Terms of Use

Please read this terms of use agreement (“TERMS”) carefully. The TERMS ARE a legal contract between you and Northpond Ventures, LLC (“Northpond”, “us”, “our”, and “we”).  

Section 8 is an arbitration clause that requires most disputes between us to be resolved on an individual, non-class action basis through binding and final arbitration instead of in court. see section 8 for more information regarding this arbitration clause, and how to opt out. 

By accessing or using northpondventures.com, or any other website with an authorized link to these Terms (“Site”) or accessing or using any content, information, services, features or resources available or enabled via the Site (collectively, the “Services”), or clicking on a button or taking another action to signify your acceptance of these Terms, you: (1) agree to be bound by these Terms and any future amendments and additions to these Terms as published through the Services; (2) represent you are of legal age in your jurisdiction of residence to form a binding contract; and (3) represent that you have the authority to enter into these Terms personally and, if applicable, on behalf of any company, organization or other legal entity on whose behalf you use the Services. Except as otherwise provided herein, if you do not agree to be bound by these Terms, you may not access or use the Services. 

Northpond reserves the right to modify these Terms or its policies relating to the Services at any time, effective upon posting of an updated version of these Terms on the Services. You should regularly review these Terms, as your continued use of the Services after any such changes constitutes your agreement to such changes. 

  1. Access to the Site 
    1. License.  Subject to these Terms, Northpond grants you a non-transferable, non-exclusive, revocable, limited license to use and access the Site solely for your own personal, noncommercial use.
    2. Certain Restrictions.  The rights granted to you in these Terms are subject to the following restrictions: (a) you shall not license, sell, rent, lease, transfer, assign, distribute, host, or otherwise commercially exploit the Site, whether in whole or in part, or any content displayed on the Site; (b) you shall not modify, make derivative works of, disassemble, reverse compile or reverse engineer any part of the Site; (c) you shall not access the Site in order to build a similar or competitive website or service; and (d) except as expressly stated herein, no part of the Site may be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means.  Unless otherwise indicated, any future release, update, or other addition to functionality of the Site shall be subject to these Terms.  All copyright and other proprietary notices on the Site (or on any content displayed on the Site) must be retained on all copies thereof.
    3. Modification.  Northpond reserves the right, at any time, to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Site (in whole or in part) with or without notice to you.  You agree that Northpond will not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Site or any part thereof.
    4. No Support or Maintenance.  You acknowledge and agree that Northpond will have no obligation to provide you with any support or maintenance in connection with the Site.
    5. Ownership.  You acknowledge that all the intellectual property rights, including copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, in the Site and its content are owned by Northpond.  Neither these Terms (nor your access to the Site) transfers to you or any third party any rights, title or interest in or to such intellectual property rights, except for the limited access rights expressly set forth in Section 1.1. Northpond reserves all rights not granted in these Terms.  There are no implied licenses granted under these Terms.
    6. Feedback.  If you provide Northpond with any feedback or suggestions regarding the Site (“Feedback”), you hereby assign to Northpond all rights in such Feedback and agree that Northpond shall have the right to use and fully exploit such Feedback and related information in any manner it deems appropriate.  Northpond will treat any Feedback you provide to Northpond as non-confidential and non-proprietary.  You agree that you will not submit to Northpond any information or ideas that you consider to be confidential or proprietary.
  2. Third-Party Links
    1. Third-Party Links.  The Site may contain links to third-party websites and services (collectively, “Third-Party Links”).  Such Third-Party Links are not under the control of Northpond, and Northpond is not responsible for any Third-Party Links.  Northpond provides access to these Third-Party Links only as a convenience to you, and does not review, approve, monitor, endorse, warrant, or make any representations with respect to Third-Party Links.  You use all Third-Party Links at your own risk, and should apply a suitable level of caution and discretion in doing so. When you click on any of the Third-Party Links, the applicable third party’s terms and policies apply, including the third party’s privacy and data gathering practices.  You should make whatever investigation you feel necessary or appropriate before proceeding with any transaction in connection with such Third-Party Links.
    2. Release.  You hereby release and forever discharge the Northpond (and our officers, employees, agents, successors, and assigns) from, and hereby waive and relinquish, each and every past, present and future dispute, claim, controversy, demand, right, obligation, liability, action and cause of action of every kind and nature (including personal injuries, death, and property damage), that has arisen or arises directly or indirectly out of, or that relates directly or indirectly to, the Site (including any interactions with, or act or omission of, other Site users or any Third-Party Links).  IF YOU ARE A CALIFORNIA RESIDENT, YOU HEREBY WAIVE CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE SECTION 1542 IN CONNECTION WITH THE FOREGOING, WHICH STATES: “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.”
  3. Indemnification.   You agree to indemnify and hold Northpond, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, employees, agents, partners, and licensors (each, a “Northpond Party” and collectively, the “Northpond Parties”) harmless from any losses, costs, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) relating to or arising out of any and all of the following: (a) your use of, or inability to use, the Site or Services, (b) your violation of these Terms or (c) your violation of applicable laws or regulations. Northpond reserves the right, at its own cost, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which event you will fully cooperate with Northpond in asserting any available defenses.  This provision does not require you to indemnify any of the Northpond Parties for any unconscionable commercial practice by such party or for such party’s fraud, deception, false promise, misrepresentation or concealment, suppression or omission of any material fact in connection with the Site or any Services provided hereunder. You agree that the provisions in this section will survive any termination of the Terms and/or your access to the Site and Services.
  4. Disclaimers of Warranties

