Terms of Service

Terms of Service

Member Agreement — The Matrix Grid Platform

These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of The Matrix Grid platform. By creating an account or using any feature of the platform, you agree to these terms in their entirety. If you do not agree, do not create an account or use the platform.

1. About The Matrix Grid

The Matrix Grid is a professional network platform where businesses, freelancers, contractors, vendors, event hosts, nonprofits, and investors connect across industries, find opportunities, and build real professional relationships. It is operated by Inceptus Matrix Intelligence LLC (IMI), a Texas limited liability company.

These Terms are a legal agreement between you and IMI. When we say "the Platform" we mean thematrixgrid.net and any authorized subdomains or white-label deployments. When we say "you" or "member" we mean anyone who creates an account or uses the Platform.

Read these Terms before creating an account. They explain what you can do on the Platform, what we can do, how your information is handled, and what your rights are. Questions before you proceed? Contact us at info@inceptusmatrix.com.

2. Eligibility

You may create an account if you:

• Are at least 18 years of age
• Are a human individual or a legally formed business entity with authority to enter this agreement
• Are not prohibited from using the Platform under applicable law
• Have not previously had an account terminated by IMI for violations of these Terms

By creating an account you represent and warrant that all of the above are true. IMI reserves the right to verify eligibility and to decline or terminate accounts that do not meet these requirements.

3. Account Registration and Security

3.1 Accurate Information

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating your account and to keep that information updated. Misrepresenting your identity, your professional qualifications, your member type, or your affiliation with any person or organization is a violation of these Terms and may result in immediate account termination.

3.2 Account Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify IMI immediately at info@inceptusmatrix.com if you believe your account has been accessed without authorization. IMI is not liable for any loss resulting from unauthorized use of your account.

3.3 Member Types

The Platform supports six member types: Business Owner, Freelancer/Contractor, Vendor/Supplier, Event Host/Venue, Nonprofit/Community Organization, and Investor/Connector. You must select the member type that most accurately describes your primary professional capacity. Your member type affects how your profile is displayed and how the AI matching system categorizes you. Misrepresenting your member type is a violation of these Terms.

4. Your Profile and Directory Listing

4.1 Profile Accuracy

Your profile is your representation to the network. Everything in your profile must be accurate, honest, and representative of your actual professional identity, skills, services, and availability. You may not include false credentials, fabricated work history, or misleading descriptions of your services or capabilities.

4.2 Profile Visibility

By creating a profile on The Matrix Grid, you consent to your profile being:

• Displayed in search results to other registered members
• Displayed on the geo map with your general location pin
• Surfaced in AI-powered matching suggestions to other members whose profiles indicate potential relevance
• Included in weekly digest emails sent by the Platform to matched members
• Visible on your public profile URL at thematrixgrid.net/member/[username]

Your public profile URL is accessible to anyone with the link, including non-members. You control the visibility of individual references through the three-tier reference visibility system described in Section 8.

4.3 Resource Spotlight

Members may publish a Resource Spotlight on their profile describing what they currently offer, who it serves, and how to access it. The Resource Spotlight is visible to all members and may be surfaced in AI-generated digests. You are responsible for keeping your Resource Spotlight accurate and up to date. IMI is not responsible for any misrepresentation in a member's Resource Spotlight.

5. Acceptable Use

5.1 What You May Do

• Create and maintain an accurate professional profile
• Search, browse, and connect with other members
• Post opportunities, resources, events, and referrals that comply with these Terms
• Leave honest reviews and endorsements based on genuine professional experience
• Request and provide professional references through the structured reference system
• Promote your services through your profile and Resource Spotlight
• Report content you believe violates these Terms using the flag function

5.2 What You May Not Do

• Impersonate any person, business, or entity or misrepresent your professional identity
• Submit false, misleading, or fabricated reviews, endorsements, or references
• Use the Platform to harass, threaten, intimidate, stalk, or harm any other member
• Scrape, crawl, or systematically extract member data, contact information, or any Platform content without written permission from IMI
• Use automated systems, bots, or scripts to create accounts, send messages, post content, or interact with the Platform in any way
• Post spam, chain messages, unsolicited bulk communications, or content unrelated to professional networking
• Use the Platform to facilitate illegal transactions, fraud, money laundering, or any unlawful scheme
• Post content that infringes on any third party's intellectual property, privacy, or other rights
• Attempt to access any account, system, or data you are not authorized to access
• Use contact information obtained through the Platform to send unsolicited commercial communications outside the Platform
• Post content that is defamatory, obscene, or that constitutes discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic
• Sell, transfer, or assign your account to any other person or entity

6. The Opportunity Board

6.1 Post Types and Standards

The Platform's opportunity board supports ten post types: Work and Money, Collaboration, Knowledge and Learning, Volunteer and Community, Resources and Sharing, Referrals, Funding and Investment, Trade and Exchange, Talent and Casting, and Speaking and Teaching. All posts must:

• Accurately describe the opportunity, compensation, and expectations
• Be posted only by members who have authority to offer the described opportunity
• Comply with all applicable employment, labor, anti-discrimination, and consumer protection laws
• Not constitute fraudulent job offers, phishing attempts, or misleading solicitations
• Not advertise illegal products, services, or activities

6.2 Referral Posts

The Referral post type is specifically for passing a client or opportunity that you cannot fulfill to another member in the network. When you post a referral you represent that: (a) you have a genuine client or opportunity to pass; (b) you are not able to fulfill it yourself; and (c) you have the client's awareness that their need is being shared with the professional network. IMI tracks referral credits for recognized referral activity but makes no guarantee of compensation or reciprocal referrals.

6.3 Post Expiry

All opportunity posts expire automatically based on the duration selected at posting. Expired posts are removed from active display. Members may renew posts before expiry. IMI reserves the right to remove any post that violates these Terms regardless of its expiry date.

7. Events

Members may post professional events of eight types: Business Expo, Networking Mixer, Corporate Leadership Summit, Mastermind/Peer Group, Pitch Night, Workshop/Training, Panel/Speaker Event, and Community Event. Members who post events are solely responsible for:

• The accuracy of all event details including date, time, location, cost, and capacity
• Compliance with all applicable laws, venue requirements, and permitting
• The safety and conduct of the event itself
• Any commitments made to attendees regarding refunds, cancellations, or changes

IMI is not a party to any event posted on the Platform. IMI does not organize, supervise, or take responsibility for any event. Attendee registration and ticket handling for events is the sole responsibility of the event host.

The Platform generates a QR code for each confirmed event attendee that links to the attendee's live profile. Scanning this QR code at an event sends an automated connection request. By registering for an event you consent to this feature.

8. Reviews, Endorsements, and Professional References

8.1 The Three Trust Signal Types

The Platform supports three distinct trust signal types, each with separate standards and display logic:

• Client Reviews — submitted by someone who received services or products from the reviewed member. Includes a star rating (1-5) and written review.
• Collaboration Endorsements — submitted by a peer professional who worked alongside the member. Written text only, no star rating.
• Vendor and Resource Ratings — submitted by a member who transacted with a vendor or resource provider. Includes a star rating and written note.

8.2 Review Standards

All reviews, endorsements, and ratings must:

• Be based on your genuine, direct personal or professional experience with the member
• Be submitted only by someone who actually received services, worked alongside, or transacted with the reviewed member
• Not contain false statements of fact
• Not constitute personal attacks, harassment, or threats
• Not include claims about illegal conduct unless you have direct personal knowledge
• Not be submitted in exchange for compensation, discounts, or any benefit
• Not be submitted for your own profile or a profile controlled by you

IMI operates as a neutral host of user-generated content. Reviews represent the personal opinions and experiences of the member who submitted them. IMI does not verify, endorse, or make representations about the accuracy of any review. Reviews may not be removed simply because the reviewed member disagrees with the content. Opinions, even negative ones, are protected as long as they comply with these standards.

8.3 Display Thresholds

To protect members who are new to the Platform, trust signals display only after the following thresholds are met:

• Star ratings display after 3 or more reviews. Before this threshold a "New Member" badge appears. A blank or zero rating is never displayed.
• Collaboration Endorsements section is hidden until at least one endorsement is received.
• Vendor ratings display after 3 or more ratings. Before this threshold a "New to the Grid" badge appears.
• Reliability tier badges do not display during a member's first 90 days on the Platform.
• Skills display as self-reported until 3 or more members confirm that specific skill.

