Terms of Service

1. Introduction

Welcome to Hello Alice. Hello Alice is a small business platform built around a personalized AI advisor. Through our AI advisor and our integrated services, including resources, events, accelerator programs, and grant programs, we help small business owners run and grow their businesses.

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of Hello Alice. "Hello Alice," "we," "us," and "our" refer to Circular Board, Inc., a Delaware corporation doing business as Hello Alice. Our mailing address and contact information appear in Section 13.

"You" and "your" refer to the person agreeing to these Terms, both individually and on behalf of any small business you represent. If you accept these Terms on behalf of a business, you confirm that you have authority to bind that business and that "you" includes both you personally and the business.

1.1 What these Terms cover

These Terms apply to your use of:

• The Platform. Our websites and any other interfaces through which we make Hello Alice available.
• The Services. Our AI advisor, resources library, events, accelerator programs, grant programs, premium subscription (when available), and any other features we offer through the Platform.

References to the "Services" include the AI advisor and all related offerings unless we specifically say otherwise.

1.2 Other documents that apply

These Terms are part of a larger set of documents that govern your use of Hello Alice. The following are incorporated into these Terms by reference:

• Privacy Policy. How we collect, use, and protect your personal information.
• Cookie Policy. How we use cookies and similar technologies.
• Acceptable Use Policy. What you may and may not do on the Platform.
• Copyright and Trademark Policy. How to report copyright or trademark concerns.
• Security Statement. How we protect your information.
• Data Processing Agreement. Applies if you are a partner organization that receives data from Hello Alice.

If you subscribe to a premium tier, separate subscription terms in Section 8 apply.

1.3 Accepting these Terms

By creating an account, accessing the Platform, or using any of the Services, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use Hello Alice.

If we make material changes to these Terms in the future, we will notify you and give you an opportunity to review the updated Terms before they take effect. See Section 11 (Changes to These Terms) for details.

1.4 Questions

If you have questions about these Terms, contact us at legal@helloalice.com.

2. Eligibility and Account Registration

2.1 Who can use Hello Alice

Hello Alice's services are offered exclusively to small businesses based in the United States. To use Hello Alice, you must:

• be at least 18 years old and able to enter into a binding contract;
• own or be authorized to act on behalf of a small business based in the United States. Sole proprietorships, single-member LLCs, partnerships, corporations, and other business structures are all eligible;
• not be located in, or a national or resident of, any country or region subject to comprehensive U.S. economic sanctions; and
• not be listed on any U.S. government list of prohibited or restricted persons.

By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you meet all of the eligibility requirements above and that all information you provide is true, complete, and current. You agree to keep your registration information up to date.

We may verify your eligibility at any time, and we may refuse service or close accounts that do not meet these requirements.

2.2 Your account

When you create an account, you receive credentials to access Hello Alice. You are responsible for keeping those credentials confidential and for everything that happens under your account, whether or not you authorized it. We require email verification at signup. Multi-factor authentication is available through our identity provider and we encourage you to enable it.

If you suspect unauthorized access to your account, contact us immediately at compliance@helloalice.com.

We are not responsible for losses arising from compromised credentials, but we will work with you to secure your account and investigate.

2.3 Account ownership and disputes

We do not know the inner workings of your business or your relationships with co-owners, partners, employees, or contractors. We determine account ownership based on the registration information and content associated with the account. If there is a dispute about account ownership, we may suspend the account while the parties resolve the matter directly.

You will not request access to, or information about, an account that is not yours. You will resolve account-related disputes with other parties directly, not through Hello Alice.

2.4 Closing your account

You may close your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting us. We may suspend or close your account if you violate these Terms, if we are required to by law, or if your account has been inactive for 24 months or longer.

When your account is closed:

• We will delete or anonymize your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable law, except information we are required to retain for legal, regulatory, or operational reasons.
• Your right to use the Services ends, but certain provisions of these Terms continue to apply (see Section 10.5, Survival).

3. The Services

3.1 What we offer

Hello Alice provides a small business platform built around an AI advisor and a connected set of services:

• AI Advisor. A conversational AI advisor that provides personalized guidance for your small business, surfaces relevant content and opportunities from across Hello Alice, and may take actions on connected services with your authorization.
• Resources. Educational content including articles, guides, videos, exercises, workshops, and modules. Registered users may interact with resources; public and anonymous visitors may view them.
• Events. Virtual and in-person events, including webinars, conferences, and other gatherings. Registered users may register for events; public and anonymous visitors may view event information.
• Accelerator Programs. Cohort-based programs for small business owners. Participation is application-based.
• Grant Programs. Grant opportunities funded by Hello Alice's corporate and institutional partners, available to eligible small businesses that meet program-specific criteria. See Section 3.4 for additional terms.
• Premium Subscription. A paid subscription tier offering enhanced AI advisor capabilities, increased usage, and early access to new features. Available as of September 2026. See Section 8 for subscription terms.

