1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the VentureMerit platform (“Service”), operated by VentureMerit (“Company,” “we,” or “our”), registered in Andhra Pradesh, India. By accessing or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

If you are using the Service on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

2. Description of Service

VentureMerit is an AI-powered evaluation intelligence platform that enables users to analyze startup concepts across 110+ research-backed frameworks. The Service includes:

• AI-driven startup evaluation and scoring
• Framework-based multidimensional analysis
• Professional report generation and export
• Comparative analytics and benchmarking
• Team collaboration and workspace management
• API access (on eligible plans)

3. Account Registration

To access certain features, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of your login credentials.
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.
• Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or that we reasonably believe are being used fraudulently.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to:

• Violate any applicable law, regulation, or third-party rights.
• Submit fraudulent, misleading, or harmful content for evaluation.
• Attempt to reverse-engineer, decompile, or extract the source code of the Service.
• Circumvent usage limits, rate limits, or access controls.
• Resell, sublicense, or redistribute the Service or its outputs without authorization.
• Interfere with the Service's technical infrastructure or security measures.
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) to access the Service without our written consent.

5. Subscription Plans & Payment

5.1 Plans

The Service offers Free, Growth, and Institutional plans. Features, limits, and pricing are described on our Pricing page. We reserve the right to modify plans and pricing with 30 days' prior notice.

5.2 Payment

Paid plans are billed in advance on a monthly or annual basis. All payments are processed securely through Razorpay. Prices are listed in Indian Rupees (₹) and are exclusive of applicable taxes.

5.3 Cancellation & Refunds

You may cancel your subscription at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. We do not provide prorated refunds for partial billing periods excepting cases required by applicable consumer protection laws.

6. Intellectual Property

6.1 Our Property

The Service, including its software, algorithms, frameworks, scoring methodologies, documentation, designs, and trademarks, is owned by EduEmblem Services LLP and is protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, or create derivative works of the Service.

6.2 Your Content

You retain all rights to the content you submit for evaluation (“Your Content”). By using the Service, you grant us a limited, non-exclusive license to process Your Content solely for the purpose of providing and improving the Service. We do not use Your Content to train our AI models.

6.3 Evaluation Reports

Reports generated by the Service are licensed to you for your internal use. You may share reports with third parties (mentors, investors, co-founders). You may not resell or commercially redistribute reports.

7. AI-Generated Output Disclaimer

The Service uses artificial intelligence to generate evaluations and recommendations. AI-generated outputs are informational and analytical tools only. They do not constitute:

• Investment advice, financial advice, or legal advice.
• A guarantee of startup success, investment returns, or market outcomes.
• A professional valuation, appraisal, or due diligence substitute.

You acknowledge that AI outputs may contain inaccuracies and should be independently validated. All business and investment decisions are made at your own risk and discretion.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, VentureMerit shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or business opportunities, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Service.

Our total aggregate liability for any claims arising from these Terms shall not exceed the amount paid by you for the Service in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless VentureMerit, its officers, employees, and partners from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your use of the Service, violation of these Terms, or infringement of any third-party rights.

10. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time for violation of these Terms, with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately. You may export your data before termination. We will retain your data for 30 days after account closure to facilitate potential reactivation, after which it will be permanently deleted.

11. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Before filing any formal proceeding, both parties agree to attempt to resolve disputes through good-faith negotiation for a period of 30 days.

12. Modifications

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Material changes will be notified at least 15 days in advance via email or in-app notification. Continued use of the Service after the effective date of changes constitutes acceptance.

13. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us:

• Email: legal@venturemerit.com
• Company: VentureMerit
• Address: 1st Floor, Ā Hub, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam – 530003, Andhra Pradesh, India
• GSTIN: 37AAMFE0816E1ZN