§1 General
§ 1.1
The general terms and conditions apply to competitions organised by d.sign21. (d.sign21 is the label of Völcker & Völcker GbR, represented by the Managing Director Dipl.-Ing. (FH), M.A. Simone Völcker, and Managing Director Dipl.-Ing. (FH), M.A. Christoph Völcker, Fronhof 1, 70378 Stuttgart, Germany. Email: info(at)3dpc.io Telephone: +49 711 658 44 99.) d.sign21 is hereinafter referred to as the “Organiser”.
Messe Erfurt GmbH, represented by the CEO Michael Kynast, is the exclusive licensee for the 3D Pioneers Challenge 2025 and hosts the competition at the event of Messe Erfurt, rapid.tech 3D. (Messe Erfurt GmbH, Gothaer Straße 34, 99094 Erfurt, Germany, Email info(at)messe-erfurt.de. Telephone: + 49 361 400-0) Messe Erfurt GmbH is hereinafter referred to as the “Promoter”.
§1.2
Participation is subject to the present terms and conditions. By participating in the 3D Pioneers Challenge competition, participants recognize the conditions of participation as binding.
§1.3
With the registration at www.3dpc.io the participant accepts the General Business Terms and conditions of participation as well as the General Data Protection Regulation GDPR of Völcker & Völcker GbR.
§1.4
The registration of the participation takes place exclusively online on the internet. The formalities are available for download from the website www.3dpc.io.
§2 Competition
The 3D Pioneers Challenge, the competition for Additive Manufacturing and Advanced Technologies, seeks to uncover specialists from around the world who are thinking outside the box and pushing boundaries. The final decision is based in large part on a consideration of current issues as well as medium- and long-term trends that link to new technologies and provide practical applications, integrate them into existing processes, taking into account the complete value-added system or create forward-looking concepts.
The focus is on “verticals”, that means on all major disciplines that use 3D printing and that are leading the way in Additive Manufacturing. Prize money and various prizes are awarded annually. For a more detailed description of the disciplines, criteria’s and prizes, see the registration documents and formalities.
§3 Entrants
§3.1
Students (“students”) as well as professional firms („Young Professionals / Start-Ups“ und „Professionals“) in the design, architecture, fashion, medical, automotive, research, construction, engineering, digital media and technology fields, are entitled to participate.
The group of participants must be selected within the application process.
Students and Young Professionals are participants that are less than 3 years away from their studies or education. Professionals are more than three years on the market or private limited companies independent of their date of foundation. (corresponding participation fees see §7)
Group entries are also permitted.
Anything can be submitted, from projects that have already been publicised to brand new ideas.
Only finalists from previous years may participate in the 3D Pioneers Challenge 2025. Their new submissions must not be older than 5 years.
§3.2
For cooperative and team submissions, a main contact person must be named as a primary contact within the application form for further correspondence.
§3.3
When naming the institution and member, there should be no duplication in order to avoid confusion.
Institution means: University, Office, Research institution, Company
Member name means: Contact person, participant.
§4 Jury
§4.1
The independent jury is assembled annually and consists of experts in the respective verticals.
In 2025, the jury will be made up from the jurors of the last decade.
The non-public, multi-stage selection process takes place after the submission deadline.
Any member of the jury directly involved with a submitted entry will not be allowed to vote for this submission.
§4.2
The evaluation is carried out according to criteria that can be found in the tender documents / formalities.
§4.3
The jury will decide how to weight the evaluation criteria in detail and how to distribute the awards.
The decision of the jury is final and there is no right of appeal.
§5 Award
§5.1
The finalists, means the best submissions, will be selected in the multi-stage jury procedure. They will be exhibited and awarded by 3D Pioneers Challenge and under the scope of the event of the promoter. (§9, §12.3)
§5.2
The best finalists will be selected as winners and awarded. The amount and type of prizes will be published annually in the formalities and/or on the homepage and/or social media.
The organiser acts as a mediator. The respective cooperation partners are responsible for organising the handing over of the awards and prizes. There is no legal claim.
§ 5.3
The 3D Pioneers Challenge exhibition and award ceremony will take place whilst event of the promoter. This may be realized virtually, hybrid or onsite.
§5.4
All finalists are part of the 3DPC-PR-campaign with publications and possible exhibitions. (§ 9, §12.3)
§5.5
If it comes to an onsite-exhibition, existing models of the project shall be provided for the presentation by the participant.
By arrangement with the organizer, exhibits from the year of the previous participation in the final are also required for the 2025 exhibition.
