DMCA & Copyright Complaint Policy
1. Introduction
CIBA Startups ("CIBA Startups," "we," "us," or "our") respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects founders, applicants, speakers, mentors, contributors, partners, community members, and other users of the platform to do the same.
Because CIBA Startups may receive, display, share, publish, or otherwise make available user-provided materials through its website, forms, applications, event-related pages, startup-related features, media pages, community pages, and related services (collectively, the "Services"), this Policy explains how copyright complaints may be submitted and how CIBA Startups may respond.
This Policy applies to copyright-related complaints involving content made available through the Services. It does not apply to disputes concerning trademarks, privacy, defamation, confidentiality, ownership of business concepts, or other non-copyright issues.
CIBA Startups recognizes that startup-related submissions may include original written materials, presentations, graphics, videos, photographs, designs, or other materials that may be protected by copyright law. At the same time, this Policy is not intended to resolve disputes over ideas, concepts, methods, systems, product strategies, or business models as such. It is intended to address allegations involving the copying or misuse of protected expression.
2. User-Submitted Content
CIBA Startups may allow users or participants to submit, upload, share, display, present, publish, or otherwise make materials available through the Services.
Except as otherwise stated in the applicable Terms of Use, the Startup Submission & Idea Disclosure Policy, or other applicable submission terms, CIBA Startups does not claim ownership of copyright in user-submitted materials solely because those materials are submitted to or displayed through the Services.
Each user is responsible for ensuring that they have all necessary rights, permissions, consents, and authority to submit, upload, publish, share, display, distribute, or otherwise provide any content made available through CIBA Startups.
3. Copyright Contact Information
At this time, CIBA Startups has not yet completed registration of a designated DMCA agent with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Until that process is completed, copyright complaints and related communications may be sent to the following contact:
- Platform: CIBA Startups
- Legal Entity: California International Business Association (CIBA)
- Mailing Address: 25351 Commercentre Dr Suite 100 Lake Forest, CA 92630
- Email: info@cibastartups.com
Once formal designated-agent registration is completed, this section may be updated accordingly.
4. Submitting a Copyright Complaint
If you believe that content available through the Services infringes a copyright that you own or are authorized to enforce, you may send a written complaint containing the following information:
- Your physical or electronic signature.
- Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple works are involved, a representative list of those works.
- Identification of the material claimed to be infringing, including information reasonably sufficient to locate it, such as the exact URL, page, profile, file name, image, video, submission, or other specific location details.
- Your name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
- A statement that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
- A statement that the information in the complaint is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
CIBA Startups may request additional information if a complaint is incomplete, unclear, unsupported, or otherwise insufficient to identify the challenged material or evaluate the request.
5. Response to Complaints
Upon receipt of a copyright complaint, CIBA Startups may, in its discretion:
- Review the complaint for completeness and apparent sufficiency;
- Request clarification or supporting information;
- Remove or disable access to the challenged material;
- Notify the person who submitted or posted the material;
- Preserve records relating to the complaint and response; and
- Take further action under the applicable Terms of Use or other policies.
CIBA Startups may act without making a final legal determination regarding ownership, infringement, fair use, authorship, licensing, or any other disputed issue. Any removal, restriction, or temporary disablement of content does not by itself mean that CIBA Startups has concluded that infringement occurred.
6. Counter-Notification
If your material was removed or disabled and you believe that this occurred as a result of mistake or misidentification, you may send a written counter-notification containing the following:
- Your physical or electronic signature.
- Identification of the material that was removed or disabled, and the location where it appeared before removal or disablement.
- A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification.
- Your name, address, telephone number, and email address.
- A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the appropriate federal district court and that you will accept service of process from the person who submitted the original complaint, or that person's agent.
CIBA Startups may decline to process any counter-notification that is incomplete, unclear, or otherwise legally insufficient.
7. Restoration of Material
If CIBA Startups receives a counter-notification that appears legally sufficient, CIBA Startups may provide a copy of that counter-notification to the original complaining party.
Where appropriate, CIBA Startups may restore the removed material after the applicable waiting period unless CIBA Startups first receives notice that the complaining party has filed a court action seeking to prevent restoration of the material.
Nothing in this Policy requires CIBA Startups to restore any content where restoration would create legal, safety, operational, compliance, or policy concerns.
8. Repeat Infringer Policy
CIBA Startups may suspend, restrict, terminate, or deny access to any user, participant, contributor, or account holder who is determined, in appropriate circumstances, to be a repeat infringer.
In evaluating whether action is appropriate, CIBA Startups may consider the number of complaints received, the apparent credibility of those complaints, the presence or absence of counter-notifications, the seriousness of the conduct, any repeated pattern of misuse of protected content, and any other relevant circumstances.
9. Misrepresentations
Any person who knowingly submits a false, misleading, abusive, or materially inaccurate copyright complaint or counter-notification may be subject to legal consequences.
CIBA Startups reserves the right to preserve records of complaints, counter-notifications, and related communications and to disclose them where required by law or where reasonably necessary to protect CIBA Startups, its users, or third parties.
10. Limits of This Policy
This Policy is intended to address copyright-related claims only. It does not govern or resolve disputes relating to:
- Startup ideas, concepts, methods, systems, or business models;
- Confidentiality, nondisclosure, privacy, or idea-disclosure expectations;
- Trademark rights, branding issues, names, logos, false affiliation, or impersonation claims;
- Defamation, reputational concerns, publicity rights, or other non-copyright personal or business claims;
- Contractual disputes; or
- Other non-copyright claims.
Concerns relating to startup submissions, idea disclosure, confidentiality expectations, submission handling, branding disputes, identity-related complaints, or other non-copyright matters should be directed to the applicable Platform terms or policies, including the Terms of Use, the Privacy Policy, the Startup Submission & Idea Disclosure Policy, or the general legal/policy contact below, as applicable.
General Legal / Policy Contact: info@cibastartups.com
11. Changes to This Policy
CIBA Startups may revise this Policy from time to time. Any updated version will be posted through the Services with a revised effective date. Continued use of the Services after an updated version becomes effective may constitute acceptance of the revised Policy to the extent permitted by law.