Official Rules
Mechanical Keyboard Design Competition 2023
Mechanical Keyboard Design Competition 2023 is an open competition. By participating in the competition, you agree to the official rules written below. Please read the rules carefully before submitting your entries. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
1. Competition Period
Mechanical Keyboard Design Competition 2023 (MKDC 2023) is now open for entries from December 1, 2023, at 9:00 am to January 8, 2024, at 11:59 pm (Pacific Standard Time; UTC-8). Qualifying entries (the “Entry” / “Entries”) must be received during the competition period at the MKDC 2023 website https://elementsworkshop.io. Please note that the dates of MKDC 2023 may be changed at the sole discretion of Elements Workshop Limited (the “Organizer”). The Organizer and its affiliates are not responsible for lost, misdirected, tampered with, or undelivered entries. Entries submitted with incomplete or inaccurate information may be disqualified.
2. Entry Steps
i. Read and understand the Guiding Principle, Official Rules and other requirements and facts stated on the MKDC 2023 Website.
Iii. Create an account and submit your entry. MKDC 2023 is not responsible for unauthorized access to an entrant’s account, so please create a strong password and keep it secure.
iv. Submit entry. Each person is limited to submit up to two (2) entries*, and may submit as a team. Entrants are also able to submit an entry as an individual and submit a second entry as a team, making it a total of two entries.
* Each account can only submit one entry. Please create another competition account if you decide to submit the second entry.
3. Eligibility
MKDC 2023 is open to professional, amateur, and student designers (the “Entrant(s)”) from any country or region in the world. There are no age restrictions; however, minors must receive consent from their legal guardian prior to submission.
Those not eligible to participate in MKDC 2023 include:
i. Minors without consent from their legal guardian(s)
ii. Persons without legal standing in their place of residence
iii. Employees of the Organizer and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and distributors
iv. Family members of employees of the Organizer and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and distributors
v. Anyone living in the same household with an employee of the Organizer and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and distributors.
vi. Anyone who represents on behalf of an organization, agency, brand, or company.
4. Content Guidelines And Disclaimers
i. Entries must be submitted to the MKDC 2023 website. Each person is limited to submit up to two (2) entries in total, either individually or as a team.
ii. Entries must be submitted in English only. Any entry with incomplete, inaccurate, or incomprehensible information may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the Organizer.
iii. Entrants may submit work previously submitted to other competitions only if the work has not won any previous awards.
iv. Works deemed offensive, abusive, or threatening on the grounds of race, ethnicity, gender or sexual preference will be disqualified.
v. Works that are libelous, vulgar, obscene, or violent; or work that depicts or involves physical harm to any person or animal will be disqualified.
vi. All work must be the Entrant’s wholly original creation (with the exception of material in the public domain). In the event that recorded music is used, the music must be composed and performed solely by the entrant; otherwise, the entry is subject to disqualification. By submitting the entry, the Entrant acknowledges that the entire work is his or her original creation and that no other person or entity has any right or claim to the work. Furthermore, the Entrant affirms that to the best of his or her knowledge the work does not infringe on copyrights, trademarks, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity, or intellectual property rights.
vii. Entries that contain brand names, trademarks, or company logos may be disqualified.
viii. Any work that displays a watermark or artist signature may be disqualified.
ix. In the event that an Entry contains a virus, worm, Trojan horse, or any other corruptive code that harms the MKDC 2023 website, or damages the public image or reputation of the Organizer or MKDC 2023, the Entrant may be held responsible and prosecuted by law.