Submissions that have not been already produced may be produced for the exhibition by the partners of the competition free of charge for the entrant. After that and after the roadshow the object may be returned to the participants against a shipping fee. Participants must state their interest in this option at the time of registration. The participant must contact the organisers in good time with the announcement of participation in the final in order to discuss the production possibilities and thus secure the exhibition of all exhibits.
§6 Registration, Submission and Conclusion of the Agreement
§6.1
Registration and thus contractual existence takes place together with the registration on www.3dpc.io and the submission of at least one project, at the latest by the submission deadline.
A more detailed description of the registration process can be found in the tender documents / formalities of the respective year.
§6.2
The submission must be complete.
§6.3
By submitting a project, the participant is legally obliged to pay any participation fees (see §7).
§6.4
Only finalists from previous years may participate in the 3D Pioneers Challenge 2025.
Their new submissions must not be older than 5 years at the time of the submission deadline.
3DPC entries that made it to the 3DPC final exhibition in former years may not be considered again.
§6.5
Each participant may enter a maximum of 3 submissions.
§6.6
Printable, producible data for the respective additive processes of an object that could be exhibited are expressly required for participation (this does not include Software or technologies, or similar entries). The datas are necessary for a smooth realisation of the exhibition and ensuring exhibits. (see § 8.2, §9) If required, additional data for media presentations might be requested.
§6.7
The approved languages are German and English.
§6.8
The submission deadline is the final deadline. Late registrations will not be allowed.
There is no right of appeal.
§6.9
If third parties show interest in getting in contact with the participant, the organiser will act as agent and will lead the contact of the interested third party to the entrant. Only for this purpose all contact data will be archived in a database unlimited and will not be handed to other third parties. For publications, presentations, archives or similar use, the organiser may use the provided pictures, movies and descriptions unlimited and free of charge by linking to the participant.
The participant confirms with the submission that all provided material is free of licences (Gema, third party rights...).
§6.10
The entrant gives its consent to receive newsletters with the registration at www.3dpc.io, This complies to the German Data protection laws. You may stop the newsletter by sending an email with : “End newsletter”. see also GDPR.
§7 Participation Fees and Payment Conditions
§7.1
“Students” and “Young Professionals/ Start-Ups“ whose studies or training ended less than 3 years ago, as well as exhibitors of the events of the promoter for the current year, pay no fees.
“Professionals” (companies more the 3 years on the market as well as private limited companies - independent of their date of foundation) pay the participation fees in accordance with the application documents plus the current statutory value-added tax. (§6.3)
The participation fees may vary for each year and will be published in the current registration documents / formalities.
§7.2
The entrant receives the invoice at the latest after the submission deadline. The participation fees are to be transferred to the account specified in the invoice within 10 days of receipt of the invoice, without deduction. This is a condition for participation in the competition. the fees are independent of whether the entry is selected for the final or not, so obligatory.
§7.3
Registration fees are refundable or don´t appear only if the participant’s cancellation is received in time within 14 days in written form. (see §13)
§7.4
The participant bears all costs that are associated with processing the submitted designs (modell) - sending and return. The organiser and the promoter disclaims liability. Proper and save packaging has to be provided by the participant. Please no foam packaging peanuts. 3DPC appreciates sustainable packaging.
§7.5
No further costs arise for the participants. This also applies to further presentations, documentations and publications.
§8 Public Relations
§8.1
The newsletter relates to application documents, results of the competition and possible roadshow stops as well as projects and topics concerning the 3DPC. Registered participants as well as subcribers of the newsletter accept the GDPR (see §1.3)
§8.2
The details and results of the competition are presented and published as part of the event of the promoter in the current year and by the organiser via press materials (digital and print).
Furthermore, the organiser may use and publish the information and results of the competition for other printed media and digital media, including films and images, in an unlimited manner and free of charge- also to forward it to press/media partners.
Not affected are personal contact details and the provided 3D print data if applicable. These are only used as part of the ongoing competition for its organization when necessary for cooperating partners, but will not be disclosed to third parties.
Press materials will be made available. Copyright is held by the organiser, and reproduction is permitted only by arrangement.
§9 Exhibitions
§9.1
The organiser plans exhibitions and presentations such as roadshow stops throughout the following year after the competition's finale and award ceremony.
.
The organiser informs about the planned roadshow details and/or announces them on Newsletter / website /social media if applicable. (§12.3)
§9.2
At roadstops the exhibits of the finalists will be presented on international events. The exhibit or an adequate alternative may be in charge of the organiser for around one year.
