Terms of Service

Effective Date: April 7, 2026 · Last Updated: June 2, 2026

These Terms of Service (the “Terms”) form a binding legal agreement between you and amelix Solutions LLC, a California limited liability company doing business as BarterSci (“BarterSci,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), and govern access to and use of the BarterSci website, applications, APIs, and related services (collectively, the “Platform”). By creating an account, accessing, browsing, or otherwise using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms, the Privacy Policy, the Cookie Policy, the Acceptable Use Policy, and, where applicable, the Data Processing Addendum, each of which is incorporated by reference. If you do not agree, do not access or use the Platform.

IMPORTANT: BarterSci is a marketplace and social-network style venue that connects researchers, scientists, laboratories, and other users for collaboration, exchange, and barter of scientific services, equipment time, materials, and expertise. BARTERSCI IS NOT A PARTY TO ANY AGREEMENT, COLLABORATION, OR TRANSACTION BETWEEN USERS, DOES NOT EMPLOY OR ENDORSE ANY USER, AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LABORATORY, SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL, LEGAL, FINANCIAL, REGULATORY, SAFETY, OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND. YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR DECISIONS, DUE DILIGENCE, COMPLIANCE, AND ANY ARRANGEMENT YOU ENTER INTO WITH ANY OTHER USER.

SECTION 16 CONTAINS A BINDING ARBITRATION CLAUSE AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER THAT AFFECT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.

1) Definitions

“User” means any person or entity that accesses or uses the Platform.
“Account” means a registered identity on the Platform.
“User Content” means all information, text, files, images, profile data, tasks, proposals, messages, and other materials a User submits, uploads, posts, transmits, or otherwise makes available through the Platform.
“Services” means the Platform features and functionality we make available, including any related websites, applications, APIs, content, and software.
“Transaction” means any collaboration, exchange, barter, service arrangement, loan, gift, sale, or agreement of any kind between Users, whether initiated, negotiated, completed, or performed on or off the Platform.
“Applicable Law” means all laws, statutes, regulations, ordinances, rules, and orders of any governmental authority applicable to the User, the Platform, or the Transaction.

2) Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old (or the age of legal majority in your jurisdiction if higher) to use the Platform. By using the Platform, you represent and warrant that (a) you meet this age requirement; (b) you have full legal capacity to enter into a binding contract; (c) you are not barred from using the Platform under Applicable Law; (d) you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any country subject to comprehensive U.S. economic sanctions; (e) you are not on any U.S. government denied or restricted-party list; and (f) if you are using the Platform on behalf of an organization, you have full authority to bind that organization to these Terms, in which case “you” refers to both you individually and the organization.

3) Accounts and security

You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your Account.
You must provide accurate, current, and complete information and keep it updated.
You must safeguard your credentials and enable available security features.
You must promptly notify us of any unauthorized access or suspected breach.
You may not transfer, sell, share, or assign your Account to any third party.
We may suspend, restrict, or terminate any Account, with or without notice, to protect Users, the Platform, third parties, or our rights, or in response to actual or suspected violation of these Terms or Applicable Law.

4) Platform role: venue only (no agency, no endorsement)

The Platform is an online venue that enables Users to publish profiles, post tasks, submit proposals, and communicate. BARTERSCI DOES NOT: (a) employ, contract with, endorse, recommend, screen, supervise, or vet Users; (b) verify the identity, background, credentials, qualifications, affiliations, licensure, certifications, insurance, or performance of any User; (c) guarantee any outcome, timeline, quality, safety, legality, or value of any User Content or Transaction; (d) act as an agent, broker, partner, joint venturer, fiduciary, escrow agent, custodian, intermediary, or insurer for any User; or (e) provide laboratory, scientific, medical, legal, financial, regulatory, tax, or professional advice.

Users are solely responsible for negotiating and entering into their own agreements, including scope, deliverables, pricing, payment, intellectual property terms, confidentiality, data rights, publication rights, authorship credit, export control compliance, biosafety, chemical safety, radiation safety, ethical review, animal and human subjects protections, regulatory approvals, indemnification, dispute resolution, and insurance. BarterSci is not responsible for any Transaction, including non-payment, non-delivery, fraud, misconduct, intellectual property theft, breach of confidentiality, accident, injury, environmental harm, regulatory violation, or any other dispute or loss arising between Users.

