Rules

All rules are subject to change without notice.

Table of Contents

Anti-Harassment Policy

Fort Collins Startup Week is dedicated to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, physical appearance, body size, race and/or color, national origin and/or citizenship, age or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of any kind during Fort Collins Startup Week events.

Harassment includes verbal, written, or physical conduct and any actions (directly or indirectly) that are unwelcome and are intimidating, hostile, or offensive in nature.

Prohibited behavior includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Slurs, jokes, and/or derogatory comments;
  • Inappropriate nicknames, descriptions and/or labels;
  • Graphic verbal commentaries about an individual’s body;
  • Sexually degrading words used to describe an individual’s body;
  • Sexual images in public spaces;
  • Deliberate intimidation;
  • Stalking and/or following;
  • Harassing photography or recording;
  • Sustained disruption of panels or other events;
  • Blocking an individual’s movements;
  • Unwelcome sexual attention, and;
  • Unwelcome physical contact.

Such conduct may constitute as harassment even if it is not directed at a particular individual but takes place within someone’s viewing or hearing.

This policy is in effect at the Fort Collins Startup Week event, during venue/sponsor set up/tear down, and at any other events hosted by the Fort Collins Startup Week. This policy applies to all attendees, employees, volunteers, sponsors, and presenters.

Complaints of harassment will be taken seriously and appropriate action, up to and including, being expelled from the event without a refund, may be taken.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event staff immediately. event staff can be identified by Fort Collins Startup Week t-shirts that say “Volunteer” on the back (the shirts are orange). All complaints of harassment will be thoroughly, promptly, and objectively investigated. event staff may request statements from individuals involved, ask for witnesses, or take any other steps necessary to complete a thorough investigation before taking appropriate action.

All event staff are able to help participants contact local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event. We value your attendance and are dedicated to creating a safe and secure event for everyone.

Contact information:

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Rules for Attendees

Attendance at a Fort Collins Startup Week event indicates agreement with the following terms and conditions:

  1. Attendee assumes all risk and danger or personal injury, damage to property, including death, and all other hazards arising from, or related in any way to, the event, caused by negligence, gross negligence, or otherwise, and the attendee releases Fort Collins Startup Week, any and all sponsors, employees, volunteers and its agents from any and all liabilities/claims resulting from such risk, danger, damage, injury or death.
  2. Events and schedules fill on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot and do not guarantee the availability of space in events.
  3. Management reserves the right to revoke/refuse admission or to eject any person who fails to comply with the rules of the event, venue, and all applicable laws, without refund.
  4. Attendee consents to the use of their image or likeness by media now known or hereafter devised for advertising, sale and/or other promotional purposes. If you are in attendance at the event, plan on that you might be in a few photos by either event staff or other attendees.
  5. Attendee agrees to not take pictures or video where posted as prohibited.
  6. Please thoroughly read and comply with our Anti-Harassment Policy.
  7. No signs offering services or making requests to be hugged or touched. No other signs of any kind (event staff has the final say).
  8. You must wear shoes and appropriate clothing.
  9. Water bottles are encouraged. Stay hydrated.
  10. Do not cut any lines or violate parking etiquette.
  11. Be kind and respectful to your fellow attendees.
  12. If you or someone near you needs help, alert a Fort Collins Startup Week volunteer right away.
  13. Fort Collins Startup Week is a family-friendly event. Please watch the swear words (particularly around children).

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Rules for Volunteers

  1. Your actions reflect on Fort Collins Startup Week. If your behavior does not reflect well on our event, you will be ejected from the event.
  2. You must wear your Volunteer T-Shirt at all times when volunteering.
  3. Nick is your first and last point of contact for any questions, concerns, or comments.
  4. When in doubt, always send your question up the chain. If an attendee feels harassed or threatened, you should report it to the closest STAFF member, call Nick and/or local law enforcement, and escort the attendee to a safe space in the venue (if requested).
  5. If you do not feel safe while performing your volunteer assignment, leave the area immediately and inform Nick and/or local law enforcement.

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Rules for Sponsors

  1. All sponsors must complete a Sponsor Agreement before their sponsorship is finalized.
  2. Fort Collins Startup Week reserves the right to rescind/refund any sponsorship payment for any reason at any time.
  3. Fort Collins Startup Week, employees, volunteers, and sponsors are not responsible for damage incurred to your product or display during the event or load-in, and the staff reserves the right to ask you to remove dangerous or obscene material from your sponsorship area.
  4. All sponsors are responsible for complying with venue policies as well as cleaning up after themselves before, during, and after the event.
  5. Direct sales to Fort Collins Startup Week attendees is strictly forbidden unless the scenario and scope has been approved in advance by Fort Collins Startup Week.

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Rules for Presenters

  1. Session submissions are open approximately 4 months before the date of the Event. All sessions will be selected and presenters notified at least a month before the date of the Event. Fort Collins Startup Week staff makes all final decisions with regards to programming and scheduling, no whining. Space is limited.
  2. All Sessions should end 10 minutes before the next session begins. No exceptions will be possible as we have a strict schedule to adhere to and rooms need to be readied for the next presenters.
  3. All Session rooms are equipped with a table, digital projector, and screen. Presenters are responsible for their own technology (including any required dongles, connectors, power supplies, etc).
  4. Fort Collins Startup Week cannot provide the use of computers or laptops. If you plan on having an AV presentation, please bring your own laptop with your files backed up on a USB drive. We encourage presenters to bring a second computer in case of the blue screen of death.
  5. There is no guarantee of WiFi or Internet even though most of the venues do provide free WiFi (ie: if every attendee is on it, we might not have it as fast/available as you’d like).
  6. Fort Collins Startup Week does not encourage the use of VCRs, 16mm projectors, cell phones, Xbox, PlayStations, or Commodore 64s to use for your session presentation. So don’t try.
  7. Fort Collins Startup Week will try to assist in specific scheduling needs on a case by case basis. So email [email protected] early and we’ll do our best.
  8. Fort Collins Startup Week reserves the right to adjust the time and location of your session at any time to best fit with our schedule of events. We will try and notify you 24 hours in advance of any changes in the schedule.
  9. A submission is not a guarantee of a presentation at Fort Collins Startup Week. We strive to give our attendees the best programming possible thus we will ensure the quality of your session content. So take some time, do some research, prepare and impress us with your submission.
  10. Videotaping or digital filming is prohibited in any session by any attendee or session participant, without advance permission from the person giving the session.
  11. Fort Collins Startup Week does not pay speaking fees or appearance fees. Nor does it cover travel, lodging, or meals for any presenter.
  12. Fort Collins Startup Week is a family-friendly event. We will not approve any “adult”, “after-dark”, or “explicit” content. So please keep it to PG-13 and watch the swear words (particularly around children).
  13. Presenters should arrive at their presentation room 20-30 minutes early and check-in with the Fort Collins Startup Week volunteers.
  14. Session submissions that are largely self-promotional will be strictly scrutinized and are unlikely to be approved. If a self-promotional session sneaks through, that presenter will not be allowed to present again at Fort Collins Startup Week.
  15. Session submissions must be primarily educational in focus.