Terms of Service

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS OF SERVICE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THE TIMINT™ PLATFORM.

These Terms of Service ("Terms," "Agreement") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "you," or "your") and TiMint™ ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"), governing your access to and use of the TiMint™ digital startup registry platform, including our website at timint.in, all associated services, features, content, and applications (collectively, the "Platform" or "Services").

By accessing or using our Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use our Platform.

1. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

For the purposes of this Agreement:

• "Guardian" means a parent, legal guardian, or authorized adult (18 years or older) who provides consent and verification for a Minor User's registration.
• "Minor User" or "Teen User" means any individual between the ages of 13 and 17 years who registers on the Platform.
• "KYC" means Know Your Customer verification procedures required for identity verification.
• "TMIT Token" means the non-transferable, soulbound digital token issued as proof of startup name registration.
• "IPFS" means InterPlanetary File System, a decentralized storage protocol used for maintaining immutable records.
• "Startup Registration" means the process of registering a startup name on the TiMint™ platform.
• "Digital Certificate" means the official certificate issued upon successful verification of a startup registration.

2. ELIGIBILITY AND ACCOUNT REGISTRATION

2.1 Age Requirements

The Platform is specifically designed for individuals aged 13 to 17 years ("Minor Users"). By registering on the Platform, you represent and warrant that you fall within this age range. Individuals below 13 years of age are strictly prohibited from using the Platform in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and applicable Indian laws.

2.2 Mandatory Guardian Consent

All Minor Users must obtain explicit consent from a Guardian prior to completing registration. The Guardian must:

• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Be a parent, legal guardian, or authorized adult of the Minor User;
• Complete the email verification process;
• Submit valid government-issued identification documents for KYC verification;
• Acknowledge and accept responsibility for the Minor User's activities on the Platform.

2.3 Account Information

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to update such information to keep it accurate, current, and complete. You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account.

2.4 Guardian Portal Access

Upon successful KYC verification, Guardians receive a unique, non-transferable secret key granting access to the Guardian Dashboard. This access is temporary and automatically expires when the Minor User reaches 18 years of age. Guardians must not share this key with any third party.

3. NATURE OF SERVICES

3.1 Private Digital Registry

TiMint™ operates as a private digital startup name registry. We provide a platform for recording and timestamping startup name registrations. We are NOT a government authority, trademark office, or official business registration body.

3.2 No Legal Incorporation

Registration on TiMint™ does not constitute:

• Legal business incorporation or company registration;
• Trademark registration or intellectual property protection;
• Government recognition of business entity;
• Any form of legal business license or permit.

3.3 Proof of Concept

Our Services provide digital proof-of-registration within the TiMint™ ecosystem, timestamped on IPFS for immutability. This serves as evidence of when a startup name was registered on our Platform but does not confer exclusive rights to use such name outside our ecosystem.

4. STARTUP NAME REGISTRATION

4.1 Registration Process

To register a startup name, users must:

• Submit accurate personal and startup information;
• Obtain Guardian verification and consent;
• Complete KYC verification through the Guardian;
• Pass our AI-powered domain name validation assessment;
• Comply with all applicable naming guidelines.

4.2 Name Restrictions

You may not register startup names that:

• Infringe upon existing trademarks, copyrights, or intellectual property rights;
• Contain obscene, defamatory, or offensive content;
• Impersonate or misleadingly represent association with existing brands or entities;
• Violate any applicable laws or regulations;
• Are solely composed of random, unpronounceable characters.

4.3 Domain Validation

Our Platform employs AI-powered domain name evaluation to assess the viability of startup names. We reserve the right to reject registrations that fail our validation criteria, including but not limited to trademark conflicts, unpronounceable names, or names deemed unsuitable.

5. TMIT TOKEN AND DIGITAL ASSETS

5.1 Nature of TMIT Token

Upon successful verification, users receive a TMIT Token, which is:

• Soulbound: Permanently attached to the registrant's identity;
• Non-transferable: Cannot be sold, traded, or transferred to another party;
• Non-fungible: Unique to each registration;
• Proof of Registration: Serves as digital evidence of registration within TiMint™ ecosystem.

5.2 No Monetary Value

TMIT Tokens have no monetary or intrinsic value. They are utility tokens solely representing proof of registration and cannot be exchanged for currency, cryptocurrency, or other assets.

5.3 IPFS Records

Registration data is stored on IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) to create immutable, timestamped records. Once recorded, these entries cannot be modified or deleted, ensuring permanent proof of registration timing.

6. KYC VERIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION

6.1 Required Documents

Guardians must submit the following for KYC verification:

• A clear selfie photograph;
• Government-issued identification (Aadhaar card, passport, driving license, or equivalent).

6.2 Document Handling

All submitted documents are:

• Processed securely using industry-standard encryption;
• Reviewed by authorized administrators for verification purposes only;
• Automatically deleted from our systems after verification is complete;
• Never sold, shared, or disclosed to third parties except as required by law.

6.3 Verification Timeframes

Guardian verification links expire within 24 hours of issuance. We aim to process KYC applications within 2-5 business days but make no guarantees regarding specific timeframes.

7. GUARDIAN RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

7.1 Guardian Permissions

Guardians may:

• View registered startup details and verification status;
• View IPFS proof and blockchain records;
• Edit non-ownership metadata (descriptions, categories);
• Voluntarily revoke their own guardian access.

7.2 Guardian Restrictions

Guardians may NOT:

• Transfer ownership of the startup registration;
• Delete the startup registration;
• Modify founder identity or IPFS proof;
• Access the Minor User's login credentials;
• Share their guardian secret key with third parties.

7.3 Access Expiration

Guardian access automatically terminates when the Minor User turns 18 years of age, at which point ownership and control transfer fully to the now-adult user.

8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

8.1 Platform Ownership

All intellectual property rights in the Platform, including but not limited to trademarks, logos, software, designs, text, graphics, and user interfaces, are owned by or licensed to TiMint™. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works without our express written consent.

8.2 User Content

You retain ownership of the startup names and descriptions you submit. By registering, you grant TiMint™ a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to display and process such content as necessary to provide our Services.

8.3 No Trademark Rights

Registration on TiMint™ does not grant trademark rights or prevent others from using similar names in commerce. For trademark protection, you must separately apply with the appropriate government trademark office.

9. DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

9.1 Service Disclaimer

THE PLATFORM AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

9.2 No Guarantee

We do not warrant that:

• The Platform will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free;
• Any startup name is free from third-party claims;
• Registration will prevent others from using similar names;
• IPFS or blockchain services will remain available indefinitely.

9.3 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TIMINT™ SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

10. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless TiMint™, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to: (a) your use of the Platform; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property rights; or (d) any content you submit to the Platform.

11. TERMINATION

11.1 Termination by User

You may discontinue using the Platform at any time. However, once a registration is recorded on IPFS, it cannot be deleted or modified.

11.2 Termination by TiMint™

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Platform immediately, without prior notice, if you:

• Violate these Terms;
• Provide false or misleading information;
• Engage in fraudulent or illegal activities;
• Attempt to circumvent our security measures.

11.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to access the Platform ceases. IPFS records remain permanent and immutable regardless of account status.

12. GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

12.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, without regard to conflict of law principles.

12.2 Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation. If unresolved within 30 days, disputes shall be submitted to binding arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 of India.

12.3 Jurisdiction

The courts of India shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any matters not subject to arbitration.

13. MODIFICATIONS TO TERMS

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email or prominent notice on the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform following such modifications constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

We recommend reviewing these Terms periodically. The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when the Terms were last revised.

14. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

14.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and TiMint™ regarding your use of the Platform.

14.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

14.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

14.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.

15. CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions, concerns, or inquiries regarding these Terms, please contact us at:

BY USING TIMINT™, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS OF SERVICE.

If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the Platform immediately.