5) User Content and visibility

The Platform is designed to allow Users to publish profiles, tasks, proposals, and other content that may be visible to other Users and, depending on your settings, to the public, to non-registered visitors, and to search engines. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ONCE YOU PUBLISH OR TRANSMIT ANY USER CONTENT, WE CANNOT CONTROL HOW OTHER USERS OR THIRD PARTIES MAY VIEW, COPY, SCREENSHOT, RECORD, SAVE, ARCHIVE, INDEX, REDISTRIBUTE, OR USE THAT CONTENT, AND WE CANNOT FORCE THIRD PARTIES TO RETURN, DELETE, OR FORGET INFORMATION THEY HAVE OBTAINED.

DO NOT POST, SUBMIT, UPLOAD, OR SEND ANY INFORMATION THAT IS CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, TRADE SECRET, EXPORT-CONTROLLED, CLASSIFIED, REGULATED PERSONAL DATA, HEALTH INFORMATION, OR OTHERWISE SENSITIVE, UNLESS YOU HAVE A SEPARATE WRITTEN AGREEMENT (SUCH AS AN NDA) WITH THE OTHER PARTY GOVERNING THAT DISCLOSURE. COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE PLATFORM ARE NOT ENCRYPTED END-TO-END AND SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS CONFIDENTIAL.

6) License to User Content

You retain ownership of your User Content as between you and BarterSci. By submitting User Content, you grant BarterSci and its successors a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully paid-up, perpetual, irrevocable (during the period of lawful retention), sublicensable (through multiple tiers), and transferable license to host, store, cache, reproduce, modify (for technical purposes such as resizing or format conversion), create derivative works of (for technical purposes), publicly display, publicly perform, distribute, and otherwise use your User Content solely (i) to operate, provide, secure, maintain, and improve the Platform and Services; (ii) to display your content to other Users consistent with your visibility settings; (iii) to enforce these Terms; and (iv) to comply with Applicable Law and lawful requests from authorities. This license survives termination of your Account to the extent necessary for residual copies in backups, anti-abuse systems, archives, and legal holds.

You represent and warrant that (a) you own or have all necessary rights, licenses, consents, and permissions to grant the foregoing license; (b) your User Content does not and will not infringe, misappropriate, or violate any third party’s intellectual property, privacy, publicity, contractual, or other rights; and (c) your User Content complies with these Terms, the Acceptable Use Policy, and Applicable Law.

7) Feedback

If you submit feedback, ideas, suggestions, or proposals about the Platform, you grant BarterSci a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, modify, and exploit such feedback for any purpose without obligation, attribution, or compensation to you.

8) Prohibited conduct

Your use of the Platform is also governed by the Acceptable Use Policy, which is incorporated by reference. Without limiting that policy, you may not, and may not attempt to or assist others to:

Use the Platform in violation of any Applicable Law or third-party right;
Harass, threaten, defame, intimidate, dox, stalk, or harm any person;
Post hateful, discriminatory, sexually explicit, violent, or abusive content;
Engage in fraud, deception, impersonation, or misrepresentation;
Spam, scrape, harvest, or perform automated data collection without consent;
Phish, distribute malware, or compromise accounts, systems, or networks;
Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to derive source code, except where Applicable Law expressly prohibits such restrictions;
Bypass, disable, or interfere with security, rate-limiting, or access controls;
Use the Platform to facilitate the development, production, or transfer of weapons of mass destruction, chemical or biological weapons, missile technology, or other items subject to export controls in violation of Applicable Law;
Use the Platform in violation of U.S. Export Administration Regulations, International Traffic in Arms Regulations, EU dual-use regulations, or any sanctions program;
Use the Platform to recruit, transact with, or transfer technology to any sanctioned person or restricted party;
Post content you do not have the right to share, including third-party confidential information or unlicensed intellectual property;
Misrepresent your identity, affiliation, employment, credentials, licensure, certifications, or capabilities;
Use the Platform for any activity that endangers minors;
Use the Platform to conduct unlicensed clinical, medical, veterinary, or psychological practice; or
Violate any institutional, employer, funder, or sponsor policies applicable to your participation.

9) Safety, biosafety, and laboratory disclaimer

COLLABORATIONS INITIATED THROUGH THE PLATFORM MAY INVOLVE LABORATORY WORK, CHEMICALS, BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS, RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS, ANIMALS, HUMAN SUBJECTS, FIELDWORK, EQUIPMENT, CLINICAL OR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTS, OR OTHER INHERENTLY HAZARDOUS ACTIVITIES. BARTERSCI DOES NOT SUPERVISE, CONTROL, INSPECT, AUDIT, OR APPROVE ANY LABORATORY, FACILITY, EXPERIMENT, PROTOCOL, OR WORKPLACE ACTIVITY, AND DOES NOT CERTIFY ANY USER’S COMPETENCE, TRAINING, OR LICENSURE. YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL SAFETY, TRAINING, FACILITY ACCESS, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, RISK ASSESSMENTS, MATERIAL TRANSFER AGREEMENTS, BIOSAFETY AND BIOSECURITY APPROVALS, IRB OR ETHICS COMMITTEE APPROVALS, INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE APPROVALS, RADIATION SAFETY APPROVALS, REGULATORY REGISTRATIONS, INSURANCE, AND COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS AND INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES.

10) IP, confidentiality, and due diligence

The Platform itself does not create any non-disclosure obligation, transfer any intellectual property, or grant any license between Users. Any confidentiality, intellectual property ownership, licensing, publication rights, authorship, data rights, export control obligations, and regulatory responsibilities must be governed by a separate written agreement between the relevant Users. You are responsible for independently verifying the identity, credentials, affiliations, licensure, insurance, and trustworthiness of any User before initiating, continuing, or relying on any Transaction. We do not perform background checks and make no representation that any User is who they claim to be.

11) Monitoring, enforcement, content removal, and reporting

We may, but have no obligation to, monitor the Platform for compliance with these Terms, investigate suspected violations, remove or restrict access to User Content, suspend or terminate Accounts, and cooperate with law enforcement. WE ASSUME NO DUTY TO MONITOR AND MAKE NO REPRESENTATION THAT WE WILL IDENTIFY OR PREVENT ANY MISCONDUCT, AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY DUTY OF CARE TO ANY USER OR THIRD PARTY WITH RESPECT TO MONITORING OR REMOVAL DECISIONS. To report illegal content, intellectual property infringement, abuse, or other violations, contact support@bartersci.com.

DMCA / copyright notices: Notices of claimed copyright infringement should be sent to support@bartersci.com and must contain the information required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), including identification of the copyrighted work, identification of the allegedly infringing material, your contact information, a statement of good-faith belief, a statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and that you are authorized to act, and your physical or electronic signature.

11A) Reports, moderation, and automated account actions

BarterSci provides tools that allow Users to report content or other Users that they believe violate these Terms, the Acceptable Use Policy, or Applicable Law. BarterSci operates an automated multi-strike rule (the “Multi-Strike Rule”) that may suspend an Account when three (3) or more independent Users file reports against that Account at severity 2 or higher within a rolling 30-day window. Suspensions follow an escalation ladder of approximately 30 days (first strike), 90 days (second strike), 180 days (third strike), and extended duration with manual review at the fourth or higher strike. We may also suspend, restrict, or terminate any Account manually, with or without prior automated triggers, with or without notice, and for any reason or no reason, to protect Users, the Platform, third parties, or our rights, or in response to actual or suspected violation of these Terms or Applicable Law.

Appeal. You may request human review of any suspension by emailing support@bartersci.com with a written explanation. We will review the request within a reasonable time. We make no representation that any suspension will be reversed, and the outcome of any review is at our sole discretion subject to Applicable Law.

Reports filed in bad faith. Submitting false or malicious reports, mass-filing reports to harass other Users, or using the report system to circumvent fair competition is itself a violation of these Terms and may result in account action against you.

Effect of suspension. A suspended Account cannot post tasks, submit proposals, send messages, follow other Users, or otherwise engage on the Platform during the suspension period. Active subscriptions on a permanently suspended Account may be automatically cancelled by BarterSci without refund.

THE MULTI-STRIKE RULE AND ALL MANUAL MODERATION DECISIONS ARE OPERATIONAL TOOLS ONLY. BARTERSCI DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR FAIRNESS OF ANY REPORT, INVESTIGATION, OR AUTOMATED DECISION, AND DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR ACCOUNT ACTIONS TAKEN IN GOOD FAITH UNDER THIS SECTION.

