Terms and Conditions for
Participation in the
Wincent DragonByte
Coding Challenge

1. Introduction

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your participation in the Wincent DragonByte Coding Challenge (the “Challenge”), an international programming competition organised by Vincentius s.r.o. (“Organiser”, “we”, or “us”). By registering for and participating in the Challenge, you (“Participant” or “you”) agree to be legally bound by these Terms.

If you do not agree to these Terms, do not register or participate in the Challenge.

2. About the Challenge

The Wincent DragonByte Coding Challenge is a global algorithmic programming competition designed to engage developers in multiple phases of technical problem-solving.

Participants will demonstrate their coding skills through a series of challenges, with the top performers invited to a prestigious in-person finale featuring live tasks, networking and rewards.

3. Challenge Structure and Schedule

Phase I: Registration

• Period: 26 May–28 June 2025
• Participants must register via the official Challenge website (www.wincentdragonbyte.com). Registration will officially open on 26 May 2025.

Phase II: Qualification Round

• Dates: 27–28 June 2025
• Format: A 48-hour window to reach a point threshold or to place among top 1,000 participants to advance.
• Purpose: To evaluate applicants and select participants who advance to the Main Online Challenge.

Phase III: Main Online Challenge

• Date: 12 July 2025 starting at 16:00 CEST
• Duration: 3 hours
• Format: A simultaneous online algorithmic challenge for the qualifiers.
• Outcome: Determines the top 20 finalists who will be invited to Bratislava for the final round.
• Monitoring & Fair Play: Participants aiming to advance to the final round must record their screens during this phase.
  • Recordings must be retained for at least 30 days.
  • Organizer may request the footage for verification purposes.
  • Failure to provide the recording upon request may result in disqualification.

Phase IV: Final On-Site Challenge

• Dates: 12–14 September 2025
• Location: The Spot, Bottova 2/A, Bratislava, Slovakia
• Participants: Top 20 Finalists
• Three-day itinerary:
  • 12 September 2025 – Welcome
    • 18:00: Dock7, Eurovea
  • 13 September 2025 – Main Event
    • 10:00–14:00: Final Coding Challenge
    • 14:00–17:00: Break and refreshments
    • 17:00–18:00: Results announcement and awards ceremony
    • 18:00–20:00: Networking and celebration
  • 14 September 2025 – Celebration
    • 10:00–15:00: Boat trip to Danubiana
• Note: All aspects of the on-site schedule, agenda, and venue are subject to change at the discretion of the Organiser. Finalists will be informed of any updates on a best efforts basis.

4. Eligibility

This Competition is open to residents of Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Participants must:

• Be at least 18 years old or the age of majority in their country of residence, whichever is higher, when the Qualification round starts.
• Not be a national or resident of a country under sanctions or trade restrictions by the EU, UN, or US.
• Not be listed on restricted party lists (e.g., OFAC SDN List, EU Consolidated List, UN Sanctions List).
• Not be an employee of the Organiser or a family member of anyone directly involved in organising or administering the Challenge.

The Competition is void in Quebec and everywhere where prohibited by law.

5. Registration and Participation

All registrations must be submitted via the official Challenge website. Incomplete or inaccurate registrations may result in disqualification. The Organiser reserves the right to accept or decline any application at its sole discretion. Registration requires a valid email address as well as the personal details required on the website.

6. Code of Conduct

Participants must:

• Compete fairly and independently.
• Avoid plagiarism, collusion, and unethical behaviour.
• Respect all participants and event staff.
• Follow the competition rules and all other competition instructions.

7. Travel, Accommodation, and Prizes

7.1. Travel and Accommodation Reimbursement (Finalists)

The Organiser will provide a travel stipend of up to €400 for reasonable economy-class flights, accommodation expenses, and incident related travel for the twenty (20) finalists invited to the on-site event in Bratislava.

• If a finalist's travel and accommodation expenses exceed €400, the excess amount will be the responsibility of the finalist.
• Reimbursement is strictly conditional on physical attendance at the on-site event.
• Finalists will receive a curated list of recommended hotels in Bratislava and travel guidance for those transiting via Vienna International Airport.
• Participants must obtain adequate travel medical insurance prior to attending the on-site event.

All reimbursement claims must be supported by valid receipts and submitted in accordance with the instructions provided by the organiser.

7.2. Prizes

Monetary prizes will be awarded to the top three performers in the final on-site challenge:

• 1st Place: €10,000
• 2nd Place: €5,000
• 3rd Place: €2,500

All prize amounts are stated gross. In accordance with applicable Slovak law the Organiser will withhold and remit any required taxes before transferring funds to recipients. Final prize payments will therefore be made net of taxes.

Prizes will be disbursed via bank transfer within 15 business days following the conclusion of the Challenge. To facilitate payment, winners must provide:

• Full legal name
• IBAN (International Bank Account Number)
• SWIFT/BIC code

Each winner will also receive a statement detailing the gross prize amount, tax withheld, and net amount paid. Participants are individually responsible for any additional tax reporting or compliance obligations in their country of residence.

8. Participant Gifts

The Organiser will provide commemorative items to recognise participant achievement:

• Top 256 eligible participants will receive a Challenge t-shirt.
• The 20 finalists will receive an exclusive merchandise package.
• Participants may be required to provide valid shipping addresses to enable delivery.

Gifts are provided free of charge, carry no monetary value, and are non-transferable and non-exchangeable. The Organiser reserves the right to modify or substitute items if necessary.

9. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, all submissions remain the property of the participant. By submitting code or content during the Challenge, participants grant the Organiser a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use their submissions for promotional and educational purposes, with proper attribution.

10. Data Protection and GDPR Compliance

The Organiser handles all personal data in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

We collect:

• Contact details, demographic data, challenge submissions, screen recordings (for verification), and logistical information.

Purpose of data use:

• Registration, competition management, performance evaluation, travel coordination, and communication.

Your rights:

• You have the right to access, rectify, delete, or restrict processing of your data.
• To exercise these rights, contact our Data Protection Officer at gdpr@wincent.co
• For full details, please refer to our Privacy Policy at Vincentius privacy policy.

11. Liability

The Organiser shall not be held liable for:

• Technical or software issues during the challenge phases;
• Travel disruptions, visa refusals, or health incidents;
• Indirect or incidental losses related to participation in the Challenge.

Participants in the Final On-Site Challenge must obtain adequate travel medical insurance prior to attending the on-site event.

12. Modifications and Cancellation

The Organiser reserves the right to:

• Modify the structure, schedule, or terms of the Challenge;
• Cancel any phase of the Challenge due to unforeseen circumstances;
• Disqualify participants for misconduct or non-compliance.

Any updates or changes will be communicated via email or the Challenge website.

13. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the Slovak Republic. All legal matters, contractual and non-contractual, shall fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Slovak republic.