Terms and conditions.

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INDEX.

I. DEFINITIONS
II. PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
III. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
IV. KEY DATES FOR THE BOOKING BOOSTER
V. THE APPLICATION PROCESS
VI. THE SELECTION PROCESS
VII. 2.5 WEEK BOOSTER PROGRAMME

VIII. POST GRANT ARRANGEMENTS
IX. THE FINAL PITCH
X. POST BOOKING BOOSTER PROGRAMME
XI. PROGRAMME RELATED TRAVEL
XII. MARKETING AND PROMOTION
XIII. NON-SOLICITATION
XIV. GENERAL

 

I. DEFINITIONS

Booking.com Booster Program, also abbreviated as Booking Booster:a global fund and accelerator being run by the Promoter. Its aim is to find and help scale businesses that have a positive impact on the travel industry. The Fund consists of EUR 2,600,000.

Applicant:a legal entity that is duly established under the laws of the country where it operates that applies for the selection process. In these Terms & Conditions, the word Applicants also refers to Shortlisted Participants and Selected Participants

Program:The program of the Booking Booster as described in part II of these Terms & Conditions

Promoter:Booking.com BV, a company incorporated in the Netherlands with company file number 31047344 and VAT tax registration number NL805734958B01

Representatives also referred to as: “you”:Representatives of the Applicants, entitled to fully represent the Applicant during the entire Booking Booster

Selection Process:The process of selecting the Shortlisted Participants and Selected Participants as described in these Terms & Conditions

Shortlisted Participants:Applicants that have been selected by the Promoter to participate in the 10-day Booster Program of Booking Booster

Selected Participants:The Selected Participants that are granted with a share of the Fund

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II. PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

The Booking.com Booster comprises the following stages:

1. Application by the Applicants

   • Online application by the Applicants via the Program website starting on 28 January, 2020. Deadline for May program is 29 February, 2020. Deadline for September program is 21 June, 2020.

2. Selection of the Shortlisted Participants

   • Selection of the Shortlisted Participants by the Promoter. Judging criteria are specified below in VI.;

3. Booster Program and Final Pitch by the Shortlisted Participants

   • A 10-day Booster Program comprising of a series of lectures, workshops and mentoring taking place in Amsterdam in May and September 2020. Two representatives per applicant will attend the Booster Program;

   • An opportunity to pitch your business and scaling plan in front of Booking.com executives to gain a share of the EUR 2,600,000 Fund. Pitches take place at the end of the 10-day Booster Program in Amsterdam.

4. Granting of the Fund to the Selected Participants

   • After the interviews and pitches, the Promoter decides on the granting of funds to the Selected Participants.

5. Coaching and mentoring of the Selected Participants

   • Mentoring support by the Promoter to the Selected Participants for a period up to 12 months after the Booster Program in May 2020 and September 2020.

6. Financial Reporting

   • The Selected Participants who received a grant following their final pitch will be asked to update the Promoter on their business progress through sharing quarterly financial reports and regular phone calls over a period of one and a half years after participating in the Booking Booster.

7. Impact measurement

   • Measuring the impact of our support (grant & expert training and mentoring) is done for Selected Participants. This will be done through a survey and phone interviews on a yearly basis – up to three years after participating in the Booking Booster.

8. Other

   • The Promoter is entitled to amend the Booster Program at its discretion.

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 III. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. The Booking Booster is open to any Applicant that:

   • seeks to support the development of sustainable tourism; and

   • generates revenue;

   • once chosen as a Selected Participant, shall not enter into any accelerator Program, Incubator or Funding Program relating to another online travel brand until one year after the application deadline, until 21 June, 2021.

   • undertakes to use any granted funds for bona fide business purposes consistent with the business and scaling plan presented to the Promoter.

   If at any stage in the Booking.com Booster Program the Promoter discovers that the Applicant does not meet these criteria above, the Promoter may disqualify the Applicant with immediate effect and may claim immediate repayment of any grants paid.

2. To participate in the Booking Booster, two representatives (one being the CEO or a Co-Founder) must be available to travel to the 10-day program Booster Program that they applied for taking place from 6 May to 15 May, 2020  and/or 2 September to 11 September,2020 in Amsterdam. These dates may be altered by the Promoter.

