1. Purpose

The CTE Founding Cohort is an invitation-only experimental collaboration to explore how cognitive decision load can be measured, reduced, and — where possible — translated into shared economic value.

This is a research initiative, not a commercial product launch. The primary objective is learning, with any economic outcomes being secondary and uncertain.

2. Nature of Participation

Participants invest effort, not capital. No purchase or payment is required to participate.

3. Experimental Acknowledgment

By participating, you acknowledge and accept that:

• Metrics may change: How we measure decision load may evolve based on what we learn.
• Tools may change: The software, interfaces, and methods may be modified during the cohort.
• Incentives may change: Any economic sharing mechanisms may be adjusted or discontinued.
• Experiments may fail: Some hypotheses will be proven wrong. This is expected and valuable.
• No outcomes are guaranteed: Including but not limited to earnings, insights, or productivity improvements.

4. Data Use

Your participation generates data that helps improve our models and understanding. Here's how we handle it:

• Research use: Data is used to develop and validate decision load metrics.
• Anonymized insights: Aggregate, anonymized findings may be published in research reports.
• No data sales: Your personal data is never sold to third parties.
• Privacy-first: We collect metadata about decisions, not the content of your work.
• Opt-out rights: You may request deletion of your data at any time.

5. Earnings (If Applicable)

The cohort includes an experimental economic component. If any revenue-sharing occurs:

• Earnings are experimental: Any revenue sharing is part of the research, not guaranteed compensation.
• Dependency on external demand: Payouts depend on actual revenue generated (e.g., from advertisers or sponsors).
• Signal quality matters: Earnings may be tied to the quality and consistency of participation.
• Minimum thresholds may apply: Payouts may require meeting minimum balance requirements.
• Earnings may be zero: It is possible, even likely in early phases, that no economic value materializes.

6. Confidentiality

Participants agree to:

• Not publicly represent experimental results as finalized claims. Insights shared within the cohort are preliminary.
• Respect other participants' privacy. Do not share personal information about other cohort members.
• Allow CTE to publish anonymized, aggregate findings. Individual data will not be attributed without consent.

You are welcome to share your personal experience with the cohort, but please clearly indicate that results are experimental and may not reflect final outcomes.

7. Communication

By participating, you agree to receive:

• Weekly check-in prompts and research surveys
• Updates about cohort findings and changes
• Occasional announcements about the research initiative

You may opt out of non-essential communications at any time while remaining a participant.

8. Exit

Either party may end participation at any time, for any reason, without penalty.

• Participant exit: You may leave the cohort at any time by notifying us.
• CTE exit: We may end the cohort or remove participants if necessary for research integrity.
• No penalty: Exiting does not affect any accrued benefits or data deletion rights.

9. Limitation of Liability

Cognitive Thought Engine LLC and its affiliates are not liable for:

• Any financial losses or opportunity costs from participation
• Decisions made based on experimental metrics or insights
• Technical issues, data loss, or service interruptions
• Third-party services or integrations

Participation is at your own risk. This is an experiment, and experiments sometimes fail.

10. Governing Law

This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Texas, United States. Any disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration in Austin, Texas.

11. Age Requirement

Participation in the CTE Founding Cohort is limited to individuals who are 18 years of age or older.

• Eligibility: You must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
• Verification: By applying, you affirm that you meet the minimum age requirement.
• COPPA Compliance: We do not knowingly collect data from individuals under 18.
• Parental Consent: Parental or guardian consent does not substitute for the age requirement.