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The Next Big AIdea (the "Contest")
Competition Official Rules

SPONSOR: HubSpot, Inc., 2 Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141, United States ("Sponsor", "we", "us", "our").
 
These are the official rules (the "Official Rules") that govern the Contest and the relationship between you, as the Participant, and the Sponsor in relation to the Contest. 
 
By submitting an entry to, and participating in, the Contest, Participant (defined in the Eligibility section below) agrees:
 
  1. to comply with and be bound by these Official Rules; 
  2. that it has legal capacity to enter this Contest and agree to these Official Rules; and
  3. to any and all decisions of the Sponsor, which are binding and final in all respects and no correspondence will be entered into.
 
ELIGIBILITY: This Contest is only open to entities structured to receive investment (i.e. corporation, LLC, LTD or local equivalent) incorporated in the United States of America who also:
  • Bootstrapped, pre-seed to Series A startups only
  • Must be incorporated in the United States
  • Must have a functional website demonstrating the product/service 
  • Must show measurable product traction (users, revenue, partnerships, or significant pilot programs)
 
Focus Area:
  • AI-focused solutions that help customers "grow better"
  • Product must leverage AI/ML as a core differentiator, not just an add-on feature
 
JUDGING CRITERIA
  • Uniqueness of AI application and approach 
  • Demonstrated product market fit 
  • Clear strategy for customer acquisition and retention 
  • Compelling vision for the future 
 
Participants must appoint and authorize one individual, who is a founder, owner and/or director of the Participant (the “Representative”) to represent, act, and enter the Contest, on behalf of the Participant. All references to the Participant shall include the Representative. By submitting an Entry (defined in the How to Enter section below), the Participant represents and warrants that the Representative is authorised to act on Participant's behalf. Prizes are awarded to the Start-up and not to the individual Representative.
 
The following are not eligible to participate in this Contest or win a prize: 
  1. employees of HubSpot, Inc., its associated companies, agents, third parties or anyone else professionally connected with this Contest;
  2. consumers, individuals and any other person or organisation that does not meet the eligibility requirements detailed above; and
  3. the Judging Panel (defined in the Winner Selection section below) of this Contest. 
 
All applicable federal, state, supra-national and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. 
 
NO PURCHASE OF HUBSPOT PRODUCTS NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
 
CONTEST PERIOD: The Contest entry period begins at 12:00AM EST on June 25, 2025 and ends at 11:59PM EST on 25 July, 2025 (the "Contest Period"). The Sponsor's clock will be the official timekeeping device for this Contest. The winners will be selected from all valid and eligible Entries that have been properly submitted and timely received during the Contest Period in accordance with the Winner Selection section below. 
 
HOW TO ENTER: In order to participate in the Contest, Participants must do the following during the Contest Period:
  1. visit the Contest website [HYPERLINK] ("Website");
  2. complete the online application form in full, providing:
  • First Name 
  • Last Name
  • Business Email (how we will contact you if you move forward!)
  • Company Website 
  • Stage of last funding round 
  • Bootstrap 
  • Seed
  • Series A 
  • Series B
  • Series C
  • Where are you based?
  • Video attachment (One minute video showcasing the Big AIdea)
 
Participants must answer all questions in the form to enter the Contest ("Entr(y)(ies)"). All Entries must be in English.
 
Limit one (1) Entry per Start-up during the Contest Period via online entry, regardless of whether a person has more than one address or more than one person uses the same address. Only the first Entry received from a person, email address or Start-up will be considered and eligible to enter. All subsequent Entries from a person, email address or Start-up will be invalid and disqualified. A person may not submit an Entry for more than one Start-up. A person may not use more than one email address. 
 
The instructions provided at the point of entry form part of these Official Rules. In the event of a conflict, these Official Rules take precedence.
 
To the extent permitted by applicable law, all Entries become the Sponsor's property and will not be returned.
 