5. Intellectual Property And License
i. Each Entrant will retain ownership rights to any work submitted to MKDC 2023.
ii. By submitting a work, the Entrant grants the Organizer and its affiliates the unlimited, royalty-free rights to publish and exhibit the work worldwide, including but not limited to the images depicted therein, for promotional and non-commercial purposes for an unlimited period of time. The rights are non-exclusive.
iii. If any submitted work has received third-party sponsorship, whether of a technical, material, or financial nature, the Entrant is obligated to reveal the sponsoring entity’s name and the conditions of the sponsorship to the Organizer.
iv. the Organizer has the right to make amendments, including but not limited to the addition of the MKDC 2023 logo and text, the translation of text, the cropping or reframing of images, and the use of different colors, as long as the changes do not harm the integrity of the original work. In the event that major changes to the original work are desired, the Organizer will solicit the consent of the Entrant.
v. By participating in MKDC 2023, the Entrant grants permission to the Organizer for his or her name and any prize information to be used for promotional purposes without additional compensation or notice in any media worldwide for an unlimited period of time.
vi. The Entrant acknowledges that the Organizer has sole discretion in deciding how or whether to use any and all Entries for promotional and non-commercial purposes.
vii. The Entrant acknowledges that his or her Entries may bear similarities to the work of other entrants, and in such a case, the Entrant will not be entitled to any compensation nor have the right to negotiate for any award or recognition based on said similarities.
viii. The Winners (Entrants selected by the MKDC 2023 Judges) acknowledge that they are the original creators and that the Organizer will support the Winners in the prototyping and production process to complete prototypes and mass production. In the display and promotion of any prototype or any other related work submitted to MKDC 2023, the Organizer reserves the right to disclose and describe details of the production process, and other related information.
ix. By submitting Entries to MKDC 2023, the Entrant grants the Organizer the right of first refusal to the exclusive use of the work for commercial purposes for 24 months after the end of the competition. This option conferred to the Organizer is valid for two years after MKDC 2023 concludes. If the Organizer elects to purchase the rights for commercial use, a private agreement will be made between the Organizer and the Entrant for the transfer of intellectual property rights.
x. The Winners acknowledge and grant the Organizer exclusive manufacturing rights for 25 months after the announcement of the Winners and their Entries. The exclusive license will give the Organizer full rights to prototype and manufacture the work. No other party is allowed to prototype, manufacture, sell, import, or export the work without the Organizer’s permission.
xi. The Winners acknowledge that changes and modifications of their work may be required, including but not limited to manufacturing difficulties, manufacturing efficiencies, and marketability. The Organizer will inform and work in collaboration with the Winners on such changes, and ensure the Winner’s original concept and characteristics are retained as much as possible.
6. Representations, Warranties and Indemnity
i. The Entrant affirms that he or she has read, understands, and will abide by the Official Rules of MKDC 2023.
ii. The Entrant certifies that each submitted entry and all materials contained therein (the “Work”) are (with the exception of materials within the public domain) the Entrant’s wholly original creations and are not imitations of anyone else’s work; the Work does not infringe or violate any personal or property rights, including but not limited to defamation, privacy, false light, moral right, copyright, trademark of any person or entity, and the use thereof will result in no third party liability or obligations; and further, the Work is not the subject of any threatened or pending litigation, or claim dispute that might give rise to litigation that might undermine the rights to the Work or adversely affect the value of the work.
iii. The Entrant affirms that he or she has the right to participate in MKDC 2023 and to abide by the Official Rules and that the consent of no other party is required to grant those rights, with the exception of minors who must receive consent from their legal guardian prior to submission.
iv. Each Entrant asserts and certifies that he or she has not granted, assigned, or otherwise hypothecated any of his or her Entries to any other third party.
v. The Entrant certifies that the use of any material submitted to MKDC 2023 by the Organizer or their affiliates will not violate any agreement into which the Entrant has entered.
vi. The Entrant agrees to indemnify and hold blameless the Organizer, Elements Workshop Limited, and their subsidiaries, affiliates, distributors, attorneys, and any of the agencies engaged to support the operation of MKDC 2023, and each of their respective directors and employees from any third party claim of any breach of any representation, warranty or covenant made by the Entrant in connection with his or her acceptance of the Official Rules or activities of MKDC 2023.
7. Judging, Winner Selection, And Notification
The Organizer, at its sole discretion, will select for MKDC 2023 a panel of qualified judges, which will examine and score all eligible Entries based on a set of judging rubrics, and will thus determine a shortlist and Winners. The judges will apply and score Entries at their discretion and in whatever proportion they deem appropriate. The decisions of the judges are final and binding.