8.4 Professional Reference System

The reference system allows members to request and provide professional references through a structured form. The following rules apply:

• References are voluntary. No member is required to provide a reference.
• Reference writers choose visibility: Public (visible to all), Connections Only (visible to the profile owner's connections), or Private Link (accessible only through a specific link the profile owner shares).
• Profile owners may not edit references. They may choose to display or hide a reference from their profile.
• Reference writers may withdraw their reference at any time through their account settings.
• Every displayed reference carries this disclaimer: "This reference represents the personal opinion of the member who wrote it based on their direct professional experience. It is not a verified employment record. The Matrix Grid makes no representations about its accuracy. Do not use Matrix Grid references as a substitute for formal background checks or employment verification."
• The reference form is designed to exclude questions about protected characteristics under employment discrimination law. Reference writers must not attempt to include such information in open-text fields.

8.5 Responding to Reviews

Any member who receives a review may submit one professional response displayed alongside that review. Responses must comply with all standards in Section 8.2 and must be professional in tone.

9. Career Stages and Reliability Tiers

The Platform automatically calculates career stages (Explorer, Builder, Established, Trusted, Mentor) and reliability tiers (Emerging, Established, Trusted, Elite) based solely on member activity within the Platform. These designations:

• Are not evaluations of a member's professional qualifications, real-world experience, education, or fitness for any particular purpose
• Do not constitute endorsements or certifications by IMI
• Are calculated using behavioral platform activity criteria only and never on the basis of demographics, protected characteristics, or real-world attributes
• May change as a member's platform activity changes
• Are displayed transparently — every member can see exactly which criteria they meet in their account settings

⚠ Career stages and reliability tiers are platform activity metrics only. They are not professional certifications, background check results, or employment references. Any member who relies on these designations as a substitute for proper professional vetting does so entirely at their own risk. IMI makes no representation that higher-tier members are more qualified, trustworthy, or capable than lower-tier members in any real-world professional context.

10. Content Moderation

10.1 Reporting

Any member may flag a review, reference, opportunity post, event, or profile content as potentially violating these Terms using the report function. Reports are submitted with a reason category and reviewed by IMI.

10.2 Moderation Process

IMI will review flagged content within five (5) business days. IMI's response options include removing the content, keeping the content, requesting a revision from the author, or suspending the submitting member. Both the reporting member and the member whose content was flagged will be notified of the outcome. Neither will be told the other's identity.

10.3 Appeals

A member whose content was removed may submit a one-time written appeal within fourteen (14) days of receiving removal notification. IMI will respond to appeals within ten (10) business days. The appeal decision is final.

10.4 Enforcement

A member who receives three (3) confirmed policy violations within any twelve (12) month period will receive a thirty (30) day account suspension. A fourth confirmed violation will result in permanent removal. IMI reserves the right to permanently remove any member whose conduct poses a serious risk to the safety, integrity, or reputation of the Platform or its members, regardless of the number of prior violations.

11. AI-Powered Features

The Platform uses artificial intelligence to power several features including smart matching on signup, opportunity matching, personalized weekly digests, connection introduction drafting, and profile completion coaching. Regarding these features:

• AI-generated suggestions are recommendations only. They are not guarantees of connection quality, opportunity suitability, or professional compatibility.
• The AI matching system surfaces suggestions based on profile content and platform activity. It does not make binding decisions about members.
• IMI does not use your personal information to train AI models.
• You may opt out of AI-powered features by contacting info@inceptusmatrix.com.
• AI-generated content including personalized digests and connection introductions are starting points only. Members are responsible for verifying the accuracy of any AI-generated suggestions before acting on them.

12. Membership Tiers and Payment

12.1 Free Tier

The Platform offers a permanent free membership tier providing access to core Platform features with no time limit. The free tier is not a trial and will not be converted to a paid tier without your explicit consent.