WINNER SELECTION: 5 Finalists, (the “Finalists”) and the Overall Winner (the “Winner”) , will be selected by a panel of judges, some of which will be employed by HubSpot or its affiliates and at least one of which will be an independent judge (the "Judging Panel"). Judging to select Finalists will take place between July 25, 2025 and August 1, 2025 and Entries eligible as per the Eligibility Criteria will be judged on the Judging Criteria set out above.
 
Finalists will be selected from all valid and eligible Entries received during the Contest Period. Finalists will be notified via email to the email address submitted with the Entry. The selection will be conducted by the Judging Panel, whose decisions on all matters relating to the Contest shall be final.
 
The Finalists will be the 5 Entries that receive the highest overall scores from the Judging Panel based on the applicable Judging Criteria. 
 
PRIZES:  Finalists  will receive: 
  • AWS Credits
    • 5k AWS Credits ($5,000 ARV)  to Finalists (Winner will receive 25k in AWS Credits)
  • one (1) General Admission ticket to HubSpot’s 2025 INBOUND event, which will take place on September 2025 ("INBOUND"); ($2,000 ARV)
  • $3,000 Travel Stipend -to account for
    • travel and accommodation for one (1) person as follows: a three (3) night stay at a four (4) star hotel in a standard double or twin room in the San Francisco area during INBOUND and economy standard return flights for one (1) person from the winner's closest airport to San Francisco, USA. Winners must be able to travel on the travel dates. All hotels, flight carriers and tickets will be booked at the Sponsor's sole discretion; and
  • the opportunity to present their Start-up/ business opportunity, on September 4, 2025 to a panel of top-tier judges as detailed on the Website:
 
The Winner will be selected by the Judging Panel based on the Judging Criteria, after the Live Finals, September 4, 2025, and will receive
  • $50,000 Cash Prize
  • Clay Pro Membership and 600,000 Credits. ($9,600 ARV) 
  • 25,000 AWS Credits, ($25,000 ARV)
 
All other expenses, including without limitation ground transfers, meals and beverages, personal expenses and all other expenses not expressly specified herein incurred are the responsibility of the Winners. The Winners are solely responsible for ensuring that travel documents (i.e. a passport, visa, etc.), travel insurance (and all other forms of insurance) are in good order and are valid prior to and for the duration of the trip. The Prize may only be redeemed by the Winners themselves and the Winners may be required to present personal identification documents at check in for flights and the hotel to prove their identity. The Winners may also be asked to provide a credit card at the hotel check-in. No responsibility is assumed by the Sponsor for any cancelled, delayed, suspended or rescheduled events, once any tickets have been issued in relation to the Prize, for any reason whatsoever beyond its control.
 
Prizes are subject to, and Winners must comply with, terms and conditions of the hotel, flight carriers and venue for INBOUND.
 
In the case where there are not enough Entries to allocate 5 prizes, prizes will be awarded to the number of qualifying Entries.
 
It will be the responsibility of the winning Participant’s Representative to confirm to the Sponsor the details of the individual at the winning Participant who will redeem the prize.
 
Prizes must be accepted as awarded. The Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater monetary value to the Prizes if for any reason any prize cannot be awarded as contemplated in these Official Rules. 
 
The Sponsor is not responsible for lost or stolen prize elements. 
 
Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of the prize: $89,600 USD for the Winner, and $10,000 for the Finalists
 
Clay Membership and credits, and AWS credits, are subject to individual sponsor terms and conditions. 
 
No prize substitution, vouchers, refund or cash equivalent of the Prize is available. Prizes are non-transferable. 
 
In order to accept the Prize, each Winner must participate in the Pitch opportunity at INBOUND 2025 which is contingent upon and subject to HubSpot’s INBOUND Event Speaker Agreement. The Winner is not permitted to conduct the Pitch without agreeing to HubSpot’s Inbound Event Speaker Agreement.
 
The Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify a winner in the event that the winner:
  1. fails to complete and submit INBOUND Event Speaker Agreement within the timeframes notified to winner by the Sponsor and such INBOUND Event Speaker Agreement has not have been completed and verified by the Sponsor; and/or
  2. the Sponsor reasonably believes that the winner is breach of these Official Rules; and/or
  3. a winner cannot be contacted after two (2) attempts within three (3) working days; and/or
  4. any other reason specified in these Official Rules.
 
The final decision to designate a Winner shall be made by the Sponsor. In the event that a Winner is disqualified, the Sponsor shall select the next valid and eligible Entry with the next highest score to receive the prize (as per the judging requirements set out above).
 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
All intellectual property rights and other rights in the Entries remain the property of the Participants.
 
By submitting an Entry, Participants agree that the Sponsor will have the right to use the Entries for the purpose of administering the Contest and associated promotional purposes.
 
Nothing in these Official Rules shall be interpreted as granting Participants permission to use or display any of the Sponsor's trade marks (including any logo or brand) or other intellectual property rights.
 
CONDITIONS: HubSpot reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest (or portion thereof).  
 
The Sponsor also reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify the entry of any Participant whom  it finds to be actually or presenting the appearance of tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules, or if the Sponsor believes that such Participant's conduct may be unlawful or otherwise bring the Contest into disrepute, or a violation of any applicable law or regulation. 
 
The Sponsor reserves the right to amend these Official Rules, if required in the Sponsor's reasonable discretion to ensure the proper administration of this Contest. The Sponsor will post the amended Official Rules on the Website and notify Participants who have entered the Contest. Such Participants shall have the right to withdraw its Entry and submit a new Entry should the Participant not agree with the amended Official Rules. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any amendment will become effective at the time specified in the posting of the amended Official Rules or, if no time is specified, the time of posting. Participants should ensure that they regularly check the Official Rules.
 
The Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Should any provision of these Official Rules be or become illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction whose laws or regulations may apply to a Participant, such illegality or unenforceability shall leave the remainder of these Official Rules, including the provision affected, to the fullest extent permitted by law, unaffected and valid. The illegal or unenforceable provision shall be replaced by a valid and enforceable provision that comes closest and best reflects the Sponsor’s intention in a legal and enforceable manner with respect to the invalid or unenforceable provision.
 
Prizes may be reported as income to a winner and all federal, state and local taxes associated with the receipt of any prize and any expenses not specified herein are the sole responsibility of the winner. 
 
Should a dispute arise regarding the identity of the claimant, the Sponsor reserves the sole right to determine the eligible party. 
 
BY ENTERING, PARTICIPANT WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO BRING (AND COVENANTS NOT TO BRING) ANY CLAIM AGAINST THE SPONSOR OR ANY OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONTEST. PARTICIPANTS FURTHER AGREE TO RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE SPONSOR FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY ARISING FROM THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST, OR THE SPONSOR’S USE OF ANY ENTRY INFORMATION. 
 
GOVERNING LAW: Any disputes that may arise hereunder shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without regard to the conflicts of laws principles of any jurisdiction. Venue with respect to any such disputes shall be had in the state and federal courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
 
PUBLICITY AND RELEASE: As a condition of entry into the Contest, except where prohibited by law, each Participant and each winner by accepting a prize grants to the Sponsor all right, title and interest in, to publicize, broadcast, display and/or otherwise use, the Contest Participant’s name, their company name, logo, city, state, and biographical material (collectively, “Licensed Rights”) in any media for advertising and publicity purposes, without additional review, compensation, or approval of the winner. If Winner does not respond to notification, or is not present when prize delivery is attempted, such prize will be forfeited. By participating, Participants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of the judges, which are final and binding in all respects. 
 
PRIVACY POLICY: By participating in this Contest, you consent to your data being processed in accordance with the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy at https://legal.hubspot.com/privacy-policy. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, receive, use, store, share, transfer, and process your personal information. It also describes your choices regarding use, as well as your rights of access and correction of your personal information. The Sponsor reserves the right to use or disclose your personal information if required by law or if we reasonably believe that use or disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or comply with a law, court order, or legal process.