Terms & Conditions

1. Introduction

Welcome to ExpertMatched. These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of the ExpertMatched platform and services, operated by POWERTECH DIGITAL LIMITED, a company registered in England and Wales (Company Number 16015351) with registered office at 85 Great Portland Street, London, Greater London, United Kingdom, W1W 7LT ("we," "us," or "our").

By accessing or using ExpertMatched, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you must not use our platform.

2. About ExpertMatched

ExpertMatched is a marketplace platform that connects business founders and entrepreneurs ("Businesses") with domain experts ("Experts") for validation sessions, consultation, and strategic guidance.

Important: ExpertMatched is a platform provider only. We facilitate connections between Businesses and Experts but are not a party to any agreements or relationships formed between users. We do not employ Experts, and no employment, partnership, or agency relationship exists between ExpertMatched and any user.

3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Registration

To use ExpertMatched, you must create an account and provide accurate, current, and complete information. You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breach
• Ensuring you are at least 18 years old or the age of majority in your jurisdiction

3.2 Account Types

Business Accounts: For founders, entrepreneurs, and organizations seeking expert validation.

Expert Accounts: For professionals offering their expertise and domain knowledge.

Users may hold both account types but must clearly identify which capacity they are acting in for each transaction.

4. Services

4.1 For Businesses

• Search and discover domain experts based on industry, expertise, and experience
• View anonymized expert profiles before booking
• Send session requests to experts with project details
• Book and pay for validation sessions
• Communicate with experts through our secure messaging system

4.2 For Experts

• Create detailed professional profiles showcasing expertise
• Receive session requests from businesses
• Set hourly rates and availability
• Accept or decline session requests
• Receive payment for completed sessions

5. Payments & Fees

5.1 Payment Processing

All payments are processed securely through Stripe. By making a payment, you agree to Stripe's terms of service. We do not store your complete payment card details.

5.2 Business Payments

Businesses pay for sessions based on the Expert's hourly rate and session duration. Payment is required at the time of booking. Prices are displayed in GBP or USD and may be subject to applicable taxes.

5.3 Expert Payouts

Experts receive payment after successful session completion, minus our platform fee (currently 15-20%). Payouts are processed monthly or according to the schedule specified in your Expert dashboard.

5.4 Platform Fees

ExpertMatched charges a service fee on each transaction. The current fee structure is available in your dashboard. We reserve the right to modify fees with 30 days' notice.

6. Bookings, Cancellations & Refunds

6.1 Booking Sessions

When a Business sends a session request and an Expert accepts, a binding agreement is formed between the Business and Expert for the specified session.

6.2 Cancellation Policy

• More than 48 hours before session: Full refund minus payment processing fees (3%)
• 24-48 hours before session: 50% refund
• Less than 24 hours before session: No refund
• Expert cancellation: Full refund to Business, no penalty to Business

6.3 Disputes & Refunds

If you are unsatisfied with a session, you may request a refund within 24 hours of session completion by contacting support@expertmatched.com. We will review each case individually. Refund requests based on session quality are at our discretion.

7. User Conduct

You agree NOT to:

• Violate any laws or regulations
• Infringe on intellectual property rights of others
• Harass, abuse, or harm other users
• Attempt to circumvent the platform to avoid fees
• Share contact information to take transactions off-platform
• Scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to access the platform
• Upload malicious code, viruses, or harmful content
• Impersonate others or provide false information
• Use the platform for illegal or fraudulent purposes

8. Intellectual Property

8.1 Platform Content

ExpertMatched and all platform content, features, and functionality (including but not limited to design, text, graphics, logos, and software) are owned by POWERTECH DIGITAL LIMITED and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

8.2 User Content

You retain ownership of content you submit to ExpertMatched (profile information, messages, etc.). By submitting content, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute your content solely for operating and improving the platform.

8.3 Session Content

Information shared during sessions remains the property of the respective parties. Experts retain ownership of their advice and insights. Businesses retain ownership of their business information and ideas.

9. Privacy & Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection and use of personal information is described in our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

We comply with the UK GDPR, EU GDPR, and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). You have rights regarding your personal data as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

10. Disclaimers & Limitation of Liability

10.1 Service "As Is"

ExpertMatched is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

10.2 No Guarantee of Results

We do not guarantee that using ExpertMatched will result in business success, validation, or any specific outcome. Expert advice is opinion-based and should not be considered professional legal, financial, or medical advice.

10.3 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, POWERTECH DIGITAL LIMITED shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses resulting from:

• Your use or inability to use ExpertMatched
• Any conduct or content of any third party on the platform
• Unauthorized access to or alteration of your transmissions or content
• The quality of advice or services provided by Experts

Our total liability for any claims arising from these Terms or your use of ExpertMatched shall not exceed the amount you paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim, or £100, whichever is greater.

10.4 Jurisdictional Variations

Some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties or limitations of liability for incidental or consequential damages. In such jurisdictions, the above limitations may not apply to you.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless POWERTECH DIGITAL LIMITED, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of ExpertMatched
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any rights of another party
• Content you submit to the platform

12. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including if you breach these Terms. Upon termination:

• Your right to use ExpertMatched will immediately cease
• We may delete your account and content
• Outstanding payments for completed sessions remain due
• Scheduled sessions may be cancelled with appropriate refunds

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting support@expertmatched.com.

13. Dispute Resolution

13.1 Informal Resolution

If you have a dispute with us, please contact support@expertmatched.com first. We will attempt to resolve the dispute informally.

13.2 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without regard to conflict of law principles.

13.3 Jurisdiction

For users located in the United Kingdom or European Union, any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

For users located in the United States, disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the American Arbitration Association's rules, except where prohibited by law.

For California residents, you have the right to pursue disputes in small claims court rather than arbitration if your claim qualifies.

14. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• Sending an email to your registered email address
• Displaying a prominent notice on the platform

Your continued use of ExpertMatched after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

15. General Provisions

15.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and POWERTECH DIGITAL LIMITED regarding ExpertMatched.

15.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

15.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be deemed a waiver of such right or provision.

15.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your account without our prior written consent. We may assign or transfer these Terms without restriction.

16. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, please contact us: