Terms & Conditions

CIS – The Capital & Innovation Society is a part of BDCG GmbH, Dammstrasse 16, 6300 Zug, Switzerland (together referred to as “CIS”).

These Terms apply to the public website, membership-related services, CIS Connect, introductions, gatherings and other services where they are referenced or accepted. Individual invitations, offers, membership confirmations, event confirmations and partner terms take precedence in the event of a conflict.

The public website provides general information about CIS, its community and selected activities. CIS may update, correct, supplement, restrict or remove content at any time. Unless expressly confirmed in writing, website content does not constitute a binding offer, investment recommendation, legal or tax advice, or a guarantee of access or availability.

An enquiry, registration, application or introduction does not create a contractual entitlement. A membership agreement requires written confirmation from CIS identifying the contracting party and acceptance of the offer and the applicable version of these Terms by that party. For other services, an agreement is formed only when CIS issues a written invitation, confirmation or acceptance, or begins providing the expressly agreed service. CIS may accept or decline enquiries and applications at its discretion, subject to mandatory law.

CIS membership and services made available to members in that capacity, including access to CIS Connect, are available exclusively to businesses and self-employed professionals acting for purposes directly related to their trade, business or profession. CIS does not accept membership applications for private or family purposes.

The membership agreement is concluded between BDCG GmbH and the business identified in the written membership confirmation. A self-employed professional may contract in their own name for their business. A person accepting on behalf of a business confirms that they have authority to bind it. Membership may not be transferred or shared. Access granted to a named representative is personal and may not be shared or transferred.

Membership is offered exclusively by invitation following a confidential review. Professional achievement alone does not create an entitlement to membership. CIS considers integrity, discretion, reputation and the applicant’s contribution to the Society. CIS may request reasonable evidence of business activity, authority to act and the purpose of the membership. CIS may decline an application if eligibility cannot be verified. CIS may define an appropriate membership category, impose reasonable conditions or limit access to individual services. The contracting party must promptly notify CIS of any material change to these details.

Applicable fees, billing periods and payment dates are set out in the relevant offer, invoice or confirmation. Unless otherwise stated, fees are payable in advance and without deduction. Bank charges, taxes and duties attributable to the member remain their responsibility.

If payment is overdue, CIS may issue a reminder, suspend access to services and CIS Connect, withhold event confirmations or terminate the affected service after a reasonable grace period. Statutory rights remain reserved.

Attendance at gatherings is subject to invitation, availability and final confirmation. Registrations are personal. Transfers to third parties require prior written approval.

CIS may reasonably change programmes, speakers, venues, dates or formats and may cancel an event where required by insufficient participation, security concerns, partner decisions or circumstances beyond its control. Event-specific cancellation and refund rules stated in a confirmation take precedence.

Concierge services, access to and use of the CIS Connect platform, and any other additional services are not part of the membership and are not included in the membership fee unless expressly agreed in writing. Full members may use such services if and for as long as CIS makes them available. No member has a contractual entitlement to the provision, continued availability, particular scope or specific performance of any such service.

CIS Connect is a private platform for authorised users. Credentials must be protected against unauthorised use. Members may not scrape, copy, export, publish or commercially exploit member data, introductions, recommendations or other restricted content. CIS may suspend, restrict, modify or discontinue access or individual functions at any time. This applies in particular where necessary to protect members, systems, confidentiality or the integrity of the community.

Members and guests must act with integrity, respect and discretion. Information clearly shared in confidence, personal member information and non-public discussions must not be disclosed without permission.

Harassment, misleading representations, unauthorised solicitation, misuse of introductions, reputationally harmful conduct and unlawful activity are prohibited. Photo, video or audio recordings at private gatherings require prior permission where not expressly announced by CIS.

Unless otherwise expressly agreed in the individual membership confirmation, a paid membership runs for twelve months and automatically renews for successive twelve month periods unless CIS receives written notice of cancellation at least four weeks (28 calendar days) before the end of the current membership period. Notice must reach CIS by 23:59 Europe/Zurich time on the deadline date. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the applicable membership period.