12.2 Paid Tiers

The Platform offers Verified and Featured membership tiers providing additional features and visibility. Current pricing is available at thematrixgrid.net/pricing. Pricing is subject to change with thirty (30) days notice to current subscribers. Paid tier subscriptions are billed monthly and may be cancelled at any time. No partial month refunds are issued.

12.3 Marketplace Transactions

When marketplace features are active, transactions between members facilitated through the Platform are subject to a platform service fee disclosed at the time of transaction. IMI is not a party to transactions between members. IMI makes no representations about the quality, safety, legality, or fitness for purpose of any services or products offered by members through the Platform.

13. White-Label Deployments

Organizations including chambers of commerce, trade associations, and corporations may operate white-label versions of The Matrix Grid on IMI infrastructure. Members who join through a white-label deployment are subject to these Terms in full. The white-label organization may apply additional terms specific to their deployment, provided those terms do not conflict with or reduce the protections provided by these Terms.

14. Intellectual Property

The Matrix Grid name, logo, design, and all Platform content created by IMI are the intellectual property of Inceptus Matrix Intelligence LLC. You may not use IMI's or The Matrix Grid's intellectual property without written permission. You retain ownership of all content you submit to the Platform but grant IMI a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to display, distribute, and promote your content in connection with operating and marketing the Platform. You represent and warrant that you own or have the right to submit all content you post and that it does not infringe the rights of any third party.

15. Privacy

Your privacy is governed by The Matrix Grid Privacy Policy, incorporated into these Terms by reference and available at thematrixgrid.net/privacy. By using the Platform you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in the Privacy Policy.

16. Disclaimers

16.1 Platform Provided As Is

The Matrix Grid is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied. IMI does not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components. IMI does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any member information, reviews, references, or opportunity posts.

16.2 No Endorsement of Members

IMI does not endorse, recommend, verify, or certify any member, their professional qualifications, their work history, their reliability, or the accuracy of their profile. Any reliance you place on information provided by other members is at your own risk. IMI strongly recommends conducting your own due diligence before entering into any professional, financial, or contractual arrangement with another member.

16.3 Third-Party Interactions

Any interactions, agreements, or transactions between members are solely between those members. IMI is not a party to and takes no responsibility for any dispute, loss, injury, or damage arising from member-to-member interactions. Members release IMI from any claims arising from their interactions with other members.

17. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, IMI's total liability for any claims arising from your use of the Platform shall not exceed the amount you paid to IMI in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, or one hundred dollars ($100.00), whichever is greater. IMI shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive, or special damages of any kind arising from your use of the Platform, regardless of whether IMI was advised of the possibility of such damages.

18. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless IMI and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, and agents from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from: (a) your use of the Platform; (b) content you submit to the Platform; (c) your violation of these Terms; (d) your violation of any applicable law; or (e) your violation of any third party's rights.

19. Termination

19.1 By You

You may close your account at any time through your account settings. Upon closing your account, your profile will be removed from public display. Reviews you have written will be anonymized. References you have written will be withdrawn. Your data will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

19.2 By IMI

IMI may suspend or terminate your account for violation of these Terms, conduct harmful to the Platform or its members, or legal requirements. When possible we will give you notice before termination. In cases involving safety, fraud, or serious violations we may act immediately. If your account is terminated for violation of these Terms you may not create a new account without written permission from IMI.

If your account is suspended or terminated and you believe it was in error, contact info@inceptusmatrix.com within 30 days with your account details and an explanation. We will review and respond.

20. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform that cannot be resolved informally shall be submitted to binding arbitration in Dallas County, Texas under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, except that either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending arbitration.

Class action waiver: You agree that any arbitration or proceeding shall be conducted only on an individual basis and not as part of a class, consolidated, or representative action.

21. Changes to These Terms

IMI may update these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated by posting the updated Terms on the Platform and, where feasible, by email to registered members. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any change constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to updated Terms, close your account before the effective date.

22. Contact

For questions about these Terms:

The Matrix Grid — Operated by Inceptus Matrix Intelligence LLC
Dallas, Texas
Email: info@inceptusmatrix.com
Phone: (972) 573-9870
Web: thematrixgrid.net