Terms of Service

1. Introduction and Acceptance

Welcome to FounderDrills! These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "you," or "your") and SophonEye, Inc., a Delaware corporation doing business as FounderDrills ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"), governing your access to and use of the FounderDrills platform, including our website at founderdrills.com, mobile applications, and all related services (collectively, the "Service").

BY CREATING AN ACCOUNT, ACCESSING, OR USING THE SERVICE, 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 the Service.

We may modify these Terms at any time. We will provide at least thirty (30) days' notice before any material changes take effect by posting the updated Terms on our website and, where appropriate, notifying you by email. Your continued use of the Service after such modifications constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

2. Eligibility

2.1 Age Requirement

The Service is intended solely for adults who are at least eighteen (18) years of age. By creating an account or using the Service, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old. We do not knowingly collect information from or provide services to individuals under the age of 18. If we learn that a user is under 18, we will terminate their account and delete their information.

2.2 Capacity

By using the Service, you represent that you have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms in your jurisdiction.

2.3 Account Restrictions

You may not use the Service if:

• You are under 18 years of age
• You have been previously suspended or removed from the Service
• You are prohibited by applicable law from using the Service
• You are accessing the Service on behalf of someone under 18

3. Account Registration and Security

3.1 Account Creation

To access certain features of the Service, you must create an account. You may register using:

• Email and password
• Google OAuth
• Microsoft OAuth

3.2 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 the accuracy of your account information.

3.3 Account Security

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying us immediately at support@founderdrills.com of any unauthorized use or security breach

We will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your account credentials.

3.4 One Account Per Person

Each user may maintain only one (1) active account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent trial limitations, referral restrictions, or other policies is prohibited and may result in termination of all accounts.

4. Service Description

4.1 Educational Platform

FounderDrills is a gamified educational technology platform designed to teach entrepreneurship and business decision-making skills through interactive, scenario-based lessons. The Service provides:

• Lessons and Content: 150+ lessons across 8 skill areas including Validation & Customer Discovery, Product Strategy, Sales & Go-to-Market, Growth & Marketing, Operations & Metrics, Team Building, Fundraising, and Founder Mindset
• Gamification Features: Experience points (XP), levels, daily streaks, achievements, and leaderboards
• AI Mentor (Ember): An AI-powered contextual guidance feature
• Business Glossary: 130+ startup terms and definitions
• Learning Paths: Structured curriculum tracks (Pro tier)
• Sprints: Cohort-based challenges with certificates (Pro tier)

4.2 Educational Purpose Only

See Section 13 (Educational Disclaimer) for complete disclaimer information.

5. Subscription Tiers and Pricing

5.1 Subscription Tiers

The Service offers the following subscription tiers:

5.2 Founding Member Pricing

During our limited launch window, qualifying subscribers receive permanently locked "Founding Member" pricing:

• Bootstrapper: $9/month or $75/year
• Pro: $14/month or $120/year

Founding Member pricing remains locked for the lifetime of your continuous subscription.

5.3 Student Discount

Students with a valid .edu email address may receive a 50% discount on any paid tier. Student status requires:

• Verification of a valid .edu email address
• Annual re-verification to maintain discount eligibility

5.4 Price Changes

We may change subscription prices with at least thirty (30) days' prior notice. Price changes will apply to your next billing cycle after the notice period. Founding Members are exempt from price increases and maintain their locked pricing.

6. Free Trial

6.1 Trial Terms

We offer a seven (7) day free trial for paid subscription tiers, subject to the following terms:

• Credit Card Required: A valid payment method is required to start a trial
• Access Limits: During the trial, you may access up to 20 premium lessons with a limit of 5 lessons per day
• One Trial Per Account: Each user is entitled to only one (1) free trial. Creating multiple accounts to obtain additional trials is prohibited
• Automatic Conversion: Unless you cancel before the trial period ends, your subscription will automatically convert to a paid subscription and your payment method will be charged

6.2 Canceling Your Trial

You may cancel your trial at any time before the trial period ends through the Stripe billing portal. If you cancel during the trial period, you will not be charged.

