Our Charter

Introduction

This Charter

MEMBERSHIP

GOVERNANCE

Financial Provisions

Intellectual Property

As the Impact Accelerator Network, we are a diverse team of practitioners from around the world, engaging in multidisciplinary research with clients to ensure that the theoretical meets the practical, and innovations are ready for real-world application.

Building Trust

With these things in mind, this Membership Charter (“the Charter”) sets out the terms and conditions of membership in The Impact Accelerator Network, is not intended to be legally binding, other than were stated to the contrary, and:

  • Provides the basis for trust and alignment between members.

  • Engenders a collaborative innovation approach between parties, helping to create a fair and level playing field between parties.

  • Reduces risk and uncertainty to provides a basis for mutual understanding of how issues such as possible creation of intellectual property will be handled.

Joining

To join Impact Accelerator Network, each member and associate agree to be named at the end of this Charter, confirming that they will comply with and agrees to be bound by the terms of the Charter.

Doing so will give The Impact Accelerator Network members confidence that all members are mutually committed to the success of the network and have appropriately aligned expectations of The Impact Accelerator Network and one another.  

Eligibility for Membership.

Eligibility for membership will be assessed against criteria to be developed, agreed, published and maintained by The Impact Accelerator Network following consultation with members.

These criteria may include factors such as the alignment of a prospective Member's current activities with the purpose and goals of The Impact Accelerator Network and the calibre and/or significance of the contributions they can make to The Impact Accelerator Network and its members.

Current Membership Categories.

The Impact Accelerator Network offers two types of membership:

  • Member: Open to any practitioner (as a “Member”) who has sponsorship from one of our existing Members and be able to provide proof of Professional Doctorate (DBA) status from a university.

  • Associate: Open to any individual (as an “Associate”) in full time academic positions, or post-graduates studying at the MBA level, who has sponsorship from one of our existing members.

The Impact Accelerator Network Governance

The Impact Accelerator Network is supervised by a Member council (“the Council”) which holds all decision-making powers except as otherwise specified herein.

The Council comprises of up to six Members, who may be nominated by any Member and approved by the Council employing such procedures as it deems appropriate, and with membership to be granted for a two-year renewable term.

The Council Roles and Responsibilities.

In addition to any responsibilities specified elsewhere in this Charter, The Council is responsible for:

  • all formal decision-making relating to the governance, operations and strategic development of The Impact Accelerator Network.

  • exercising its decision-making powers in good faith, in the best interests of all members.

  • creating and making public such information about the Impact Accelerator Network as is required to build stakeholder interest, understanding and confidence in its purpose, goals, governance, operations, activities and outcomes.

  • convening meetings of The Impact Accelerator Network, with at least one meeting each year intended to serve as the equivalent of an annual general meeting of The Impact Accelerator Network

Member(s) or Associate(s) right to obtain or derive revenues.

Members and Associates have the right to derive revenues because of their involvement in The Impact Accelerator Network-related activities so long as such revenues:

  • are obtained, held, administered and disposed of by one or more Members acting in their own right; and

  • do not jeopardize the achievement of the purposes and goals of The Impact Accelerator Network.

Cost sharing.

  • Any The Impact Accelerator Network-related costs incurred by a Member or Associate shall be the sole responsibility of that Member or Associate.

Ownership of intellectual property.

All intellectual property rights ("IPR") owned by a Member or Associate on the date that they commence their membership ("Background IPR") shall remain the property of that Member or Associate.

All developments made by a Member or Associate to their Background IPR during their membership shall be owned by that Member. ("Foreground IP").

No Development of New Intellectual Property.

Members and Associates do not intend to jointly develop any new intellectual property under or in connection with their membership in The Impact Accelerator Network; and no activity they may take as a Member or Associate shall constitute joint development or lead to joint ownership of any intellectual property with any other The Impact Accelerator Network Member.

If Member(s) and/or Associate(s) later decide to undertake any activities related to the development of new intellectual property, the participating Member(s) and/or Associate(s) will agree in writing on appropriate ownership and license terms before engaging in any such development activities.