3. You should check your availability before applying for the Booking Booster. If you are unable to attend then you must, at the request and discretion of the Promoter, you must appoint a substitute (which is also part of the organization) or, if no such replacement is available, withdraw from the Booking Booster.

4. You must be fluent in English. All Booster workshops and The Finale will be conducted entirely using the English language. No interpreters or translations of materials will be provided.

5. Application and, if applicable, participation in the Booster Program, is free of charge. See section VIII for further details.

6. In exception of III.1. application is not possible for:

   • entities that are partially or fully owned and/ or controlled and/ or represented by people that are employed by Booking.com at the date of application, or that have been employed by Booking.com less than a year before the date of application;

   • entities that are contractors which have worked for the Sustainability Team team of Booking.com.

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IV. KEY DATES FOR THE BOOKING BOOSTER

MAY PROGRAM: PRODUCTS AND SERVICES*

The global application process opens: 09.00 CET 28 January 2020 

Applications close: 23.59 CET on 29 February 2020 

Candidate Shortlisted Participants are contacted for an interview: Week of 6 March 2020 

Phone interviews: Between 9 March and 20 March 2020 

Shortlisted Participants confirmed and invited to the May Booster Program: Week of 30 March 2020 

Shortlisted Participants attend May Booster Program in Amsterdam: 6 May to 15 May 2020 

Value of grants announced: Week of 19 May 2020 

SEPTEMBER PROGRAM: ACCOMMODATIONS*

The global application process opens: 09.00 CET 28 January 2020

Applications close: 23.59 CET on 21 June 2020

Candidate Shortlisted Participants are contacted for an interview: By 3 July 2020 

Phone interviews: Between 6 July and 17 July 2020 

Shortlisted Participants confirmed and invited to the 10-day September Booster Program: Week of 20 July 2020

*dates may be altered by the Promoter

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V. THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants need to complete the application form on the Program website and supply the stated materials.

As part of the entry process, Applicants will be required to:

• complete a set of questions on the application form;

• share a copy of their company registration document; and

• agree to these Terms and Conditions.

You may have confidential information or material and/or business secrets, or information or material that, directly or indirectly, is protected by any intellectual property right. Promoter does neither solicit nor wishes to receive any such information or material from the Applicant, whether before, during or after the Program. Any information or material submitted by the Applicant will be deemed not to be confidential, secret or, directly or indirectly, protected by any intellectual property right. If, during the application process or during the Program, the Applicant finds itself in a situation where it is about to provide such information or material, it is obliged to refrain from doing so and, if the Applicant determines it is impossible or impractical to continue the application or participation in the Program without providing the Promoter with such information or material, to immediately withdraw from the application or Program. It is explicitly agreed that any consequence of the non-adherence of this clause by the Applicant is entirely for its own account and neither the Promoter nor any of its affiliates shall have any liability or obligation with respect to information or material provided by the Applicant in connection with the Program.

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The Promoter reserves the right to conduct further background checks on the Applicant, the Representative and their business idea. This may include without limitation, civil and criminal court records and police reports on the Applicants, representatives and entity directors. By entering the Booking Booster, Applicant gives the Promoter permission to conduct such background and financial/criminal checks and if necessary shall provide such written authorisation as may be required to allow these to be carried out.

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The Promoter reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any Applicant that fails to authorise such checks or if, based on the results of the checks, the Promoter determines in its sole discretion that the Applicant is not a suitable candidate to participate in the Booking Booster, including, without limitation, because the Applicant’s participation in the Booking Booster might reflect negatively on the Promoter or their related group companies.