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK, AND THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITH ALL FAULTS. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, NORTHPOND PARTIES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS, AND CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT ARISING FROM USE OF THE SITE AND/OR SERVICES.

Nothing on this Site is intended to constitute an offer, or solicitation of an offer, to purchase or sell any security, other asset or service; investment advice or an offer to provide such advice; or a basis for making any investment decision. Neither this Site nor any of the content, materials and information available on or through this Site makes any effort to present a comprehensive or balanced description of Northpond or its investment activities. Nothing on the Site is intended to be, and you should not consider anything on the Site to be, investment, accounting, tax or legal advice. The past performance of any investment, investment strategy or investment style is not necessarily indicative of future performance.

CERTAIN STATE LAWS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON IMPLIED WARRANTIES. IF THESE LAWS APPLY TO YOU, SOME OR ALL OF THE FOREGOING DISCLAIMERS, EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND YOU MIGHT HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS. 

  1. Limitation on Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL NORTHPOND BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA, COSTS OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTES, OR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE SITE, EVEN IF NORTHPOND HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  ACCESS TO, AND USE OF, THE SITE IS AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK, AND YOU WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR DEVICE OR COMPUTER SYSTEM, OR LOSS OF DATA RESULTING THEREFROM.  

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED HEREIN, OUR LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS (FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF THE ACTION), WILL AT ALL TIMES BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS (U.S. $100.00). THE EXISTENCE OF MORE THAN ONE CLAIM WILL NOT ENLARGE THIS LIMIT.  

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.   