11B) Reputation, badges, and verification — no warranty

The Platform may compute, display, and use internal scores, tiers, and public badges (including but not limited to “New,” “Reliable Collaborator,” “Single-Focus,” “Founding Member,” and “Verified”) to help Users discover and evaluate potential collaborators. You acknowledge and agree that:

Scores, tiers, and badges are operational signals only and do not constitute professional certification, qualification, licensure, vetting, employment recommendation, fitness-for-purpose representation, or endorsement by BarterSci of any User.
We may add, remove, modify, recompute, suspend, or retire any score, tier, or badge at any time, in any manner, without notice.
We may rank Users higher or lower in search, discovery, and recommendation results based on these signals or any other factor.
The “Verified” badge indicates only that BarterSci has accepted a documentary signal at a point in time (for example, an ORCID iD, an institutional email confirmation, or a manual reviewer’s check). It does not warrant that a User currently holds any specific credential, employment status, qualification, licensure, certification, insurance, or affiliation; that any past credential remains valid; or that any institutional or other authority has authorized the User’s activities on the Platform.
The “Founding Member” badge confers no employment relationship, partnership, equity, ownership, security, or other legal interest in BarterSci or amelix Solutions LLC, and conveys only the time-limited subscription benefit described at the time of purchase.
You may not rely on another User’s badge as a guarantee of identity, capability, safety, qualification, or trustworthiness, and you remain solely responsible for conducting your own due diligence before entering into any Transaction.
BarterSci disclaims all liability for losses or damages of any kind arising from your reliance on any score, tier, or badge displayed on the Platform.

12) Third-party services and links

The Platform may integrate with or link to third-party services, including authentication, hosting, analytics, payments, and external websites. Third-party services are governed by their own terms and privacy policies. BarterSci does not control, endorse, or assume responsibility for any third-party service, and your use of any third-party service is at your own risk.

13) Payments, fees, and subscriptions

If the Platform offers paid features, subscriptions, or marketplace fees, the applicable pricing, billing terms, renewal terms, and refund terms will be presented at the time of purchase and are incorporated into these Terms upon your acceptance. Payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. (“Stripe”, https://stripe.com), our third-party payment processor, subject to Stripe’s own terms and privacy policy. BarterSci does not see or store full credit card numbers; card data is handled by Stripe. The billing entity for charges is amelix Solutions LLC (California), doing business as BarterSci. Except as expressly stated or required by Applicable Law, all fees are non-refundable. You are responsible for any taxes associated with your use of paid features.

13A) Subscription tiers, free trial, fair use, and trial-abuse prevention

The Platform may offer a free tier (“Free Tier”) with limited features (including, by way of example, a monthly cap on the number of proposals you may submit, an automatic expiry on Free Tier tasks, limited attachment sizes, and standard search ranking), and one or more paid subscription tiers (collectively, “Researcher Pro”) with expanded features. The current feature scope, limits, prices, billing cadence, and trial terms are presented on the pricing page at the time you purchase, start a trial, or otherwise enable a tier, and those terms are incorporated into these Terms upon your acceptance. BarterSci may modify feature scope, limits, prices, and trial terms at any time prospectively; material changes will be communicated as required by Applicable Law.

Free trial. New Accounts may be eligible for a one-time free trial of Researcher Pro of a duration disclosed at purchase. The free trial is offered as a courtesy and is not a contractual right. We may revoke, modify, or end the free trial at any time. If you do not cancel before the end of the trial, you authorize BarterSci’s payment processor to charge your payment method for the subsequent paid period at the rate disclosed at sign-up.

TRIAL-ABUSE PREVENTION. TO PROTECT THE FREE-TRIAL OFFERING, WE MAY DETECT AND BLOCK REPEATED OR FRAUDULENT TRIAL USE, INCLUDING BY (A) QUERYING STRIPE FOR PRIOR CUSTOMER RECORDS MATCHING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, (B) COMPARING ACCOUNT, DEVICE, OR NETWORK FINGERPRINTS, (C) RECORDING A ONE-TIME-USE TRIAL FLAG ON YOUR ACCOUNT, AND (D) DENYING TRIAL ELIGIBILITY TO ACCOUNTS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY INITIATED A TRIAL OR PAID SUBSCRIPTION ON THE PLATFORM. YOU MAY NOT (i) CREATE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL FREE TRIALS, (ii) SHARE PRO FEATURES, CREDENTIALS, OR SUBSCRIPTIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OR ORGANIZATIONS WITHOUT OUR EXPRESS WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION, (iii) USE BOTS, SCRIPTS, OR OTHER AUTOMATED MEANS TO CIRCUMVENT FEATURE GATES OR RATE LIMITS, OR (iv) ENGAGE IN ANY CONDUCT INTENDED TO DEFEAT THE FAIR USE OR ECONOMIC INTEGRITY OF THE PLATFORM. VIOLATIONS MAY RESULT IN ACCOUNT TERMINATION WITHOUT REFUND.

