Terms of Service

By accessing or using This Is Business ("TIB", "we", "our") at https://thisisbusiness.in, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

You must be at least 18 years old to use TIB. By registering, you confirm that the information you provide is accurate and that you have the legal capacity to enter into this agreement.

TIB is a professional platform for startup founders, investors, and facilitators. Accounts created for purposes other than genuine professional networking are not permitted.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. Notify us immediately at hello@thisisbusiness.in if you suspect unauthorised access.

You may not create accounts using false identities, automated bots, or on behalf of someone else without their explicit consent.

You agree NOT to:

• Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your identity or role.
• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information (including fake investor claims).
• Spam, solicit, or send unsolicited bulk messages to other members.
• Harass, threaten, defame, or abuse any other member.
• Post illegal content, including content that violates Indian law.
• Attempt to access systems or data you are not authorised to access.
• Scrape, crawl, or bulk-download data from the platform.
• Use TIB to promote competing platforms without our written consent.

You retain ownership of content you create on TIB (posts, profile information, business details). By posting, you grant TIB a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display and distribute that content to other members of the platform for the purpose of operating the service.

You are solely responsible for the accuracy, legality, and appropriateness of your content. We reserve the right to remove content that violates these Terms.

TIB offers optional identity and role verification features (phone OTP, LinkedIn OAuth, location detection, selfie capture). These are designed to increase community trust. Verification badges indicate that a user has completed a verification step — they do not constitute a guarantee or endorsement by TIB of any user's claims, qualifications, or business prospects.

Any investment or business decision you make based on information from TIB profiles is entirely at your own risk.

TIB is a networking platform, not a financial adviser, broker, or registered investment platform. Nothing on TIB constitutes investment advice, a solicitation to invest, or a guarantee of returns. Always conduct your own due diligence before making any investment.

The TIB name, logo, platform design, and all original content created by TIB are our intellectual property. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without our written permission.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without notice, for violations of these Terms, fraudulent activity, or behaviour that harms the community.

You may delete your account at any time from your dashboard. Upon deletion, your data will be permanently removed within 30 days.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, TIB is not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the platform, including but not limited to loss of business, loss of revenue, or investment losses.

The platform is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee uptime, accuracy of member information, or the outcome of any connection made through TIB.

These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or an in-app notice. Continued use of the platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

The "Open to Meet" feature allows registered members to signal availability for meetings and accept requests from other members. By using this feature — whether as a host setting availability or as a requester sending a meeting request — you explicitly agree to all of the following.

13.1 Platform Disclaimer for Out-of-Platform Meetings

This Is Business is a networking platform that facilitates introductions between members. We are not responsible — in any way — for what happens outside of this platform. Any in-person or online meeting arranged through the "Open to Meet" feature is entirely between the two (or more) individuals involved. This Is Business expressly disclaims all liability for:

• Personal safety incidents, physical harm, or harassment occurring at or after a meeting.
• Financial loss, fraud, or misrepresentation by any party during or after a meeting.
• Professional misconduct, broken agreements, or disputes arising from relationships formed through this feature.
• Any consequences of sharing personal information (address, phone number, financial details) outside of the platform.
• The conduct or character of any member — we do not conduct background checks or verify professional credentials.

Use your own judgment. Meetings are at your own risk. We strongly recommend due diligence before meeting anyone from the platform in person.

13.2 In-Person Meeting Safety — Mandatory Guidelines

1. Always meet in a public place — a café, co-working space, or other well-populated venue. Never invite a platform member to your home or a private location for a first meeting.
2. Do not share your home address — your offline area (e.g., "Indiranagar, Bengaluru") is shown publicly as a general area only. Share the specific venue only through the platform's in-app chat after a request is accepted.
3. Inform someone you trust — before any in-person meeting with someone from the platform, let a friend, family member, or colleague know where you are going, with whom, and when you expect to return.
4. Do not share financial details — never discuss or share banking details, investment amounts, or financial documents at a first meeting. Use the platform's deal room or document tools.
5. Use the check-in feature — both parties are strongly encouraged to use the in-app check-in to confirm the meeting happened. This creates a record for platform safety.

13.3 Online Meeting Safety

1. Use only reputable video conferencing tools (Google Meet, Zoom, etc.).
2. Do not share screen access or any personal credentials during a call with someone you have not independently verified.
3. Report any requests for payment, investment, or unusual financial arrangements made during a call to hello@thisisbusiness.in immediately.

13.4 Conduct Standards

1. Respectful conduct: All meeting requests and communications must be professional and respectful. Harassment, inappropriate messages, unwanted contact, or discriminatory behaviour will result in immediate account suspension.
2. Accurate intent: Meeting requests must accurately represent why you want to meet. Using this feature to solicit business in bad faith, spam members, or misrepresent your intent is a violation of these Terms.
3. Platform-first communication: All coordination must happen through the platform's in-app messaging until both parties have accepted the request. Do not move to personal WhatsApp, phone calls, or email before this point.
4. No-shows and cancellations: Repeated last-minute cancellations or no-shows without notice may result in restrictions on your ability to send further meet requests.