Warranties by the Applicant. The Applicant represents and warrants to the Promoter that:

• its business does not and will not violate the rights (including Intellectual Property rights) of any third party;

• the Applicant, its representatives or directors have never been convicted of fraud or been declared bankrupt;

• none of its directors or former directors were disqualified as a company director;

• its business acts in conformity with all applicable legislation and regulations and will continue to do so;

• the Applicant (including its employees, directors, officers, agents or other representatives), in any relation to this Agreement did not and shall (i) not directly or indirectly (a) offer, promise or give to any third party (including any governmental official or political party's official, representative or candidate)), or (b) seek, accept or get promised for itself of for another party, any gift, payment, reward, consideration or benefit of any kind which would or could be construed as bribery or an illegal or corrupt practice, and (ii) comply with all applicable laws governing anti-bribery and corrupt gifts and practices (including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the UK Bribery Act).

• it and its directors and (direct, indirect and ultimate (beneficial)) owners (and their directors) are not in any way connected to, part of, involved in or related to or under the control, management or ownership of:

  • terrorists or terrorist organizations; or

  • parties/persons (A) listed as (special) designated nationals/entities or blocked persons/entities, or (B) otherwise subject to trade embargo, or financial, economic and trade sanctions.

• the Applicant, its representatives and its directors have not and will not carry out any act or omission which may or does bring the Promoter into disrepute. Such acts comprise, but are not limited to, the acts or omissions that constitute the situations as referred under a to f.

 

If the Applicant acts in breach of one or more of the representations and warranties described under 6, or is in breach of any other obligation pursuant from these Terms & Conditions, the Applicant is obliged to immediately notify the Promoter of such event. Additionally, the Promoter is entitled to, with or without retroactive effect, wholly or partially, revoke the admission to the Booking Booster and/ or reclaim any grant paid. In addition, the Promoter is entitled to all other legal remedies, among which the right to claim damages.

Data Protection: The Promoter will process any personal data collected as part of the entry process in accordance with the privacy policy available at http://www.sustainability.booking.com/booster-privacy-policy

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VI. THE SELECTION PROCESS

All valid entries received will be assessed against the details on the application form and other information requested, and then shortlisted and judged by a panel of judges appointed by and on behalf of the Promoter (the “Judges”). The panel of judges will be made up of Booking.com experts. Judges have full discretion in reviewing applications and will do so in accordance with the following broad criteria.

• A positive impact on sustainable tourism;

• Genuine, scalable solution;

• Sound growth strategy;

• Structured financials and realistic projections;

• Provide a product or service that supports our partners

• Established team and proven leadership

 

Stage 1 Initial screening, moderation & application assessment process: The applications will be subject to an initial screening by the Booking Booster Team based on the above criteria. The applications of approximately the top 20% based on rankings will be further assessed.

 

Stage 2: Interview of top candidates: The top candidates remaining will be interviewed via either video or telephone.

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Stage 3: Selection: On the basis of the interview, together with all information and facts received prior, the Shortlisted Participants will be selected by the Judges. The Applicant shall be contacted by telephone and/or email no later than 30 March 2020 for May program and 20 July 2020 for September program.

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If attempted notification using all the contact details supplied by the Applicant at time of entry are returned as undeliverable, or if an Applicant cannot be verified within the time required, or if an Applicant is otherwise unable to accept their status as Shortlisted Participant and / or cannot attend the 10-day Booster Program, or is otherwise ineligible, their selection as Shortlisted Participant will be forfeited and an alternative startup, may be selected from reserves judged at the same time at the Promoter's sole discretion.

 

Any application that is found, at any time during the Selection Process, not to be in compliance with these Terms and Conditions or that otherwise contains prohibited or inappropriate content as determined by the Promoter, in its sole discretion, the Applicant may be disqualified. The Promoter shall have sole and final determination as to which applications are eligible to take part in the competition and no correspondence will be entered into.

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 VII. 10 DAY BOOSTER PROGRAM

In May or September, 2020 the Shortlisted Participants will attend a residential program comprising a series of lectures, workshops and one-to-one mentoring sessions to assist them in further developing their business, impact metrics and scaling plan.

 

The Booster Program covers workshops and sessions about Scaling Readiness, Strategy, Marketing, Storytelling, Pitching, Go-To-Market Strategy, Value Proposition, Finance and Invest Proposition and building & practising your pitch presentation.

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VIII. POST GRANT ARRANGEMENTS

The Grantees agree to provide the following high level business information to the Promoter upon reasonable request of the Promoter after the end of the grant awarding:

• Quarterly progress reports of the project including budget update and learnings.

Such information may be used by the Promoter in a public-facing impact report relating to the Booking Booster, in statistics and data relating to the program and the Promoter’s corporate social responsibility contributions.

Grantees become part of the Booking Booster Alumni Network. This Network focuses on connecting non-profit organisations, startups and experts that are working to create a more sustainable tourism industry.

 

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 IX. THE FINALE

During this stage the Shortlisted Participants pitch for a share of the EUR 2,600,000 Fund. The Shortlisted Participants for any amount between EUR 100,000 and EUR 500,000 to execute their scaling plan. The participants need to justify and substantiate to which amount they think they are entitled to for their scaling plan.

The Finale is scheduled to take place in September in Amsterdam.

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The Finale, each startup will have the opportunity to pitch for funding in front of a global expert panel of Judges.

Each startup will be required to deliver a presentation before the Judges. Each startup will be allocated approximately five minutes to present their business and scaling plan and approximately five minutes in which to respond to questions from the Judges. Precise details for your presentation will be prescribed and communicated to the participants as soon as they are finalised.

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Presentations will be evaluated by the Judges according to the pre-mentioned criteria.

The Judges will determine in their absolute discretion how to allocate the funding to the Selected Participants. The allocation of the funding will be announced at The Final Pitch event and confirmed in writing within five business days from The Final Pitch. The Judges are not obliged to spend the entire fund.

The Judges' decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to the allocation of the Fund.

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Subject to Section VIII., the grant funding will be paid directly to the Selected participant(s) via wire transfer within 30 business days from The Finale.

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X. POST BOOKING BOOSTER PROGRAM

The Selected Participants receive up to 12 months of mentoring from mentors chosen by the Promoter, focused on the execution of the scaling plan presented during the Final Pitch.

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Subject to Section VIII., the Selected Participants agree to provide the following high level business information to

 

the Promoter upon reasonable request of the Promoter after the end of the Booster Program & Final Pitch:

 

the percentage growth in revenue and profit during Booking Booster and thereafter;

 

the annual revenue of the business over the last 3 years;

 

the growth of the business since participating in the Booking Booster (in terms of employee numbers and markets entered amongst other measures);

 

details of how any money granted during the Booking Booster was used by the business;

 

data showing the impact of any money awarded to the business during The Booking Booster (e.g. the number of people impacted, the number of customers or beneficiaries reached or the number of products sold by the business and number of destinations positively impacted); and

 

general information about the future plans for the business and the projected growth of the business.

 

Such information may be used by the Promoter in public-facing articles, a public-facing impact report relating to the Booking Booster, in statistics and data relating to the Program and the Promoter’s corporate social responsibility contributions.

 

Selected Participants become part of the Booking Booster Alumni Network. This Network focuses on connecting non-profit organisations, startups and experts that are working to create a more sustainable tourism industry.

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XI. PROGRAMME RELATED TRAVEL

The Shortlisted Participants shall receive:

• A trip for the representative(s), up to two per participant, to attend The 10-day Booster Program in May or September,2020 comprising of:

• return economy flights from/to your home country;

• accommodation as specified by the Promoter;

• airport transfers at destination;

• transfers to and from Booster Program events;

• meals during the Booster Program (except for weekends and free evenings)

All representatives must be able to organise their own visas if needed, at their own costs.

Any other costs, charges, taxes or expenses not specified above are for the account of the Representatives of the

 

Shortlisted Participant.

All reservations and travel arrangements shall be with suppliers selected by the Promoter in its sole and absolute discretion. All arrangements must be made through a travel agent selected by the Promoter. Travel dates once arranged are not changeable and non-transferrable. Airline tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable, and are not valid for upgrades.

Travel may not qualify for frequent flyer miles. 

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 XII. MARKETING AND PROMOTION

All Shortlisted Participants agree to participate in any reasonable promotional and publicity activities related to the Program, to be determined by the Promoter. Such activities could include the use of the Applicant’s business name, address, trademarks and logos, the Representative’s name, photographs, voice and/or other likeness for advertising, trade and promotional purposes without further compensation, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide in perpetuity, without notice or review or approval.

