Terms of Service

Last Updated: December 2024

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using Inkr ("we," "our," or "us"), you agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our platform.

2. Account Registration and Requirements

To use certain features of our platform, you must register for an account. When you register, you agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account.

2.1 Age Requirements

You must be at least 13 years of age to use our services. If you are under 18, you must have parent or guardian permission to create an account and use our services.

2.2 One Account Per User

You may maintain only one active account with Inkr. Multiple accounts owned by the same individual may be removed without notice.

2.3 Academic Verification

For certain features, including our funding platform, we may require verification of your academic credentials and institutional affiliation.

3. Subscription Plans and Billing

3.1 Subscription Tiers

Inkr offers multiple subscription tiers with different features and usage limits:

  • Free Plan: Limited access to basic features
  • Plus Plan: Enhanced features with moderate usage limits
  • Pro Plan: Full access with higher usage limits

3.2 Billing and Payment

  • Subscription fees are billed in advance on a monthly or annual basis
  • All payments are processed securely through Stripe
  • Prices are subject to change with 30 days notice
  • You are responsible for providing current, complete, and accurate billing information
  • Failed payments may result in service suspension

3.3 Usage Limits

  • Each subscription tier has specific limits on searches, email lookups, and other features
  • Usage resets monthly on your billing cycle date
  • Exceeding usage limits may restrict access to certain features
  • We reserve the right to monitor usage to prevent abuse

3.4 Cancellation and Refunds

  • You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings
  • Cancellations take effect at the end of your current billing period
  • No refunds are provided for partial billing periods
  • Upon cancellation, your account will revert to the free tier

4. User Conduct

When using our platform, you agree not to:

  • Violate any applicable laws or regulations
  • Infringe upon the rights of others
  • Submit false or misleading information
  • Upload or transmit viruses or malicious code
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
  • Harass, intimidate, or threaten other users or researchers
  • Use our platform for any illegal activities
  • Abuse or circumvent usage limits or subscription restrictions
  • Share account credentials or allow unauthorized access to your account
  • Use automated tools to scrape or extract data from our platform
  • Send spam or unsolicited communications using our email lookup services

5. Email Lookup Services

5.1 Permitted Use

  • Email lookup services are provided for legitimate academic and research purposes only
  • You may only use discovered email addresses for professional research outreach
  • You must comply with all applicable anti-spam laws and regulations
  • You are responsible for the content and legality of any communications you send

5.2 Prohibited Use

  • Using email addresses for commercial solicitation or marketing
  • Sharing or selling discovered email addresses to third parties
  • Sending unsolicited bulk emails or spam
  • Using email addresses for harassment or inappropriate contact

6. Funding Platform

6.1 Participation Requirements

  • Participation in our funding platform requires verification of academic credentials
  • All funding requests must be for legitimate research purposes
  • You must provide accurate information about funding needs and research projects
  • Progress reports and fund usage documentation may be required

6.2 Funding Terms

  • Funding is provided on a discretionary basis and is not guaranteed
  • Funds must be used for the stated research purposes
  • Misuse of funds may result in account termination and legal action
  • We reserve the right to request documentation of fund usage

7. Intellectual Property

All content on the Inkr platform, including text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio, video, and software, is the property of Inkr or its content suppliers and is protected by international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

7.1 Limited License

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable license to access and use our platform for personal, non-commercial academic and research purposes.

7.2 User Content

By submitting content to our platform, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, and distribute your content in connection with providing our services.

8. Research Data and Information

The research project information provided on our platform is sourced from public databases and third-party services. We do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any specific purpose. You are responsible for verifying all information before acting upon it.

9. Communication with Researchers

Our platform facilitates communication between users and researchers. We are not responsible for:

  • Responses or lack thereof from researchers
  • Accuracy of researcher contact information
  • Content of communications between users and researchers
  • Outcomes of research collaborations initiated through our platform
  • Any disputes arising from research collaborations or funding arrangements

10. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Please review our Privacy Policy, which also governs your use of our services, to understand our practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information.

11. Third-Party Services

Our platform integrates with various third-party services for payment processing, email lookup, and other functionality. Your use of these services is subject to their respective terms of service and privacy policies.

12. Limitations of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Inkr shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, including without limitation, loss of profits, data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from:

  • Your access to or use of or inability to access or use the service
  • Any conduct or content of any third party on the service
  • Any content obtained from the service
  • Unauthorized access, use or alteration of your transmissions or content
  • Billing or payment processing issues
  • Service interruptions or downtime
  • Loss of research opportunities or funding

13. Disclaimer of Warranties

Our platform is provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis. Inkr expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Inkr and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses arising out of or in any way connected with your use of our services or violation of these terms.

15. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to our services at our sole discretion, without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms of Service or is harmful to other users, us, or third parties, or for any other reason. Upon termination:

  • Your access to paid features will cease immediately
  • No refunds will be provided for unused subscription time
  • You may lose access to saved data and content
  • Outstanding payment obligations remain in effect

16. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance under these terms due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, or government actions.

17. Severability

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that the remaining terms will remain in full force and effect.

18. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms of Service at any time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting a notice on our platform or via email. Your continued use of the platform after such modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

19. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association.

20. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Inkr regarding your use of our services and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.

21. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at [email protected]

22. Academic Integrity

Users are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity when using our platform. This includes:

  • Providing accurate information about research interests and qualifications
  • Respecting intellectual property rights of researchers and institutions
  • Using our services in accordance with your institution's policies
  • Maintaining professional standards in all communications

23. Service Availability

While we strive to maintain continuous service availability, we do not guarantee uninterrupted access to our platform. We may perform maintenance, updates, or modifications that temporarily affect service availability.