Founding Member offer. During the pilot phase, BarterSci may offer a limited number of “Founding Member” slots, redeemable for a one-time fee that grants a multi-year Researcher Pro subscription as disclosed at purchase. The Founding Member offer is limited to one slot per email address, is non-transferable, is subject to availability, and may be modified, paused, or discontinued at any time. The Founding Member badge confers no employment, equity, partnership, or ownership relationship with BarterSci or amelix Solutions LLC.

Pilot invite program. During the pilot phase, current Users may invite additional collaborators via tokenized invitation links. Invitees may receive a temporary Researcher Pro grant of a duration disclosed at the time of acceptance. The pilot window, grant duration, milestone bonuses, and any associated promotional benefits are managed by BarterSci and may be changed, paused, or discontinued at any time without notice. Pilot benefits are non-refundable, non-transferable, and have no cash value.

Auto-renewal. Researcher Pro subscriptions auto-renew on the cadence (monthly or annual) you select, at the then-current renewal rate disclosed at sign-up or in any subsequent notice, until cancelled. You authorize Stripe to charge your payment method for each renewal. You may cancel at any time through the Stripe customer portal accessible from your settings page. Cancellations take effect at the end of the then-current billing period; you retain Pro access through the end of that period.

NON-REFUNDABLE. EXCEPT WHERE EXPRESSLY REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ALL FEES, FREE TRIAL CHARGES, FOUNDING MEMBER FEES, AND PILOT-PROGRAM AMOUNTS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE IN WHOLE OR IN PART, INCLUDING IF YOU CANCEL EARLY, DO NOT USE THE PLATFORM, ARE SUSPENDED OR BANNED, LOSE A BADGE OR TIER, OR EXPERIENCE FEATURE CHANGES OR SERVICE DEGRADATION. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL APPLICABLE TAXES.

Permaban and subscription. If your Account is permanently suspended for cause, your active subscription may be automatically cancelled by BarterSci and no refund will be issued. Your Stripe customer record may be marked as deleted; we do not delete payment-history records that we are required to retain for accounting, tax, or anti-fraud purposes.

14) DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PLATFORM, SERVICES, AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS,” “AS AVAILABLE,” AND “WITH ALL FAULTS,” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE. BARTERSCI AND ITS LICENSORS, SUPPLIERS, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, QUIET ENJOYMENT, AND ANY WARRANTY ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. BARTERSCI DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE; THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED; THAT THE PLATFORM IS FREE OF VIRUSES OR HARMFUL COMPONENTS; OR THAT ANY CONTENT OR COMMUNICATIONS ARE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, COMPLETE, OR AVAILABLE.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties, so some of the above exclusions may not apply to you in full. In such jurisdictions, our warranties are limited to the minimum scope and shortest duration permitted by Applicable Law.

15) LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW: (A) IN NO EVENT WILL BARTERSCI OR ITS MEMBERS, MANAGERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, AFFILIATES, LICENSORS, OR SERVICE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, GOODWILL, REPUTATION, BUSINESS, OPPORTUNITY, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, OR THE COST OF PROCURING SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE PLATFORM, THESE TERMS, OR ANY TRANSACTION, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, STATUTE, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND EVEN IF BARTERSCI HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES; (B) BARTERSCI WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE CONDUCT, ACTS, OR OMISSIONS OF ANY USER OR THIRD PARTY, OR FOR ANY MISUSE, DISCLOSURE, OR MISAPPROPRIATION OF INFORMATION OR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY; AND (C) BARTERSCI’S AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE PLATFORM OR THESE TERMS WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (I) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS (US$100) OR (II) THE TOTAL AMOUNTS YOU PAID TO BARTERSCI FOR THE PLATFORM IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.

The foregoing limitations apply notwithstanding the failure of any limited remedy of its essential purpose. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations of liability, so the above limitations may not apply to you in full; in such cases, liability is limited to the minimum amount permitted by Applicable Law. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under Applicable Law.

16) Dispute resolution; binding arbitration; class action waiver

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT REQUIRES YOU TO RESOLVE DISPUTES WITH BARTERSCI ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS THROUGH BINDING ARBITRATION AND LIMITS YOUR ABILITY TO SEEK RELIEF FROM A COURT OR JURY OR TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION.

Informal resolution. Before initiating any formal proceeding, you agree to first contact BarterSci at support@bartersci.com with a written description of the dispute and to attempt in good faith to resolve it informally for at least sixty (60) days.

Binding arbitration. Except as expressly provided below, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to the Platform, these Terms, or any Transaction (a “Dispute”) will be resolved exclusively by final and binding arbitration administered by JAMS or, at the claimant’s election, the American Arbitration Association (AAA), under its then-current consumer arbitration rules. The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator, in English, with the seat of arbitration in San Francisco, California (or, if you are a consumer, in the federal judicial district where you reside). The arbitrator will have exclusive authority to resolve any Dispute, including any claim that all or any part of these Terms is void or voidable.

Exceptions. Either party may bring an individual claim in small claims court if eligible, and either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect intellectual property, confidential information, or to prevent unauthorized access to the Platform.

CLASS ACTION WAIVER. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOU AND BARTERSCI EACH AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE WILL BE BROUGHT IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY ONLY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. THE ARBITRATOR MAY NOT CONSOLIDATE OR JOIN MORE THAN ONE PERSON’S CLAIMS AND MAY NOT PRESIDE OVER ANY CONSOLIDATED, CLASS, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. IF THIS CLASS ACTION WAIVER IS FOUND UNENFORCEABLE, THE ENTIRETY OF SECTION 16 WILL BE NULL AND VOID, BUT THE REMAINDER OF THESE TERMS WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT.

Opt-out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@bartersci.com within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms, including your full name and the email address associated with your Account.

Court fallback. If the arbitration agreement is found unenforceable in whole, any Dispute will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in San Francisco County, California, and you and BarterSci consent to personal jurisdiction and venue in those courts.

17) Governing law

These Terms and any Dispute are governed by the laws of the State of California and applicable United States federal law, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply. If you are a consumer resident in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction whose mandatory consumer protection laws would otherwise apply, nothing in this section deprives you of the protection afforded by the mandatory provisions of the law of your country of residence.

18) Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless BarterSci and its members, managers, officers, employees, contractors, agents, affiliates, licensors, and service providers from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, liabilities, damages, judgments, settlements, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs) arising out of or related to: (a) your use of or access to the Platform; (b) your User Content; (c) any Transaction with another User; (d) your violation of these Terms or any policy incorporated by reference; (e) your violation of Applicable Law; or (f) your infringement, misappropriation, or violation of any rights of a third party. BarterSci reserves the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification, in which case you agree to cooperate with BarterSci’s defense.

19) Termination

You may stop using the Platform and request Account deletion at any time. We may suspend, restrict, or terminate your access to the Platform at any time, with or without notice and with or without cause, including if we believe you have violated these Terms, pose a risk to the Platform or others, or for any operational, legal, or business reason. Upon termination, all licenses granted to you will end, and any provision of these Terms that by its nature should survive termination (including sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22) will survive.

20) Changes to the Platform or Terms

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the Platform (or any portion or feature) at any time, with or without notice. We may also update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice by posting the updated Terms on the Platform with a new “Last Updated” date and, where required by law, by other means. Your continued use of the Platform after the updated Terms become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Platform.

21) Notices and electronic communications

You consent to receive communications from us electronically, including by email and by posting notices on the Platform. Electronic communications satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. Notices to BarterSci must be sent to support@bartersci.com or to the registered address listed in section 23.

22) Miscellaneous

Entire agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Acceptable Use Policy, and any other policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and BarterSci regarding the Platform and supersede all prior agreements.
Severability: If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect, and the unenforceable provision will be reformed to the minimum extent necessary.
No waiver: Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of our right to do so later.
Assignment: You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights or obligations hereunder without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms freely, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, or sale of assets.
No third-party beneficiaries: Except as expressly stated, these Terms do not create any third-party beneficiary rights.
Force majeure: BarterSci is not liable for any delay or failure to perform resulting from causes beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, war, terrorism, civil unrest, pandemic, labor disputes, infrastructure or utility failures, or government action.
Government users: If you are a U.S. government end user, the Platform is licensed as “commercial computer software” in accordance with FAR 12.212 and DFARS 227.7202.
Headings: Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

23) Contact

amelix Solutions LLC (d/b/a BarterSci)
Attn: Legal
[REGISTERED AGENT ADDRESS — amelix Solutions LLC]
Email: support@bartersci.com