). The Contest is designed to create new tech innovations in the music, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), Blockchain, Climate, Social Action, and VR/AR space for artists, the industry, and fans. Please note that this is a skills-based contest, and chance plays no part in the determination of the finalists and Prizewinner(s) (defined below). By participating, you (and your parent/legal guardian if you are a minor) agree to these Official Rules.

You must be 16 years or older (with express permission from a parent or legal guardian, if applicable) to enter the Contest. This Contest is void where prohibited by law. No purchase is necessary, and a purchase or payment of any kind will not increase your chances of winning.

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?

To participate, visit https://www.sxsw.com/conferences/sxsw-hackathon and submit a Contest application.
Participants will be selected based on the completeness of their application and the potential to impact the Music and Entertainment, Climate and Social Action, A.I., Blockchain, and VR/AR industries.
Selected Participants will be notified of their selection before SXSW 2020.
If you are a minor and are selected to participate, you must get written permission from your parent/legal guardian before you can participate in the Contest.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO WIN?

You must complete an application by Friday, March 6, 2020 at 11:59pm to participate in the Contest (some exceptions may apply at our sole discretion). You must be selected as a Participant. Once you are selected as a Participant of the Contest, you will be required to submit a project (“Project”) in compliance with the rules set forth herein (“Project Requirements”). At least one member of your team must be onsite at SXSW 2020 for the duration of the Contest.

You must write fresh, new code and put the code in a repository that our judges can review.
You must use at least one of the APIs provided by us for the Contest.
Your Project must be your own original work created for this Contest, except for any materials made available by us for the Contest.
Your Project cannot have been selected as a winner in another contest.

We, in our sole discretion, reserve the right to disqualify any Project containing racial, religious, or ethnic slurs; explicit language, obscene, defamatory, pornographic, violent or sexual content; libel or hate speech; references to alcohol, drugs or other illicit substances, or otherwise objectionable, offensive, illegal, inappropriate or prohibited material; or any material that violates the SXSW Code of Conduct (available here)

By entering, you represent and warrant that:

Your Project includes only material that you own or that you have permission from the copyright/trademark owner to use (including source code, user interface, music, video or images)
Your Project does not contain any third party copyrighted materials, and otherwise does not violate or infringe the rights, including, without limitation, copyrights, trademark rights or rights of publicity/privacy, of any third party.

WHAT ARE THE CONTEST DATES?

The Contest will begin on March 17, 2020 at 1:00pm CST and end on March 18, 2020 at or around 1:00pm CST (the “Contest Period”) and consists of the following phases:

PHASE DESCRIPTION DATE(S) Contest Hackers create their Projects! At the close of the Contest Period, judges will select finalists. March 17-18, 2020

HOW ARE WINNERS SELECTED?

Judges will select finalists and Prizewinner(s) with the highest scoring submission based on the judges’ opinions on the following factors:

Impact to Industry 25%
Innovativeness 25%
User Experience 25%
Technical Excellence 25%

WHAT ARE THE PRIZES? Each winner may receive one of the following prizes (“Prize(s)”): Category prizes: Three (3) cash prizes to three separate Participants, as selected by the judges (“Prizewinner(s)”).

First place: $3,000
Second place: $2,000
Third place: $1,000

Other prizes provided by the sponsors may be announced prior to the Contest, subject to availability and SXSW approval.

After the awards ceremony, the Prizewinner(s) must agree to execute any further contracts or releases provided by SXSW or the Contest sponsors in order to receive the Prize (collectively, “Processing”). This Processing may include tax withholdings. A Participant is not the Prizewinner until SXSW has verified Participant’s eligibility.

If you are an international winner, please note your check may be subject to different taxes due to your country's Tax Treaty(s) with the United States. More information on U.S. taxes that may be applicable to you is available here

WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS AM I AGREEING TO BY PARTICIPATING? By participating in this Contest, you (and your parent/legal guardian if you are a minor) acknowledge and agree to abide by the Official Rules:

To release and hold harmless SXSW, and its respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Contest or any prize won
That SXSW’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Contest, and such decisions cannot be challenged or appealed
That you will not have any ownership rights in the APIs that are made available to you, but you will own all other rights in the Projects you create
That SXSW may present, exhibit, display, or otherwise use your Project for its own promotional or publicity purposes
That you will be responsible for your own federal, state, and local (or international, if applicable) tax obligations for any Prizes you may win, and your participation shall be subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations
That, by entering the Contest, we or the Contest sponsors may use your proper name and state, country, region of residence and any photos or videos captured of you at SXSW 2020 or at the awards ceremony for promotional or other purposes, during or after the Contest, online and in print, or in any other media, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law
That to participate in the Contest you must not be an employee, agent, or representative of SXSW or any sponsor of the Contest or each of their respective partners, parent companies, divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates
To not use or display any trademarks or logos owned by SXSW without our prior written permission
That we reserve the right to modify these Official Rules at our sole discretion
That THERE IS NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. That SXSW, ITS PARTNERS 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 NONINFRINGEMENT. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL RELEASED PARTIES BE HELD RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR THEIR OR PARTICIPANT’S USE OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED AND/OR MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CONTEST OR FOR ERRORS OR ANOMALIES RESULTING IN THE UNINTENDED OR ERRONEOUS PARTICIPATION, AWARD OF CONTEST PRIZE OR OTHER BENEFITS UNDER THE CONTEST TO PARTICIPANTS. RELEASED PARTIES OFFER NO ASSURANCES, GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS THAT THE CONTEST WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERRORFREE AND DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH THE CONTEST. RELEASED PARTIES ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY COMPUTERRELATED DAMAGES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGE OR LOSS DUE TO DOWNLOADING THE CONTEST 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 CONTEST, WHETHER THE DAMAGES ARE DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL. FURTHER, BY PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST AND/OR ACCEPTING A PRIZE, YOU AGREE THAT RELEASED PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR, AND WILL BE HELD HARMLESS BY YOU 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 PRIZE, PARTICIPATION IN ANY CONTESTRELATED ACTIVITIES, RELEASED PARTIES’ USE OF ANY ENTRY OR PARTICIPATION IN THIS CONTEST.

WHAT LAWS GOVERN THE WAY THIS CONTEST IS EXECUTED AND ADMINISTERED?

This Contest will be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of state and federal courts in Travis County, Texas, for any disputes arising out of this Contest.

WHAT IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS AND THE CONTEST CAN'T RUN AS IT WAS PLANNED?

If someone cheats, or a virus, bug, bot, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled (also referred to as “force majeure”) affects the fairness and/or integrity of this Contest, we reserve the right to cancel, change, or suspend this Contest. 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 Contest, we reserve the right to select finalists and Prizewinner(s) from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Contest.

If you or your team attempts to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Contest, or if we have reason to believe that you or your team have compromised the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Contest by cheating, hacking, creating a bot or other automated program, or by committing fraud in any way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may disqualify you, and ban you from participating in any of our future Contests, so please play fairly.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHO WON?

A full list of all finalists and Prizewinner(s) will be published on after the conclusion of SXSW 2020.