  1. Term and Termination.   Subject to this Section 6, these Terms will remain in full force and effect while you use the Site.  We may suspend or terminate your rights to use the Site at any time for any reason at our sole discretion, including for any use of the Site in violation of these Terms.  Upon termination of your rights under these Terms, your right to access and use the Site will terminate immediately.  Northpond will not have any liability whatsoever to you for any termination of your rights under these Terms.  All provisions of the Terms which by their nature should survive, shall survive termination of your right to access and use the Site, including without limitation, ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, and limitation of liability.
  1. International Users.  The Services can be accessed from countries around the world and may contain references to Services that are not available in your country.  These references do not imply that Northpond intends to announce such Services in your country.  The Services are controlled and offered by Northpond in the United States of America. Northpond makes no representations that the Services are appropriate or available for use in other locations.  Those who access or use the Services from other countries do so at their own volition and are responsible for compliance with local law.
  2. Dispute Resolution. Please read the following arbitration agreement in this Section (“Arbitration Agreement”) carefully.  It requires you to arbitrate disputes with Northpond and limits the manner in which you can seek relief from us.
    1. Applicability of Arbitration Agreement.  You agree that any dispute or claim relating in any way to your access or use of the Site or to any aspect of your relationship with Northpond, will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that (1) you may assert claims in small claims court if your claims qualify; and (2) you or Northpond may seek equitable relief in court for infringement or other misuse of intellectual property rights (such as trademarks, trade dress, domain names, trade secrets, copyrights, and patents).  This Arbitration Agreement shall apply, without limitation, to all claims that arose or were asserted before the effective date of this Agreement or any prior version of this Agreement.
    2. Arbitration Rules and Forum.  The Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this Arbitration Agreement.  To begin an arbitration proceeding, you must send a letter requesting arbitration and describing your claim to our registered agent: Corporation Service Company, 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, Delaware 19808.  The arbitration will be conducted by JAMS, an established alternative dispute resolution provider.  Disputes involving claims and counterclaims under $250,000, not inclusive of attorneys’ fees and interest, shall be subject to JAMS’s most current version of the Streamlined Arbitration Rules and procedures available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-streamlined-arbitration/; all other claims shall be subject to JAMS’s most current version of the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures, available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-comprehensive-arbitration/.  JAMS’s rules are also available at www.jamsadr.com or by calling JAMS at 800-352-5267.  If JAMS is not available to arbitrate, the parties will select an alternative arbitral forum.  If the arbitrator finds that you cannot afford to pay JAMS’s filing, administrative, hearing and/or other fees and cannot obtain a waiver from JAMS, Northpond will pay them for you.  In addition, Northpond will reimburse all such JAMS’s filing, administrative, hearing and/or other fees for claims totaling less than $10,000 unless the arbitrator determines the claims are frivolous.

You may choose to have the arbitration conducted by telephone, based on written submissions, or in person in the country where you live or at another mutually agreed location.  Any judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