3.2 The AI Advisor

The AI Advisor uses information from your Hello Alice profile, your conversations with the advisor, and (with your authorization) information from accounts you have connected to Hello Alice to provide personalized guidance and recommendations.

Important things to understand about the AI Advisor:

• The AI Advisor provides general business information and is not a substitute for professional advice. The AI Advisor is not a lawyer, accountant, financial advisor, tax professional, or licensed business consultant. Do not rely on the AI Advisor's output for legal, financial, tax, regulatory, or other professional decisions without consulting an appropriately qualified professional.
• You are responsible for verifying the AI Advisor's output before acting on it. AI systems can make mistakes, including by stating inaccurate information confidently. Important business decisions should be verified independently.
• The AI Advisor may take actions on services you have connected, with your authorization. If you grant the AI Advisor access to a connected account or service, the AI Advisor may retrieve information from that account or take actions you request. You remain responsible for those actions.
• We do not use your data or AI conversations to train AI models. Your conversations with the AI Advisor are not used to train Hello Alice's AI or any third-party AI models. See our Privacy Policy for details on how we handle your AI conversations.

3.3 Free and paid services

Most Hello Alice services are available without charge. Some services involve payment, including the Premium Subscription, certain accelerator programs, and the Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard. Specific terms for each paid service are provided when you sign up or as referenced in Section 1.2.

3.4 Grant programs

Hello Alice administers grant programs funded by corporate or institutional partners. Each program has its own eligibility criteria, application requirements, and selection process, which we provide when you apply.

Grant programs are not entitlement programs. Applying does not guarantee selection or receipt of funds. Grant decisions are made by the funding partner, or by Hello Alice on the funder's behalf, according to the published criteria for each program. Applications that meet eligibility requirements may still be declined based on the funder's selection criteria, available funding, or other factors.

3.5 Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard, Loyalty Program, and 1:1 Business Coaching

The Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard is issued by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) and is governed by a separate cardmember agreement provided to you by FNBO at the time of card issuance. Where applicable, the Hello Alice Loyalty Program and 1:1 Business Coaching are governed by their own program terms, provided to you at enrollment. Where those separate terms conflict with these Terms for matters specific to the Mastercard, Loyalty Program, or Coaching, the separate terms control.

3.6 Changes to the Services

We may add, change, or remove Services from time to time. We will notify you of material changes through the Platform or by email. We are not obligated to continue offering any particular Service indefinitely.

4. Your Use of the Services

4.1 Your license to use Hello Alice

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable license to access and use the Platform and Services for the purpose of operating and growing your small business. This license does not include the right to:

• Resell, sublicense, or commercially redistribute the Services, the Platform, or any content we provide;
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the Platform;
• Use the Services to build a competing product, including by extracting AI Advisor outputs to train another AI model;
• Scrape, crawl, or use automated means to access the Platform other than through interfaces we expressly provide; or
• Remove or alter any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices.

4.2 Acceptable use

You agree to use Hello Alice only for lawful purposes and only in ways that respect other users, our partners, and us. Our Acceptable Use Policy describes specific prohibited conduct in detail. By using the Services, you agree to comply with the Acceptable Use Policy, which is part of these Terms.

At a high level, you will not:

• Use the Services to violate any law, regulation, or third party's rights;
• Use the Services to harass, threaten, defraud, or harm others;
• Use the AI Advisor to generate content that is illegal, harmful, deceptive, or that you intend to attribute to a human professional (such as legal, financial, tax, or medical advice provided to third parties);
• Attempt to circumvent our security controls or safety features, including by manipulating the AI Advisor to bypass its instructions;
• Impersonate another person or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or organization; or
• Interfere with the operation of the Platform or the experience of other users.

Violations may result in warning, suspension, or termination of your account. Serious violations may also result in reports to law enforcement or regulators.

4.3 Your Content

"Your Content" means information, materials, business data, and other content you submit to or generate through the Services, including profile information, application responses, materials you upload, and the substance of your conversations with the AI Advisor.

