How do the free licenses work and what is expected here?

Legal (startup)


The starting point for a free license is a requirement for the provision of a prototype to demonstrate the solution which can be used by Catapult and the Industrial Challenge Owner to understand and showcase the solution indefinitely.  This is straightforward in many instances e.g. an executable programme that runs on a PC.

However, if there are good reasons for additional requirements or limitations, then these can be considered on a case by case basis, but given the limited use of the ‘instance’ for demonstration and showcasing purposes, the good reason needs to demonstrate significant cost (or on-going cost that cumulates) to the participant, so it’s reasonable to not include such additional requirement or limitation as part of the initial funding. For example, a cloud hosted solution.

Further, it would be helpful if participants provided an option for the Industrial Challenge Owner to be able to continue use of the prototype despite the restriction or limitation.  For example, if it was cloud hosted, this could be hosted at cost for the ICO, or migrated to the ICO, thus allowing ICO to continue use without further ongoing cost to the participant.

Note:

  • there is an expectation that the prototype can be used for twelve months after the project without additional charges; 
  • any software owned by participant shouldn’t attract additional charges to ICO;
  • costs incurred in work to migrate the prototype would ordinarily be covered by the existing funding; and 
  • any additional payments (e.g. third party cost) would be on a cost basis only, i.e. it is not designed to generate margin for the participant