This Payment, Cancellation & No-Refund Policy applies to all programs, cohorts, camps, events, workshops, memberships, services, deposits, reservations, and other paid offerings provided by Zerobase Limited ("Zerobase", "we", "us", or "our").
By submitting payment, paying a deposit, accepting an offer of admission, enrolling in a Zerobase program, or otherwise confirming participation, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to this Policy.
1. General No-Refund Policy
Unless otherwise expressly stated by Zerobase in writing, all payments made to Zerobase are final and non-refundable.
This includes, without limitation:
- application or registration fees;
- deposits;
- reservation fees;
- program fees;
- cohort fees;
- Silicon Valley Camp fees;
- event fees;
- membership fees;
- installment payments;
- outstanding balances;
- promotional or discounted payments;
- bundled program payments;
- payments for optional services, add-ons, or upgrades; and
- any other amount paid in connection with participation in a Zerobase program or service.
A participant's decision not to attend, inability to attend, change of circumstances, change of mind, or failure to make use of the program does not ordinarily create an entitlement to a refund.
Nothing in this Policy excludes any refund, remedy, or other consumer right that cannot legally be excluded under applicable law.
2. Why Payments Are Non-Refundable
Zerobase programs operate with limited capacity and require substantial preparation before a participant attends.
Once a participant accepts an offer and makes payment, Zerobase may immediately begin allocating resources including:
- reserving a place in the cohort;
- reducing the number of places available to other applicants;
- planning mentor and speaker capacity;
- arranging venues;
- organizing events;
- arranging founder introductions;
- preparing educational materials;
- coordinating staff and contractors;
- arranging office hours;
- organizing community access;
- scheduling investor or partner sessions;
- planning Silicon Valley activities;
- making third-party reservations or commitments;
- producing content;
- purchasing software or services; and
- undertaking administrative and operational work.
For these reasons, payments secure participation and are not based solely on actual attendance at individual sessions.
3. Deposits
Unless Zerobase expressly states otherwise in writing, all deposits are non-refundable.
A deposit confirms the participant's commitment and reserves their place.
If a participant later decides not to participate, does not complete their enrollment, fails to pay the remaining balance, or becomes unable to attend, the deposit will ordinarily be forfeited.
Payment of a deposit does not limit the participant's obligation to pay any remaining amount that they have contractually committed to pay.
4. Installment Payment Plans
Where Zerobase permits payment through installments, the installment plan is a payment arrangement for the full program fee and is not a monthly subscription.
The participant is committing to the total program fee when accepting the installment arrangement.
Accordingly:
- withdrawing from the program does not automatically cancel remaining installments;
- missing sessions does not cancel remaining installments;
- deciding not to attend a future component does not cancel remaining installments;
- failure to obtain expected funding, sponsorship, reimbursement, government support, or employer support does not cancel the payment obligation; and
- the participant remains responsible for outstanding amounts unless Zerobase agrees otherwise in writing or applicable law requires otherwise.
If a payment fails, Zerobase may retry payment or request payment through another available method.
Zerobase may suspend access to programs, communities, events, resources, benefits, introductions, or future Zerobase programs while payments remain overdue.
5. Participant Cancellation
If a participant cancels their participation for any reason, amounts already paid will ordinarily not be refunded.
This applies regardless of when the cancellation occurs, including cancellations caused by:
- personal circumstances;
- work obligations;
- family circumstances;
- illness or injury;
- scheduling conflicts;
- relocation;
- visa issues;
- passport issues;
- immigration issues;
- inability to travel;
- flight cancellation;
- accommodation issues;
- financial difficulties;
- fundraising difficulties;
- company shutdown;
- co-founder disputes;
- changes in employment;
- changes in startup plans;
- changes in university or academic commitments;
- military obligations;
- failure to obtain sponsorship;
- failure to obtain reimbursement;
- failure to obtain government funding;
- failure to obtain leave from work;
- failure to obtain investor funding;
- dissatisfaction with travel costs;
- changes in personal preference; or
- any other circumstance relating specifically to the participant.
Participants are responsible for considering their ability to participate before making payment.
6. Failure to Attend
Failure to attend any lecture, mentoring session, event, office hour, meeting, activity, camp day, Demo Day, networking session, or other component of a Zerobase program does not create a right to:
- a full refund;
- a partial refund;
- a prorated refund;
- compensation;
- a discount; or
- a reduction of an outstanding balance.
Programs are sold as an overall experience rather than as individually priced sessions unless Zerobase expressly states otherwise.
7. Late Joining or Early Departure
Participants who join a program after its official starting date, voluntarily leave before completion, or attend only part of a program are not ordinarily entitled to a refund or prorated adjustment.
The same applies where a participant chooses to attend only certain components of a bundled program.