13.5 Reporting & Enforcement

If you experience harassment, safety concerns, or inappropriate conduct connected to the "Open to Meet" feature, report it immediately using the report button in the platform chat or by emailing hello@thisisbusiness.in. This Is Business reserves the right to investigate reports, suspend or permanently ban accounts, and take any appropriate action to protect the community — including sharing information with law enforcement if required by law.

Access to This Is Business requires a paid subscription or an active trial period granted via a promotional code. The current pricing is ₹499 per month ("Beta Access Plan"). Prices may change with 30 days' notice.

14.1 Trial Access

Promotional codes grant a free trial period (the number of days specified on the code). During the trial you have full access to all features available under your plan. At the end of the trial period your account will be restricted unless you have subscribed to a paid plan. No charge is made during the trial.

14.2 Paid Subscription

Paid subscriptions are billed monthly via Razorpay. By subscribing, you authorise us to charge your chosen payment method on a recurring monthly basis. You are responsible for keeping your payment information up to date.

14.3 Cancellation Policy

You may cancel your subscription at any time from Account Settings → Cancel Subscription. Cancellation takes effect immediately but your access continues until the end of your current paid or trial period. You will not receive a pro-rated refund for unused days in the current period.

• If you cancel during a trial, access ends on your trial expiry date.
• If you cancel a paid subscription, access ends at the end of your current billing cycle (approximately 30 days).
• After your access period ends, your profile and data are retained but you will be unable to browse, connect, or use paid features until you resubscribe.

We will send a cancellation confirmation email immediately. You may resubscribe at any time at thisisbusiness.in/subscribe.

14.4 Refund Policy

All subscription fees are non-refundable except where required by applicable Indian consumer protection law. If you believe you were charged in error, contact us within 7 days at hello@thisisbusiness.in.

14.5 Account Termination by TIB

If your account is suspended or terminated by This Is Business for a Terms violation, no refund will be issued for unused subscription time. Subscriptions cancelled by TIB due to fraudulent payment activity may be referred to the relevant bank or law enforcement authorities.

The Events feature allows members and facilitators ("Organisers") to create and host events — online or in-person — and allows other members ("Attendees") to register. By using the Events feature, you agree to the following.

14A.1 Platform Role

This Is Business provides the technology to create, publish, and manage event registrations. We are not the organiser of any member-created event and are not responsible for the content, conduct, safety, or outcome of any event hosted by a member.

14A.2 Organiser Responsibilities

• Provide accurate event details (date, time, location, format, fee if any).
• Communicate promptly with registered attendees about any changes or cancellations.
• Ensure the event complies with applicable laws, including any venue permits, health and safety regulations, and content laws.
• If collecting a fee outside the platform (e.g., direct UPI), the Organiser bears sole responsibility for payment handling and any refunds.

14A.2 Attendee Responsibilities

• Attend events you register for, or cancel your registration in advance if you cannot attend.
• Behave professionally and respectfully at all events.
• Verify event details independently before travelling or making payments outside the platform.

14A.3 No Liability for Events

This Is Business is not liable for cancellations, postponements, poor event quality, physical incidents, or financial disputes arising from any event. Disputes between Organisers and Attendees are solely between those parties.

14A.4 Recording Consent

Organisers who enable video recording for an event ("Record" feature) confirm that all attendees have been notified and have consented to being recorded. Attendees who join a recorded event consent to being recorded by joining. Recordings are stored temporarily and accessible only to registered attendees and the Organiser.

The Sessions feature allows members ("Hosts") to offer paid one-on-one or group sessions to other members ("Takers"). All payments are made directly between Takers and Hosts via UPI (Unified Payments Interface) — a peer-to-peer payment method. By using the paid sessions feature — as either a Host or a Taker — you explicitly agree to all of the following.

15.1 Platform Role — Technology Facilitator Only

This Is Business is a scheduling and meeting facilitation platform. We are not a payment processor, financial intermediary, escrow service, or payment gateway. We do not hold, process, receive, disburse, or have any access to funds exchanged between members via UPI. All UPI transactions are direct bank-to-bank transfers governed solely by the UPI network and the respective banks involved.

15.2 No Platform Liability for Payments

To the maximum extent permitted by law, This Is Business is not liable — in any manner — for:

• Failed, incorrect, duplicate, or fraudulent UPI payments.
• Refunds not processed by a Host.
• Disputes between a Taker and a Host over payment, session quality, or cancellation.
• Any financial loss arising from a session that was cancelled, rejected, or auto-rejected.
• Inaccurate UPI IDs provided by Hosts that result in payment to unintended recipients.

Payment disputes are matters solely between the Taker and the Host. You agree not to initiate any chargeback, legal claim, or regulatory complaint against This Is Business in connection with a UPI payment made to another member.