The Winners will be announced via the MKDC 2023 Website by the end of January 2024. The selected Winners will be notified prior via various communication means, including but not limited to email and direct messages on different social platforms. The Organizer reserves the right to extend the above deadline at its sole discretion.
In the event that the Organizer is unable to contact a Winner due to inaccurate, changed, or incomplete contact information, any prizes will be forfeited and an alternate Winner will be selected. Further, if any potential Winner is found to be ineligible, or not to be in compliance with the Official Rules, he or she may be disqualified and an alternate Winner may be selected. Neither the Organizer nor any of its affiliates shall be held liable for late, lost, misdirected, or unsuccessful efforts to notify a potential Winner.
8. Prizes
Each Winner will receive the following prizes:
i. The Organizer will contribute up to five thousand (5,000.00) USD as credit for the prototype production cost.
ii. In the event of a successful GB, the Organizer will give each Winner one production unit of their Work.
iii. A trophy. In the event that an Entry was submitted as a team, a maximum of two (2) trophies will be given to the winners.
iv. A physical certificate and a digital certificate. In the event that an Entry was submitted as a team, a maximum of two (2) physical certificates will be given to the winners.
v. A digital winner label. Winners will be granted the right to use the winner label for marketing and press purposes in direct connection with their Work.
Prizes are non-transferable and cash alternatives will not be offered.
Each Winner will take part in online workshops and meetings where the Organizer will work in collaboration with the Winners to further develop the selected Work into prototypes.
9. General Conditions
i. The Organizer and its affiliates are not responsible for any failure in the entry submission process, including but not limited to lost, misdirected, or undelivered data as a result of email filtering or inadequate storage space to receive email; the submission of incomplete or inaccurate information; missed deadlines; or stolen data. Further, the Organizer and its affiliates are not responsible for any technical failure or disruption of network or communication services, computer hardware or software systems, or other errors or failures of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, printing, or otherwise which may occur in connection with the administration and operation of MKDC 2023.
ii. The Organizer and its affiliates are not responsible for any inaccurate or misleading information related to MKDC 2023 which results from tampering or hacking with MKDC 2023 computers, websites, or any other electronic programs or systems, or printed material.
iii. The Organizer and its affiliates are not responsible for damage to any computer or mobile device used in connection to MKDC 2023, including but not limited to the downloading of materials from the MKDC 2023 website.
iv. In the event that the MKDC 2023 website or any other related electronic system is compromised by a virus, worm, bug, non-authorized human intervention, or any other cause which disrupts or falsifies the submission of entries, or otherwise corrupts or impairs the administration, security, propriety or fairness of MKDC 2023, the Organizer reserves the right to suspend, revise or terminate MKDC 2023; and further if MKDC 2023 is thus terminated, the Organizer, at its sole discretion, may select Winners from the other eligible entries.
v. The Organizer reserves the right to disqualify any participants who tamper with or abuse any aspect of MKDC 2023 or the MKDC 2023 website, or engage in unfair play, or who violate any of the Official Rules, and to void all entries from the disqualified parties.
CAUTION: ANY EFFORT TO TAMPER WITH, DISABLE, OR HARM THE MKDC 2023 WEBSITE OR IMPAIR THE OPERATION OF MKDC 2023 IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD ANY SUCH ATTEMPTS BE MADE, THE VIOLATER WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM MKDC 2023 AND MAY BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) AND OTHER PENALTIES PERMITTED BY LAW.