§9.3
Generally, the finalists may ask for their exhibit any time for own purposes in agreement whilst that period of one year. Please inform 3DPC in time regarding organisation and transportation time as well as to avoid overlapping of exhibitions.. It will be decided when the exhibit needs to be back at 3DPC individually. Transportation costs are taken by the participant.
§9.4
The exhibits are selected in cooperation with the respective host of the event. Exhibition insurance is the responsibility of the host.
The aim is to make it equal for all finalists as far as possible over the period of all events. There is no right neither that the projects will be presented nor that you may attend the events in person.
§10 Liability / Insurance
The participant bears all costs that are associated with processing the submitted objects - sending and return. The package needs to be securely packed for the transportation by the participant. 3DPC appreciates sustainable packaging.
Pictorial documentation for repacking is helpful and it is requested in the interest of the participant to enclose such pictures. Any special tools required for setting up, packing and securing the exhibit must be included.
The organiser and the promoter disclaim liability.
§11 General Legal Conditions
§11.1
Participants are responsible for ensuring the rights to their designs are protected and ensuring that the rights of third parties are not breached by their participation in the competition and the publication of the results of the competition in printed documents, online media, exhibitions and press releases. They will provide all required documentation free of charge.
The organiser, promoter, cooperation partners and jurors of the competition are exempted by the participant from all claims, demands and rights of third parties in the case of an alleged infringement. Any damages that arise will be borne by the participant. (see § 15.2)
§11.2
The entrant owns the copy right of its submissions.
The participant grants the organiser unlimited usage, disposition, patent rights and archiving (see § 6.9, §8.2), within the framework of the competition and its public relations, for the data, texts, films and images provided in the submission.
§11.3
In addition, cooperation partners and participants can inform the organiser of their mutual interest to enter into further partnerships with the 3DPC-involved of the corresponding year. The organiser is the coordinator and mediator. Consent regarding implementation is the responsibility of the participant. By registering, participants agree to this, according to GDPR. By agreeing to cooperate on the 3D Pioneers Challenge, cooperation partners have given their consent.
§11.4
The winners may use the award indefinitely for their own communication purposes. The organiser can also show the prize-winning designs at further exhibitions to the extent that this fits conceptually with the respective exhibitions/events/virtual presentations.
§12 Reservations
§12.1
Provided that the promoter and organiser together have not secured the economic viability or other good reasons such as force majeure, e.g. pandemics, occur, the organiser reserves the right to cancel the competition.
§12.2
This agreement remains valid if the actual competition is postponed. If the actual competition is cancelled, the contractual partners are freed from all obligations without any right to assert claims for reimbursement of costs or damages. §7 remains unaffected for submissions already made.
§12.3
The planning, conception and implementation of the competition can be adapted by the organiser according to current regulations on pandemics, due to force majeure or economic aspects.
§13 Withdrawal
The participant may withdraw from his/her registration within 14 days before application deadline. The withdrawal must be declared in writing. Should payment already have been made by the participant to the organiser within the 14 days, it will be refunded to the participant in the event of a timely withdrawal. After 14 days as well as with the deadline, withdrawal of the participant and a refund of the associated fees are excluded. A request to delete the personal contact data according to GDPR must also be made in writing.
§14 Confidentiality
Participants, cooperation partners, jurors as well as the promoter and organiser agree to maintain confidentiality about the submissions during the processing and evaluation period. This applies to all exhibited, winning and featured submissions until the day of publication or award ceremony in the current year.
§15 Place of Performance and Place of Jurisdiction
§15.1
The exclusive place of performance and place of jurisdiction for the agreement is the business headquarters of the organiser; this also applies if the participant resides abroad.
§15.2
As soon as the promoter or organiser is made aware by legal judgement or court decision that third-party rights were violated by the submission, the participant may be excluded or the awards and prizes revoked.
§15.3
Any claims must be made in writing.
§16 Severability Clause
Should any individual provisions of this agreement be or become ineffective, the effectiveness of the contract as a whole shall not be affected thereby. In such a case, a provision which comes as close as possible to the content of the original provision shall take the place of the non-included or ineffective provision.
§17 Miscellaneous
By participating in the competition, participants confirm their acceptance of the general legal conditions described above and the information regarding liability and insurance. With the registration for the competition, the participants make a legally binding declaration to adhere to the terms of the competition. The jury’s decision is final. There is no right of appeal. Subject to change.
Contact Organiser
Völcker & Völcker GbR
3D Pioneers Challenge
Fronhof 2/1
70378 Stuttgart
info@3dpc.io
www.3dpc.io
Tel: +49 (0) 711 658 44 99
Fax: +49 (0) 711 658 44 99
January 2025