Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction

Welcome to the DevShield Coding Contest ("the Contest") organized by DevShield Tech ("we", "us", or "our"). These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your participation in the Contest. By registering for or participating in the Contest, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

2. Eligibility Requirements

To participate in the Contest, you must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:

2.1 Age Requirement

Participants must be at least 16 years of age at the time of registration. Participants under 18 years of age must have parental or guardian consent to participate.

2.2 Geographic Restrictions

The Contest is open to participants worldwide, except where prohibited by local laws, regulations, or export controls. Residents of countries under international sanctions are not eligible to participate.

2.3 Prohibited Persons

The following individuals are not eligible to participate:

• Employees of DevShield Tech and their immediate family members (spouse, parents, siblings, and children)
• Previous first-place winners of DevShield contests from the past two editions
• Individuals involved in the development or administration of the Contest

2.4 Account Requirements

Each participant must register using a valid email address and provide accurate information during registration. Only one account per participant is allowed.

3. Registration and Fees

3.1 Registration Process

Registration for the Contest is completed through our official website. By registering, you confirm that all information provided is accurate and complete.

3.2 Registration Fees

The registration fee for the Contest is $25 USD. This fee covers administrative costs, platform maintenance, and prize pool contributions.

3.3 Payment Methods

We accept payments through major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), PayPal, and bank transfers. All payments are processed through secure payment gateways.

3.4 Registration Deadline

Registration closes on June 18, 2026, at 11:59 PM UTC. Late registrations will not be accepted.

4. Contest Rules and Guidelines

4.1 Contest Format

The Contest consists of algorithmic programming challenges that must be solved within the specified time limit. Participants may use any programming language supported by our platform.

4.2 Code of Conduct

All participants must adhere to the following code of conduct:

• All submitted code must be your original work
• No plagiarism, code sharing, or collaboration allowed
• No use of automated code generation tools
• Respectful behavior towards other participants and organizers
• No attempts to disrupt the contest platform

4.3 Submission Guidelines

All submissions must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Solutions must be submitted before the deadline
• Code must compile and execute without errors
• Output must match the specified format exactly
• Maximum of 50 submissions per problem

5. Intellectual Property Rights

5.1 Participant Rights

You retain ownership of any code you submit during the Contest. However, by submitting code, you grant DevShield Tech a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and reproduce your submissions for the purposes of judging the Contest and promoting future contests.

5.2 Contest Materials

All contest problems, test cases, and platform code are the intellectual property of DevShield Tech. You may not reproduce, distribute, or share contest materials without explicit written permission.

5.3 Use of Personal Information

By participating, you agree that we may use your name, likeness, and contest results for promotional purposes, including on our website, social media, and press releases.

6. Prizes and Awards

6.1 Prize Structure

The prize structure for the Contest is as follows:

6.2 Prize Distribution

Cash prizes will be distributed via wire transfer or PayPal within 30 days of the final results announcement. Winners are responsible for any applicable taxes, fees, or currency conversion charges.

6.3 Tie-Breaking

In case of ties, the following criteria will be used (in order):

1. Total time taken to solve problems
2. Number of successful submissions on first attempt
3. Time of final submission

6.4 Prize Forfeiture

Prizes may be forfeited if:

• Winner is disqualified for rule violations
• Winner fails to provide required documentation within 30 days
• Winner cannot be contacted within 14 days of notification

7. Disqualification and Termination

7.1 Grounds for Disqualification

We reserve the right to disqualify any participant for:

• Violation of these Terms or contest rules
• Cheating, plagiarism, or collaboration
• Use of multiple accounts
• Attempting to manipulate the contest platform
• Inappropriate behavior or harassment

7.2 Consequences of Disqualification

Disqualified participants will:

• Have all submissions invalidated
• Forfeit any prizes or awards
• Not receive a refund of registration fees
• Be banned from future DevShield contests

7.3 Contest Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the Contest at any time for any reason, including technical issues, force majeure, or insufficient participation.

8. Privacy and Data Protection

8.1 Data Collection

We collect personal information during registration, including name, email address, country, and programming experience. This information is used for contest administration and communication.

8.2 Data Usage

Your data may be used for:

• Contest administration and communication
• Performance analysis and reporting
• Improving future contests
• Marketing communications (with opt-out option)

8.3 Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share anonymized, aggregated data with partners for research or promotional purposes. Individual data may be shared with prize distribution partners as necessary.

8.4 Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your data, but cannot guarantee absolute security due to the nature of online systems.

9. Limitation of Liability

9.1 No Warranty

The Contest is provided "as is" without any warranties, express or implied. We do not guarantee that the Contest will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure.

9.2 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, DevShield Tech shall not be liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Loss of data, profits, or business opportunities
• Technical issues, interruptions, or platform failures
• Errors in problem statements or test cases

9.3 Maximum Liability

Our maximum aggregate liability to any participant shall not exceed the registration fee paid by that participant.

9.4 Force Majeure

We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, war, terrorism, or internet failures.

10. Refund Policy

10.1 Refund Eligibility

Refunds are available under the following conditions:

• Request made at least 7 days before contest start date
• Contest cancellation by DevShield Tech
• Technical issues preventing participation (verified cases)

10.2 Non-Refundable Situations

No refunds will be provided for:

• Disqualification for rule violations
• Failure to participate after registration
• Poor performance or inability to solve problems
• Personal schedule conflicts

10.3 Refund Process

Refund requests must be submitted via email to support@devshield.tech. Approved refunds will be processed within 14 business days to the original payment method.

11. Amendments and Modifications

11.1 Right to Modify

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email and posted on our website at least 14 days before they take effect.

11.2 Continued Participation

Your continued participation in the Contest after modifications to the Terms constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

11.3 Severability

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

12. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

12.1 Governing Law

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

12.2 Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from these Terms or the Contest shall be resolved through binding arbitration in Delaware, USA, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association.

12.3 Class Action Waiver

You agree to resolve disputes on an individual basis and waive any right to participate in class actions or consolidated claims.

13. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms or the Contest, please contact us:

• Email: legal@devshield.tech
• Address: DevShield Tech, 123 Innovation Drive, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA
• Website: https://contest.devshield.tech