15.3 Host Obligations for Paid Sessions

By creating a paid session offering, the Host agrees to:

1. Provide a valid, active UPI ID that correctly routes to their bank account. Incorrect UPI IDs that result in misdirected payments are the Host's sole responsibility.
2. Deliver the session as described once a booking is confirmed and payment is verified.
3. Refund within 48 hours any Taker whose booking is: (a) manually rejected by the Host; (b) automatically rejected due to the Host's failure to review before session start; or (c) cancelled by the Host after confirmation. Refunds must be made via UPI to the same account the Taker paid from.
4. Review all pending booking requests before the session's booking cutoff time. Failure to do so results in auto-rejection and triggers the refund obligation above.
5. Acknowledge refund responsibility before rejecting any paid booking request on the platform.

Hosts who repeatedly fail to refund Takers, fail to review requests on time, or abuse the paid sessions feature may have their account suspended, their session offerings disabled, or their account permanently banned from the platform.

15.4 Auto-Rejection & Payment Responsibility

If a Host does not review a pending booking request before the session's scheduled start time, that request is automatically rejected by the platform ("auto-rejection") with a reason of "Host did not respond before session start."

In the event of an auto-rejection where the Taker has already made a UPI payment:

1. The Host is solely responsible for refunding the full payment amount within 48 hours.
2. The platform will send both parties a notification containing: the Taker's UTR number, payment amount, Host's UPI ID, and instructions for direct resolution.
3. This Is Business will retain the booking record and payment details as evidence to assist in dispute resolution, but cannot legally compel or enforce a refund.
4. Takers who do not receive a refund within 48 hours of auto-rejection may report the dispute to the platform (see 15.7). The platform may suspend the Host's account pending investigation.

15.5 Taker Obligations for Paid Sessions

By booking a paid session, the Taker agrees to:

1. Retain payment proof: Save your UPI payment screenshot and note the 12-digit UTR (Unique Transaction Reference / Reference ID) from your UPI app. This is your only proof of payment and is required for any dispute.
2. Enter the correct UTR during booking. Entering a false or incorrect UTR to fraudulently claim a free session is a material breach of these Terms and grounds for immediate account termination.
3. Contact the Host first for any refund request before escalating to the platform. Allow 48 hours for the Host to process a refund.
4. Report unresolved disputes within 7 days of the session date. Reports submitted after 7 days may not be actionable.

15.6 Evidence Preservation

This Is Business retains the following records for a minimum of 2 years for dispute resolution purposes:

• Booking request details (who requested, which slot, when, what was discussed)
• Payment status records (fee amount, UTR number submitted, verification timestamps)
• Approval and rejection records with timestamps and reasons
• Auto-rejection records with session start time and pending status at that time
• All session-related email communications sent by the platform

Upon request, this evidence may be shared with parties involved in a verified dispute or with law enforcement authorities pursuant to a lawful order.

15.7 Dispute Reporting & Platform Assistance

If you have made a UPI payment for a session and have not received a refund within 48 hours after a rejection or auto-rejection, you may report the dispute by emailing hello@thisisbusiness.in with subject line "Payment Dispute — [Booking ID]" and attaching your UTR screenshot.

This Is Business will:

• Acknowledge the report within 2 business days.
• Review the booking records and payment evidence on file.
• Contact the Host and request resolution.
• Take enforcement action (warning, suspension, or ban) against Hosts confirmed to have violated the refund obligation.

This Is Business cannot guarantee financial recovery. Our enforcement authority is limited to platform access controls. We do not have the legal standing to compel UPI refunds on behalf of members. For legally binding resolution, members may approach their bank, NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India), or consumer grievance forums.

15.8 No Guarantee of Session Quality or Outcome

This Is Business does not vet, validate, or guarantee the professional qualifications, credentials, advice quality, or session outcomes offered by any Host. Paying for a session does not constitute a professional engagement or guarantee any specific result. All sessions are informal professional conversations between members.

15.9 Booking Cutoff & Cancellation

Each session slot has a booking cutoff time (default: 20 minutes before the session starts) after which no new booking requests are accepted. This cutoff exists to give Hosts adequate time to review and approve pending requests. Hosts are strongly encouraged — and by accepting these Terms, commit — to reviewing all pending requests before the booking cutoff time.

Takers understand that submitting a booking request does not guarantee a confirmed session. Confirmation is entirely at the Host's discretion, subject to these Terms.

By creating an account on This Is Business, you agree to receive transactional and platform-related emails, including but not limited to: account confirmation, subscription status updates, meeting and session notifications, event reminders, and safety alerts. These emails are necessary for operating the service.

16.1 Marketing & Update Emails

We may also send you non-essential emails such as platform updates, new feature announcements, and curated community content. You may opt out of these at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in the footer of any email. Opting out of marketing emails does not affect transactional or account-critical communications.

16.2 Legal Basis (DPDP Act 2023)

We process your email address under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (India). Your consent to receive platform communications is given at registration and may be withdrawn at any time. Withdrawal of consent for non-essential emails can be done via unsubscribe. For account-critical communications, consent is implied by your use of the service.

16.3 Recording Consent (Meetings)

If a meeting arranged through "Open to Meet" is conducted via the platform's integrated video (Daily.co), recordings may be generated if the host enables them. By accepting a meeting request, both parties consent to potential recording of the session. Recordings are accessible only to meeting participants and are stored for a maximum of 30 days.

This Is Business
Email: hello@thisisbusiness.in
Website: https://thisisbusiness.in