Terms and policies

1. DEFINITIONS

In these Terms, the following terms shall have the meanings set out below:

Platform/E-START: the website Estart.vn, developed and operated by the CanTho Startup And Innovation Center (CASIC), comprising four modules (E-Learning, E-Book, E-Connect and E-Hub) and any other modules added during operation.

Content: all documents, articles, images, videos, audio, courses, comments, space information and other data posted on E-START by Users or Third Parties.

Third Party: any organization or individual other than CASIC/E-START that provides courses, materials, services or spaces introduced or distributed on E-START.

Publication Scope: the level of visibility of Content selected by the User when posting, including "Public" (visible to all Users) and "Internal" (visible only within a group, course or audience specified by the User).

Account: the User's identification profile on the Platform, created upon completion of registration and OTP verification.

2. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Welcome to Estart.vn, an open digital learning platform (the "Platform" or "E-START"). By accessing, registering an account on, or using any function of E-START, you (the "User" or "You") confirm that you have read, understood and agreed to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not continue to use the Platform.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

E-START is an open digital learning platform developed and operated to serve the startup and innovation ecosystem in Can Tho City and the Mekong Delta region. The Platform consists of four functional modules:

• Online Training Module (E-Learning): includes free and paid courses provided by E-START or by Users.
• Digital Learning Resources Module (E-Book): enables the sharing of learning materials and documents posted by Users, subject to review before public release.
• Community Connection Module (E-Connect): a community network for Users to interact, exchange ideas and connect within the startup and innovation ecosystem.
• Space Connection Module (E-Hub): introduces and allows booking of workspaces, meeting rooms and halls, including spaces owned by CASIC and by Third Parties.

E-START serves as a connecting platform. For course content, materials or space information provided by Third Parties, E-START acts as an intermediary that displays such content and is not the direct provider of those services, unless expressly stated to be developed and provided by CASIC/E-START itself.

4. RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF E-START

4.1. Rights of E-START

• To review, refuse to approve, temporarily hide or remove Content that violates these Terms or the law.
• To suspend, restrict or terminate violating Accounts in accordance with Section 7.3 of these Terms.
• To change or suspend part or all of the Platform's functions for maintenance, upgrades, or at the request of competent state authorities.

4.2. Responsibilities of E-START

• To operate the Platform in accordance with its announced purposes.
• To process Your personal data in accordance with the Platform's Privacy Policy.
• To receive and handle Your complaints according to the procedure set out in Section 7.2.
• To publicly and promptly announce any material changes to these Terms.

E-START maintains a mechanism for reviewing Content before public release, a mechanism for receiving complaints, and the right to remove violating Content.

5. RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF USERS

5.1. Your Rights

• To access and use the Platform's functions appropriate to your Account type.
• To post Content in accordance with these Terms.
• To have your personal data protected in accordance with the Law on Personal Data Protection and its implementing regulations, as well as the Privacy Policy publicly posted on the Platform.
• To file complaints or feedback regarding Content or services on the Platform.
• To request termination of the service and deletion of your Account at any time via the function on the Platform or by submitting a request through the Contact page. Termination of an Account does not affect any rights and obligations arising between the parties prior to the time of termination.

5.2. Your Responsibilities

• To provide truthful and accurate information when registering for and using the Platform.
• To be responsible for all Content you post.
• Not to engage in any prohibited acts set out in Section 5.3.
• To comply with the laws of Vietnam while using the Platform.
• To keep your Account information secure.

5.3. Prohibited Acts

You must not post, share or engage in the following on the Platform:

• Infringing the intellectual property rights of other organizations or individuals.
• Content containing false, misleading or fraudulent information.
• Infringing the honor, dignity, or lawful rights and interests of other organizations or individuals.
• Infringing the personal information of others without their consent.
• Content containing malware or malicious links; spam or unauthorized advertising.
• Impersonating other organizations or individuals.
• Violating the laws of Vietnam in any form.

6. CONTENT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

6.1. Confirmation of the Right to Use Content

When posting Content (documents, articles, images, videos, audio, courses, space information, etc.), You confirm: "I have the right to use and share this Content and take responsibility for the Content I post." Such confirmation, or the provision of documents proving the right to use (if any), does not mean that E-START guarantees or certifies Your intellectual property rights in such Content.