10. Release
i. Entrants in MKDC 2023 agree to release and hold blameless the Organizer and their subsidiaries, affiliates, distributors, attorneys, and any agencies contracted to support the operation of MKDC 2023, and each of their respective directors and employees (the “Released Parties”) from all liability, costs, losses, harm or injuries related to the entrant’s involvement in MKDC 2023, including but not limited to any work to develop prototypes, any work related to the submission of entries, and participation in any of the prizes.
ii. By participating in MKDC 2023, the Entrant acknowledges and agrees that the Released Parties may not be held responsible for any harm or injury to the Entrant or any other person, or their equipment or other property, related to participation in MKDC 2023. Further, the Released Parties may not be held responsible for any claims of infringement of privacy or rights of publicity, or claims of defamation; or any claim of violation of intellectual property resulting from participation in MKDC 2023.
iii. The Released Parties may not be held responsible for any error in the printing, selection, operation, or announcement of any activity related to MKDC 2023 or its prizes, whether the error be mechanical, electronic, typographical, human, or otherwise.
iv. The Entrant understands and accepts that the Released Parties hold no authority over the personnel, facilities, equipment, or operation.
v. Each Entrant agrees to release and indemnify the Released Parties from any liability resulting from his or her participation in MKDC 2023 and to waive all rights to bring any claim or legal action against the Released Parties.
vi. The Released Parties hold no responsibility for the actions of any participant in MKDC 2023, whether such actions involve an entrant’s attempt to evade any of the terms of the Official Rules, falsify entries, tamper with the integrity, security, and fair play of MKDC 2023, or any other action that could be construed as harmful to MKDC 2023 or its other participants.
11. Suspension, Modification, Or Termination
In the event that MKDC 2023 cannot be continued due to the occurrence of a Force Majeure Event, which includes, but is not limited to, any of the following;
(1) act of God (such as, but not limited to, fires, explosions, earthquakes, drought, tidal waves, and floods);
(2) war, hostilities (whether war be declared or not), invasion, act of foreign enemies, mobilization, requisition, or embargo;
(3) rebellion, revolution, insurrection, or military or usurped power, or civil war;
(4) contamination by radioactivity from any nuclear fuel, or from any nuclear waste, or other toxic explosions;
(5) riot, strikes, or civil disturbance
(6) acts or threats of terrorism
(7) global (or local) health emergency, pandemic, epidemic
(8) order or restriction of the government of any state or any country
(9) or any other causes or circumstances beyond its control whether the occurrence of such event(s) were foreseeable as of the date of this Agreement.
The Organizer has the right to modify, suspend, or terminate MKDC 2023 including prizes for each of the Winners. Further, the Organizer reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate MKDC 2023 should causes beyond its control corrupt or disrupt the administration, integrity, operation, security, or fair play of MKDC 2023.
12. Governing Law / Limitation Of Liability
In the event of any dispute arising from or in connection to MKDC 2023, the legal jurisdiction shall be Hong Kong. On any matter relating to the validity, interpretation, and enforceability of the Official Rules or the rights and responsibilities of the Organizer, the Entrants, and the Released Parties will be governed by the internal laws of Hong Kong without reference to principles of conflict of laws.
13. VALIDITY OF THE OFFICIAL RULES
All Entries to MKDC 2023 must follow the technical, creative, and legal requirements disclosed on the MKDC 2023 website and in the Official Rules. Any Entry that is late, illegible, incomplete, incomprehensible, or otherwise not in compliance with the Official Rules may be disqualified at the Organizer’s sole discretion. For the purposes of this competition, an online Entry is considered “received” when the MKDC 2023 website’s servers, and/or Untap Technologies’ website’s servers record the Entry information.
In the event of any dispute regarding the identity of an Entrant, the Entry will be deemed submitted by the “account holder” of the e-mail from which the Entry was sent (with the caveat that the owner of the account is eligible to participate in MKDC 2023). For the purposes of this competition, the “account holder” is the person assigned an e-mail address or username by the entity responsible for assigning the e-mail address (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, etc).
The Organizer and its affiliates which support the administration and operation of the MKDC 2023 are not responsible for lost, misdirected, tampered with, deleted, or invalid Entries.
If any of the terms of the Official Rules is or becomes void, invalid or impracticable, in full or in part, the validity and practicability of all the remaining terms shall not be affected. The Organizer will replace the void, invalid or impracticable provision with the valid and practicable provision that most closely approximates the purpose of the invalid, partially invalid or impracticable provision.
The Official Rules may be amended, modified, or supplemented.