7. Payment Terms

7.1 Payment Processing

All payments are processed securely through Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe"), a PCI-DSS Level 1 certified payment processor. We do not store, process, or have access to your full credit card numbers, CVV, or other sensitive payment information. We store only reference identifiers (Stripe customer ID and subscription ID) necessary to manage your subscription.

7.2 Billing Cycles

• Monthly Subscriptions: Billed on the same date each month
• Annual Subscriptions: Billed on the same date each year

7.3 Automatic Renewal

All paid subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless you cancel before the renewal date. Your payment method will be automatically charged at the then-current subscription rate.

7.4 Failed Payments

If a payment fails, we may:

• Attempt to charge your payment method again
• Suspend or downgrade your account until payment is successful
• Send you notifications regarding the failed payment

7.5 Taxes

You are responsible for all applicable taxes. Prices displayed may not include taxes, which will be calculated and added at checkout based on your location.

8. Cancellation and Refunds

8.1 How to Cancel

You may cancel your subscription at any time through the Stripe billing portal, accessible from your account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period.

8.2 Effect of Cancellation

Upon cancellation:

• You retain access to paid features until the end of your current billing period
• Your account will automatically downgrade to the FREE tier after your billing period ends
• Your learning progress and data will be retained

8.3 Refund Policy

• Trial Period: Cancel before your trial ends and you will not be charged
• Paid Subscriptions: We do not provide prorated refunds for partial billing periods
• Discretionary Refunds: Refund requests may be submitted to support@founderdrills.com and will be considered on a case-by-case basis

8.4 Chargebacks

If you dispute a charge with your bank or credit card company (chargeback) rather than contacting us first, we reserve the right to:

• Immediately suspend or terminate your account
• Revoke any referral rewards associated with your account
• Pursue collection of amounts owed

We encourage you to contact us at support@founderdrills.com to resolve any billing concerns before initiating a chargeback.

9. Referral Program

9.1 Referral Rewards

We offer a referral program with the following rewards:

• 10 Free Signups: 1 month of Bootstrapper tier free
• Referred User Upgrades to Bootstrapper: 2 months free for referrer
• Referred User Upgrades to Pro: 2 months of Pro free for referrer

9.2 Program Rules

• Maximum rewards: 12 months total per user
• Rewards expire 30 days after becoming available
• Referred users must be genuinely new users
• Self-referrals and fraudulent referrals are prohibited

9.3 Reward Revocation

Referral rewards may be revoked if:

• The referred user issues a chargeback or receives a refund
• Fraud is detected (same IP address, duplicate accounts, etc.)
• Any Terms violation is discovered

10. User Conduct

10.1 Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Service only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to:

• Account Abuse: Create multiple accounts, share account credentials, or circumvent account restrictions
• Content Misuse: Copy, reproduce, distribute, sell, license, or create derivative works from our educational content without express written permission
• Automated Access: Use bots, scrapers, or automated tools to access the Service
• Interference: Interfere with or disrupt the Service, servers, or networks
• Reverse Engineering: Decompile, reverse engineer, or attempt to derive the source code of the Service
• Impersonation: Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation
• Harmful Activities: Upload malicious code, engage in harassment, or conduct any activity that could harm other users or the Service

10.2 Content Standards

Any content you submit through the Service must not:

• Violate any applicable law or regulation
• Infringe intellectual property rights of others
• Contain false, misleading, or fraudulent information
• Be defamatory, obscene, or offensive

11. Intellectual Property

11.1 Our Ownership

The Service and all content, features, and functionality (including but not limited to lessons, scenarios, exercises, glossary definitions, graphics, user interface, audio, video, Ember AI responses, and underlying software) are owned by SophonEye, Inc. and protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws.

11.2 Limited License

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Service for your personal, non-commercial educational purposes.