Written notice may be submitted by email to info@ci-society.com, by letter to BDCG GmbH at the address above, or through the cancellation function in the Membership section of CIS Connect. Email and electronic submission through CIS Connect satisfy this requirement; a handwritten signature is not required. CIS Connect records the time of receipt and provides a downloadable acknowledgement. CIS confirms the applicable end date after checking the individual agreement. The time of receipt, rather than the time of confirmation, determines whether notice was given on time. If notice is received after the deadline, cancellation takes effect at the end of the following twelve month period, subject to any overriding individual agreement or mandatory rights.

This renewal and notice provision applies to membership agreements that expressly incorporate these Terms. It does not retroactively introduce a renewal obligation or a notice deadline into an existing membership. Complimentary memberships end on their stated expiry date without notice and do not automatically become paid memberships. Mandatory rights and rights to terminate for cause remain unaffected.

CIS may suspend access or terminate a membership or service for material breach, non-payment, misuse of CIS Connect, violation of confidentiality or community standards, unlawful conduct, or conduct reasonably capable of materially harming CIS, BDCG GmbH, members or partners. Where appropriate, CIS may first provide an opportunity to remedy the breach.

If materially false information is given about the contracting party, the authority to act on its behalf or the business purpose of the membership, CIS may suspend the affected access where proportionate. CIS may terminate the affected membership or service if the misrepresentation seriously undermines the basis on which it was granted.

Subject to mandatory law and any express written agreement to the contrary, the full annual membership fee for the membership year in progress immediately before termination takes effect remains payable. This includes termination by CIS for non-payment. Any unpaid balance for that membership year is due when termination takes effect, unless it was due earlier. This provision applies to paid membership agreements that expressly incorporate these Terms.

Where termination results from a breach attributable to the member, fees already due remain payable and no refund is owed for the affected period to the extent permitted by law. Any ordinary termination rights stated in the individual membership confirmation remain unaffected.

Venues, travel providers, event organisers, partner platforms and other third parties provide their services on their own responsibility and under their own terms. CIS may facilitate access or introductions but does not become the provider of those services unless expressly stated. Members must assess third-party offers independently.

Introductions, discussions, content and community access are provided for information and personal exchange. They do not constitute investment, financial, legal, tax, medical or other professional advice. Each member and guest remains responsible for their own due diligence, decisions and transactions.

CIS and BDCG GmbH are liable without limitation where liability cannot lawfully be excluded, including for intent and gross negligence. Subject to mandatory law, liability for slight negligence is excluded. Where such exclusion is not permitted, liability is limited to the direct, foreseeable loss typical for the relevant agreement.

To the extent permitted by law, CIS is not liable for indirect or consequential losses, lost profits, lost opportunities, decisions made following an introduction, acts or omissions of members or third parties, temporary platform unavailability, or circumstances beyond reasonable control. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that may not be excluded under applicable law.

To the extent permitted by law, a member or user shall indemnify CIS and BDCG GmbH against justified third-party claims, reasonable defence costs and losses resulting from that person’s unlawful conduct, breach of confidentiality, infringement of third-party rights or material violation of these Terms.

CIS names, branding, text, design, photographs and original content are protected. No content may be copied, modified, republished, distributed or commercially used without prior written permission. Third-party trademarks and media remain the property of their respective owners.

Personal data is processed in accordance with the Privacy Statement and applicable law. Members must handle personal data received through CIS or CIS Connect confidentially and only for the legitimate purpose for which access was granted.

CIS is not responsible for delay, modification or non-performance caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including governmental measures, transport disruption, venue closure, technical failure, cyber incidents, public-health events, natural events or comparable circumstances. CIS will take reasonable steps to limit the effects where practicable.

CIS may amend these Terms for objective reasons, including changes to services, technology, legal requirements or security needs. The current version will be published on the website. Material changes affecting an ongoing paid service will be communicated through an appropriate channel and will apply subject to mandatory law.

If a provision is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect. The invalid provision shall be replaced, to the extent legally possible, by a valid provision that most closely reflects its commercial purpose. Mandatory statutory rights remain unaffected.

These Terms and the contractual relationship are governed by substantive Swiss law, excluding conflict-of-law rules. Subject to mandatory jurisdictions, the courts at the registered seat of BDCG GmbH in Zug, Switzerland, have exclusive jurisdiction. Mandatory consumer rights and jurisdictions remain reserved.

Questions regarding these Terms may be directed to info@ci-society.com.