Without prior written approval of the Promoter, applicants are not entitled to associate with the Promoter in any way.

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XIII. NON-SOLICITATION

Shortlisted Participants and Selected Participants, as of their selection as Shortlisted Participants until two years after the first day of the 10-day program Booster Program, undertake not to solicit any employee or independent contractor of the Promoter on, nor shall they induce any employee or independent contractor associated with the Promoter to terminate or breach an employment, contractual or other relationship with the Promoter. 

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XIV. GENERAL

These Terms & Conditions set out the entire agreement between the Applicants, Shortlisted Participants, Selected Participants and the Promoter with respect to the Booking Booster.

These Terms & Conditions apply to the entire legal relation between the Applicant and the Promoter in relation to the Booking Booster. The Applicant accepts that the Promoter's decisions shall be final and binding in all respects relating to the Booking Booster.

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The Selected Participants are entirely responsible for assessing and paying all applicable federal, provincial, state and local taxes in any respect of the Booking Booster including as to any share of the Fund received, if any, including any income or withholding taxes, both in the country or countries of their business and in the country where the events take place. In the event that the Promoter is or may reasonably become obliged to pay any withholding tax in relation to the Applicant, the Promoter is entitled to deduct such tax from a grant.

These Terms & Conditions prevail in the event of any conflict or inconsistency with any other communications, including promotional materials.

 

The Promoter is not responsible for:

• entries or other communications which are misdirected, lost, delayed, damaged or corrupted during delivery to or from the Promoter due to any computer malfunction, virus, bug, delay, erroneous or any other reason whatsoever;

• lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, telecommunications, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections;

• computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties;

• any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by human error, site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Booking Booster;

• for injury or damage to Applicants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in the Booking Booster or downloading materials from or use of the Booking Booster website; or;

• other errors or difficulties of any kind, whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise, relating to or in connection with the Booking Booster including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the processing of applications, the judging process, the announcement of the selected or in any related materials.

 

Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Booking Booster or any linked website or who are in violation of these Terms & Conditions, as solely determined by the Promoter, are liable to be disqualified and all associated entries will be void.

 

The Promoter reserves the right (i) at its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Selection Process at any time and for any reason, (ii) at its sole discretion to amend these terms and conditions at any time, and (iii) to withdraw part or all of the Booking Booster if it cannot be operated as envisaged, or cannot be operated as envisaged without disproportionate expense.

 

Application and participation in the Booking Booster is at the Applicant’s own risk. Any advice, mentoring etc. given by or on behalf of the Promoter and in the context of the Booking Booster is provided free of charge. The consequences of following up (or not) any such advice are solely for the Applicant’s account.

 

Applicants, by participating, agree that to the extent permissible under applicable law and unless in case of willful conduct of severe negligence of the management of the Promoter, the Promoter, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries and advertising and promotion agencies and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents (collectively, "Released Parties") will have no liability whatsoever for, and shall be held harmless by Applicants against, any liability, for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind, including death, to persons, business or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of the grant or participation in the Booking Booster including the Selection Process.

 

The Applicant shall indemnify the Promoter from any and all claims, liabilities, costs and expenses arising in any way from a breach of the Applicant's obligations, warranties or representations under these Terms & Conditions or in any way given as part of the Booking Booster.

Neither the participation in the Booking Booster nor the granting of any funding constitutes any form of influence, control or participation in the Applicant’s business. The Booking Booster explicitly is not intended to constitute a distribution, agency, labor, instruction, joint venture, or cooperation agreement between the Applicant and the Promoter.

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These Terms & Conditions, as well as the entire legal relationship between the Applicant and the promoter as far as it relates the Booking Booster shall be solely governed by the laws of the Netherlands. Any conflict arising from or in relation to these Terms & Conditions and/ or the Booking Booster shall be brought to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Netherlands.

The Promoter is entitled to transfer it rights and obligations from these Terms & Conditions and any other rights and obligation in relation to the Booking Booster, as well as the contract itself, to third parties. 

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