11.3 Restrictions

You may not:

• Copy, modify, or distribute our content without permission
• Use our content for commercial purposes
• Remove any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices
• Transfer, sublicense, or assign your rights under these Terms

11.4 Trademarks

"FounderDrills," "Ember," and related logos and designs are trademarks of SophonEye, Inc. You may not use these marks without our prior written consent.

11.5 Feedback

Any feedback, suggestions, or ideas you provide regarding the Service may be used by us without restriction or compensation to you.

12. Third-Party Services

12.1 Service Providers

We use third-party services to operate the Service, including:

• Stripe: Payment processing
• Firebase (Google): User authentication
• Supabase: Database services
• Google Analytics: Traffic analytics
• PostHog: Product analytics
• Sentry: Error monitoring
• Resend: Email delivery
• Upstash: Rate limiting infrastructure

12.2 Third-Party Terms

Your use of certain features may be subject to additional terms and policies of these third-party providers. By using the Service, you agree to comply with applicable third-party terms.

12.3 No Endorsement

References to third-party services, products, or websites do not constitute endorsement by us.

13. Educational Disclaimer

13.1 General Educational Content

THE CONTENT PROVIDED THROUGH THE SERVICE IS FOR GENERAL EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The lessons, scenarios, exercises, AI mentor responses, and all other content are designed to teach general entrepreneurship and business concepts through a gamified learning experience.

13.2 Not Professional Advice

13.3 Hypothetical Scenarios

All scenarios, case studies, financial projections, and numerical examples presented in the Service are hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only. They do not represent actual companies, situations, or guaranteed outcomes.

13.4 No Guarantee of Results

13.5 Consult Professionals

Before making any business, legal, financial, or other important decisions, you should consult with qualified professionals who can evaluate your specific circumstances.

14. Disclaimers

14.1 "As Is" Service

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

14.2 No Warranty

WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT:

• The Service will meet your requirements or expectations
• The Service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free
• Results obtained from the Service will be accurate or reliable
• Any errors will be corrected

14.3 Third-Party Content

We are not responsible for any third-party content, products, or services referenced through the Service.

15. Limitation of Liability

15.1 Limitation

15.2 Basis of the Bargain

THE LIMITATIONS IN THIS SECTION REFLECT THE ALLOCATION OF RISK BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND ARE AN ESSENTIAL BASIS OF THE BARGAIN BETWEEN US.

16. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SophonEye, Inc. and its directors, officers, 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:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any rights of another person or entity
• Any content you submit through the Service

17. Dispute Resolution

17.1 Governing Law

These Terms and any dispute arising from your use of the Service shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles.

17.2 Binding Arbitration

17.3 Class Action Waiver

YOU AND SOPHONEYE, INC. EACH WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL AND THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION, CLASS ARBITRATION, OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. You may only bring claims against us in your individual capacity.

17.4 Exceptions

Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement of intellectual property rights.

17.5 Opt-Out

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@founderdrills.com within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms. Your notice must include your name, email address, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out.

18. Termination

18.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by:

• Canceling your subscription through the billing portal
• Contacting us at support@founderdrills.com to request account deletion

18.2 Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account and access to the Service immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including if:

• You breach any provision of these Terms
• You engage in fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity
• We are required to do so by law
• We discontinue the Service

18.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your right to use the Service immediately ceases
• We may delete your account data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Provisions that by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership, warranty disclaimers, indemnification, and limitation of liability

19. General Provisions

19.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies incorporated by reference, constitute the entire agreement between you and SophonEye, Inc. regarding the Service.

19.2 Severability

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

19.3 Waiver

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

19.4 Assignment

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

19.5 Notices

We may provide notices to you via email, in-app notifications, or by posting on our website. You may provide notices to us at support@founderdrills.com.

19.6 Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations due to causes beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, war, terrorism, strikes, or internet service disruptions.

19.7 Headings

Section headings are for convenience only and have no legal effect.

20. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, please contact us: