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Funded by UK Government In partnership with Business Durham In partnership with Durham County Council

Terms and Conditions of Use

Terms and Conditions of Use – Durham Startups Portal

  1. Introduction

Welcome to the Durham Startups Portal (“Portal”), operated by Business Durham, the economic development arm of Durham County Council (“we”, “us”, or “our”). The Portal provides business support resources, networking opportunities, interactive tools, and advisory services to startup businesses in County Durham, UK.

By accessing or using this Portal, you agree to abide by these Terms and Conditions of Use (“Terms”). If you do not accept these Terms, you should not use this Portal.

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Significant changes will be communicated to registered users, and continued use of the Portal constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

  1. Definitions
  • Portal Operator: Business Durham, Durham County Council.
  • User: Any individual or entity accessing or registering on the Portal.
  • Content: All materials available on the Portal, including text, images, documents, videos, and user-generated content.
  • Services: The tools and functionalities provided, such as business advice, event registrations, discussion forums, surveys, and interactive resources.
  1. User Registration and Account Management
  • Eligibility: The Portal is exclusively for startup businesses based in County Durham, UK. By registering, you confirm that you meet this criterion.
  • Account Creation: Users must provide accurate and complete information when creating an account.
  • User Responsibilities: You must: 
    • Keep your login credentials confidential.
    • Update your account details if they change.
    • Report any unauthorised access immediately.
  • Account Suspension/Termination: We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or misuse the Portal.
  1. Acceptable Use Policy

To maintain a professional and supportive environment, users must adhere to the following:

✅ Permitted Activities:

  • Engaging with business support services.
  • Participating in networking discussions.
  • Accessing and sharing relevant startup resources.

❌ Prohibited Activities:

  • Posting offensive, illegal, or misleading content.
  • Using the Portal to spam, scam, or harass others.
  • Attempting to hack, disrupt, or manipulate Portal services.
  • Sharing another user’s personal or confidential data without consent.

We reserve the right to moderate content and restrict access for violations of this policy.

  1. User-Generated Content
  • Ownership: Users retain ownership of the content they post but grant us a licence to use, display, and distribute it within the Portal.
  • Moderation: We reserve the right to remove or edit content that violates our policies.
  • Third-Party Rights: Users must ensure they have the right to share any content they upload and must not infringe any copyright or intellectual property rights.
  1. Privacy and Data Protection

We take privacy seriously. Our Privacy Policy details how we handle personal data. Key points include:

  • Data Collection: We collect user registration details, activity logs, survey responses, and other relevant information.
  • Use of Data: Information is used to enhance user experience, improve services, and provide business support.
  • Third-Party Services: The Portal uses third-party tools such as Eventbrite (for event registrations) and Mailgun (for communications).
  • Security Measures: User data is stored securely, and we take steps to protect against unauthorised access.

🔗 Read our full Privacy Policy [here].

  1. Intellectual Property Rights
  • Portal Content Ownership: All content created by Business Durham and our partners (including text, graphics, templates, and branding) remains our intellectual property.
  • Limited License to Users: Users may access and use the content for personal, non-commercial purposes.
  • Restrictions on Use: No user may copy, distribute, or modify Portal content without prior written consent.
  1. Limitation of Liability
  • Information Disclaimer: The Portal provides guidance and support, but does not guarantee business success.
  • No Liability for Errors: While we strive for accuracy, we do not accept liability for outdated or incorrect information.
  • Service Interruptions: We are not responsible for technical failures, downtime, or data loss.

Users accept that they use the Portal at their own risk.

  1. Third-Party Links and Resources
  • External Links Disclaimer: The Portal may contain links to third-party websites. These are provided for convenience and do not imply endorsement.
  • No Responsibility for Third-Party Content: We are not responsible for external content, services, or data handling practices.
  1. Termination and Suspension of Access
  • Breach of Terms: Accounts may be restricted or terminated for violating these Terms.
  • User-Initiated Termination: Users can delete their accounts by contacting support.
  1. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by UK law. Any disputes shall be resolved under the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

  1. Contact Information

For questions regarding these Terms, contact us at:

📧 Email: support@durhamstartups.co.uk
📍 Address: Business Durham, Durham County Council, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UF

By using the Durham Startups Portal, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions.

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