6.2. Content Review

Posted Content must go through E-START's review mechanism before public release in order to ensure its appropriateness. Approval does not constitute confirmation of the accuracy, completeness or intellectual property rights of the Content; E-START reserves the right to temporarily hide, refuse to approve or remove violating Content, even after it has been made public.

6.3. Intellectual Property Rights

You retain the intellectual property rights to the Content you create, unless otherwise agreed in writing. By posting Content on E-START, You grant E-START a non-exclusive right to use such Content to the extent necessary to store, display and distribute it to other Users, in accordance with the Publication Scope (Public/Internal) You have selected. For Third-Party content used in courses or materials, You must hold usage rights appropriate to the actual purpose of use; E-START may request documents proving such rights when necessary.

6.4. Module-Specific Provisions

E-Book: the person posting materials is responsible for their legality and usage rights; E-START may temporarily hide, refuse to approve or remove violating materials, and restrict or lock the Accounts of repeat offenders.

E-Learning: courses may be developed by CASIC/E-START or provided by instructors or other organizations; course creators using Third-Party content must confirm their right to use it and provide appropriate supporting documents (written permission, contracts, licenses, Creative Commons licenses or equivalent).

7. REVIEW, COMPLAINTS AND HANDLING OF VIOLATIONS

7.1. Right to Review, Hide and Delete Content

E-START has the right to review Content before public release (for functions subject to an approval mechanism), and to refuse approval of, temporarily hide or delete Content that violates these Terms or the law, even after such Content has been made public.

7.2. Procedure for Handling Reported Content

Upon receiving a report of Content showing signs of violation (infringement of intellectual property rights, false information, or infringement of the rights of organizations/individuals), E-START will proceed as follows:

1. Receive the report.
2. Conduct a preliminary verification.
3. Request the poster to provide an explanation or relevant documents, if necessary.
4. Temporarily hide the Content during verification, where appropriate.
5. Assess and decide whether to retain, restore or remove the Content.
6. Notify the outcome within an appropriate scope.
7. Consider action against repeat-offending Accounts in accordance with Section 7.3.

7.3. Suspension, Restriction and Termination of Accounts

E-START has the right to suspend, restrict the functions of, or terminate Accounts that violate these Terms after giving notice, except in urgent cases requiring immediate action to prevent damage or at the request of competent state authorities.

8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

E-START strives to operate the Platform in a stable and secure manner but does not guarantee that the Platform will operate continuously, without interruption or free of technical errors. E-START shall not be liable for damages arising from:

(i) Content or services provided by Third Parties;
(ii) Your voluntary sharing of Account information with others;
(iii) Force majeure events as prescribed by law.

This limitation of liability does not exclude E-START's liability in cases where exemption is not permitted by law. The Platform may contain links to Third-Party websites or content; E-START does not control and is not responsible for the content, privacy policies or practices of such websites.

9. AGE RESTRICTIONS

Anyone may access E-START. However, to register an Instructor or Document Sharer account and post information or resources on E-START, you must be at least 18 years of age and have full civil legal capacity as prescribed by the Civil Code. E-START may suspend or refuse to grant an Account if it discovers that age information is untruthful or does not meet the conditions of this Section.

10. PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION

The collection and processing of Your personal data on the Platform are carried out in accordance with the Law on Personal Data Protection and its implementing regulations, as well as the Privacy Policy publicly posted on the Platform.

• You have the right to be informed, to consent and withdraw consent, and to access, rectify, restrict processing of, object to processing of, and request deletion of your personal data in accordance with the law, via the Profile page or the Contact page.
• In the event of an incident affecting the security of personal data, E-START will assess and remediate the incident and notify the competent state authorities and affected Users within the time limits prescribed by law.
• The specific purposes and scope of collection, retention periods and protection measures for personal data are set out in detail in the Platform's Privacy Policy; in the event of any discrepancy between the two documents regarding personal data, the Privacy Policy shall prevail.

11. EFFECTIVENESS AND OTHER PROVISIONS

• These Terms take effect from the date of publication on the Platform and replace all previous versions of the Terms of Use.
• These Terms are drafted in Vietnamese; if translated into other languages, the Vietnamese version shall prevail in the event of any discrepancy.
• If one or more provisions of these Terms are declared invalid or unenforceable by a competent authority, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
• For any questions, feedback or complaints regarding these Terms, please contact us via estart.vn/lien-he.