  1. Authority of Arbitrator.  The arbitrator shall have exclusive authority to (a) determine the scope and enforceability of this Arbitration Agreement and (b) resolve any dispute related to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability or formation of this Arbitration Agreement including, but not limited to, any claim that all or any part of this Arbitration Agreement is void or voidable.  The arbitration will decide the rights and liabilities, if any, of you and Northpond.  The arbitration proceeding will not be consolidated with any other matters or joined with any other cases or parties.  The arbitrator shall have the authority to grant motions dispositive of all or part of any claim. The arbitrator shall have the authority to award monetary damages and to grant any non-monetary remedy or relief available to an individual under applicable law, the arbitral forum’s rules, and the Terms (including the Arbitration Agreement). The arbitrator shall issue a written award and statement of decision describing the essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based, including the calculation of any damages awarded.  The arbitrator has the same authority to award relief on an individual basis that a judge in a court of law would have.  The award of the arbitrator is final and binding upon you and us.
  2. Waiver of Jury Trial.  YOU AND NORTHPOND HEREBY WAIVE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY RIGHTS TO SUE IN COURT AND HAVE A TRIAL IN FRONT OF A JUDGE OR A JURY.  You and Northpond are instead electing that all claims and disputes shall be resolved by arbitration under this Arbitration Agreement, except as specified in Section 8.1 above.  An arbitrator can award on an individual basis the same damages and relief as a court and must follow this Agreement as a court would.  However, there is no judge or jury in arbitration, and court review of an arbitration award is subject to very limited review.
  3. Waiver of Class or Other Non-Individualized Relief.  ALL CLAIMS AND DISPUTES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT MUST BE ARBITRATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT ON A CLASS OR COLLECTIVE BASIS, ONLY INDIVIDUAL RELIEF IS AVAILABLE, AND CLAIMS OF MORE THAN ONE CUSTOMER OR USER CANNOT BE ARBITRATED OR CONSOLIDATED WITH THOSE OF ANY OTHER CUSTOMER OR USER.  If a decision is issued stating that applicable law precludes enforcement of any of this subsection’s limitations as to a given claim for relief, then the claim must be severed from the arbitration and brought into the State or Federal Courts located in the State of Maryland.  All other claims shall be arbitrated.
  4. 30-Day Right to Opt Out.  You have the right to opt out of the provisions of this Arbitration Agreement by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to contact@northpondventures.com, within 30 days after first becoming subject to this Arbitration Agreement.  Your notice must include your name and address, your Northpond username (if any), the email address you used to set up your Northpond account (if you have one), and an unequivocal statement that you want to opt out of this Arbitration Agreement. If you opt out of this Arbitration Agreement, all other parts of this Agreement will continue to apply to you.  Opting out of this Arbitration Agreement has no effect on any other arbitration agreements that you may currently have, or may enter in the future, with us.
  5. Severability.  Except as provided in subsection 8.5, if any part or parts of this Arbitration Agreement are found under the law to be invalid or unenforceable, then such specific part or parts shall be of no force and effect and shall be severed and the remainder of the Arbitration Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
  6. Survival of Agreement. This Arbitration Agreement will survive the termination of your relationship with Northpond.
  7. Modification.  Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, we agree that if Northpond makes any future material change to this Arbitration Agreement, you may reject that change within thirty (30) days of such change becoming effective by writing Northpond at the following address: Northpond Ventures, LLC, 7500 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 800, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.
  8. General
    1. Electronic Communications.  The communications between you and Northpond may take place via electronic means, whether you visit the Services or send Northpond e-mails, or whether Northpond posts notices on the Services or communicates with you via e-mail.  For contractual purposes, you (a) consent to receive communications from Northpond in an electronic form; and (b) agree that all terms and conditions, agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that Northpond provides to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications would satisfy if it were to be in writing.  The foregoing does not affect your statutory rights.
    2. Assignment.  These Terms, and your rights and obligations hereunder, may not be assigned, subcontracted, delegated or otherwise transferred by you without Northpond’s prior written consent, and any attempted assignment, subcontract, delegation, or transfer in violation of the foregoing will be null and void.
    3. Force Majeure.  Northpond shall not be liable for any delay or failure to perform resulting from causes outside its reasonable control, including, but not limited to, acts of God, war, terrorism, riots, embargos, acts of civil or military authorities, fire, floods, accidents, strikes or shortages of transportation facilities, fuel, energy, labor or materials.
    4. Governing Law.  THE TERMS AND ANY ACTION RELATED THERETO WILL BE GOVERNED AND INTERPRETED BY AND UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND, CONSISTENT WITH THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY PRINCIPLES THAT PROVIDE FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION.  THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON CONTRACTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SALE OF GOODS DOES NOT APPLY TO THE TERMS.
    5. Notice.  Where Northpond requires that you provide an e-mail address, you are responsible for providing Northpond with your most current e-mail address.  In the event that the last e-mail address you provided to Northpond is not valid, or for any reason is not capable of delivering to you any notices required/ permitted by the Terms, Northpond’s dispatch of the e-mail containing such notice will nonetheless constitute effective notice.  You may give notice to Northpond at the following address: Northpond Ventures, LLC, 7500 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 800, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. Such notice shall be deemed given when received by Northpond by letter delivered by nationally recognized overnight delivery service or first class postage prepaid mail at the above address.
    6. Waiver.  Any waiver or failure to enforce any provision of the Terms on one occasion will not be deemed a waiver of any other provision or of such provision on any other occasion.
    7. Severability.  If any portion of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that portion shall be construed in a manner to reflect, as nearly as possible, the original intention of the parties, and the remaining portions shall remain in full force and effect.
    8. Entire Agreement.  The Terms are the final, complete and exclusive agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and merges all prior discussions between the parties with respect to such subject matter.
    9. Copyright/Trademark Information.  Copyright © 2019 Northpond Ventures, LLC. All rights reserved.  All trademarks, logos and service marks (“Marks”) displayed on the Site are our property or the property of other third parties. You are not permitted to use these Marks without our prior written consent or the consent of such third party which may own the Marks.
    10. Contact Information. Please direct any questions or comments about these Terms to contact@northpondventures.com. You may also write to us via postal mail at:

Northpond Ventures, LLC 
7500 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 800
Bethesda, Maryland 20814