8. Program Bundles
Some Zerobase products may combine several services, for example:
- a Zerobase cohort;
- Silicon Valley Camp;
- mentoring;
- community access;
- events;
- content production;
- future cohort access;
- workshops;
- office hours; or
- other benefits.
Unless Zerobase expressly sells each component separately, the package is treated as a single bundled offering.
A participant choosing not to use one component does not automatically entitle them to a refund for that component.
Any allocation of value between components shown on an invoice, internal document, proposal, or marketing material does not necessarily mean each component may independently be cancelled or refunded.
9. Silicon Valley Camp
Payments for a Zerobase Silicon Valley Camp are non-refundable except where required by applicable law or expressly agreed otherwise by Zerobase.
Participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements unless Zerobase expressly agrees otherwise.
This may include:
- international flights;
- domestic flights;
- accommodation;
- visas;
- ESTA or other travel authorization;
- travel insurance;
- meals;
- personal transportation;
- passport costs;
- medical costs; and
- any other personal travel expenses.
Participants should purchase flexible or refundable travel arrangements where possible.
Zerobase is not responsible for losses relating to independently booked flights, hotels, accommodation, transportation, visas, or other travel arrangements, except to the extent liability cannot legally be excluded.
10. Travel Documents and Immigration
Participants are solely responsible for ensuring that they have:
- a valid passport;
- appropriate visas;
- ESTA approval where applicable;
- entry permission;
- transit visas;
- health documentation;
- travel insurance; and
- any other documentation required to enter or remain in the relevant country.
A visa rejection, ESTA rejection, border refusal, immigration issue, passport issue, or inability to travel does not ordinarily create an entitlement to a refund.
11. Program Dates and Scheduling
Zerobase will make reasonable efforts to operate programs according to announced schedules.
However, startup programs involve founders, investors, mentors, venues, partners, and other third parties whose availability may change.
Zerobase therefore reserves the right, where reasonably necessary, to modify:
- individual session dates;
- individual session times;
- venues;
- speakers;
- mentors;
- office-hour schedules;
- program activities;
- session formats;
- online/offline delivery;
- event order;
- curriculum sequencing; or
- other operational details.
Reasonable or minor scheduling changes do not ordinarily create a right to a refund.
Where Zerobase makes a substantial change to the overall program, Zerobase may, depending on the circumstances and applicable law, provide an alternative arrangement, transfer, credit, replacement program, partial refund, full refund, or another reasonable remedy.
12. Speaker, Mentor and Investor Changes
All announced speakers, founders, investors, mentors, partners, organizations, and participating companies are subject to availability.
Their participation may change due to scheduling conflicts, emergencies, travel difficulties, business obligations, illness, or other circumstances.
Unless expressly guaranteed in writing, the participation of any particular:
- investor;
- venture capital firm;
- accelerator;
- founder;
- mentor;
- speaker;
- company; or
- partner
is not a condition of enrollment.
A change to the guest lineup does not ordinarily create a right to a refund.
13. No Guarantee of Introductions
Zerobase may facilitate introductions to founders, mentors, accelerators, investors, venture capital firms, customers, companies, partners, or other members of its network.
However, Zerobase does not guarantee that any particular introduction will occur.
The availability of introductions depends on factors including participant suitability, progress, company quality, timing, investor interest, and third-party availability.
Failure to receive a particular introduction does not create a right to a refund.
14. No Guarantee of Investment or Acceptance
Participation in Zerobase does not guarantee:
- investment;
- fundraising;
- investor meetings;
- accelerator acceptance;
- YC acceptance;
- a16z Speedrun acceptance;
- Founders, Inc. acceptance;
- acquisition;
- revenue;
- customers;
- partnerships;
- media coverage;
- company growth;
- employment;
- visa approval; or
- any particular business outcome.
Any historical results, participant outcomes, acceptance rates, fundraising examples, testimonials, case studies, or success stories are illustrative and are not promises of future results.
The absence of a desired outcome does not create a right to a refund.
15. Founder Responsibility
Zerobase provides education, community, mentorship, opportunities, and support.
The participant remains responsible for:
- building their company;
- attending sessions;
- completing assignments;
- contacting customers;
- shipping products;
- fundraising;
- responding to introductions;
- preparing applications;
- communicating with mentors;
- making business decisions; and
- taking advantage of available opportunities.
A participant's failure to use the resources made available through Zerobase does not entitle them to a refund.
16. Dissatisfaction With the Program
Personal dissatisfaction with:
- teaching style;
- mentor advice;
- session content;
- other participants;
- networking outcomes;
- founder chemistry;
- perceived program value;
- investor feedback;
- curriculum;
- events;
- venue;
- community experience; or
- business results
does not by itself create a right to a refund.
Where concerns arise, participants are encouraged to contact Zerobase promptly so that Zerobase has a reasonable opportunity to address them.