You retain ownership of Your Content. By submitting Your Content, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, store, copy, transmit, display, and process Your Content as necessary to provide the Services to you, to operate and improve the Platform, and to comply with legal obligations. This license ends when you delete the relevant content or close your account, except where we are required to retain information for legal or operational reasons described in our Privacy Policy.

We do not use Your Content to train AI models, ours or any third party's. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle Your Content, including conversations with the AI Advisor.

By submitting Your Content, you represent and warrant that:

• You have the rights necessary to submit it and to grant us the license above;
• Your Content does not infringe on any third party's intellectual property, privacy, publicity, or other rights;
• Your Content does not violate any law, regulation, or third-party agreement; and
• Any personal information about other people in Your Content was collected and shared with you lawfully and with appropriate notice and consent.

4.4 Feedback

We welcome feedback about Hello Alice. If you send us suggestions, comments, ideas, or other feedback ("Feedback"), you grant us an unrestricted, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, modify, and incorporate that Feedback into our products and services without obligation or compensation. Feedback is voluntary, and you should not send us anything you consider confidential.

4.5 Your authorizations for the AI Advisor

You may authorize the AI Advisor to access information from accounts and services you connect to Hello Alice (for example, an accounting platform, a bank account, or a sales tool). When you grant an authorization, the AI Advisor may retrieve information from that account or take actions you request on that account.

Controls for reviewing, modifying, and revoking AI Advisor authorizations will be available in your account settings. In the interim, contact compliance@helloalice.com to manage authorizations. Revoking an authorization does not undo actions taken before the revocation.

You are responsible for actions the AI Advisor takes on your authorization. Before authorizing the AI Advisor to take actions with significant or irreversible consequences (for example, sending money, sending communications on your behalf, or modifying your business records), confirm the action is what you intend.

5. Privacy and Data

Our Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information. By using Hello Alice, you agree to the practices described in the Privacy Policy.

Hello Alice operates from the United States and processes your information in the United States. Our services are not directed at users outside the United States. If you are outside the United States, do not use Hello Alice.

For business-to-business data sharing with our partners (for example, grant funders or other organizations that receive user data under agreement with us), our Data Processing Agreement sets the framework.

6. Third-Party Services and Integrations

Hello Alice works with third-party services and lets you connect your own third-party accounts to the Platform. We are not responsible for the practices, content, security, or availability of third-party services, including:

• Services you choose to connect to your Hello Alice account (banks, accounting platforms, sales tools, social networks, and similar);
• Services we use to deliver Hello Alice (for example, our identity provider, payment processor, event platform, and cloud infrastructure providers, listed on our Subprocessor List);
• Third-party content surfaced through the Services (for example, content from grant funders, accelerator program partners, or community contributors); and
• Websites or services linked from the Platform.

Your use of any third-party service is governed by that service's terms and privacy policy. We encourage you to review them. If a third-party service stops working or changes its terms, we may not be able to continue offering the related Hello Alice feature.

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 Our intellectual property

Hello Alice and our licensors own all rights, title, and interest in the Platform, the Services, the AI Advisor and its underlying technology, the content and materials we provide through the Services (such as articles, guides, videos, workshops, and exercises), our software and code, and our trademarks and other brand assets. Nothing in these Terms transfers any of those rights to you, except the limited license to use the Services described in Section 4.1.

7.2 Our trademarks

"Hello Alice," our logos, and our other names, slogans, and design marks are trademarks of Circular Board, Inc. You may not use our trademarks without our prior written permission. Any permitted use of our brand assets must follow our Brand Guidelines (where published).

7.3 Copyright and trademark complaints

If you believe content on the Platform infringes a copyright or trademark you own or are authorized to enforce, please follow the process in our Copyright and Trademark Policy. That policy describes how to submit a notice, what information to include, our designated agent, and how we handle counter-notices and repeat infringers.

We will terminate the accounts of users we determine to be repeat infringers.

8. Subscription Terms

This Section 8 applies if you sign up for a Hello Alice premium subscription. Free use of Hello Alice is governed by the other sections of these Terms.

8.1 Subscription plans and pricing

We offer premium subscriptions on a monthly or annual basis. Current plans, features, and prices are displayed on our Platform at the point of signup. By starting a subscription, you agree to the plan, price, and billing terms presented at checkout.

8.2 Billing

We use Stripe as our payment processor. By starting a subscription, you authorize Stripe to charge your designated payment method for:

• The subscription fee at the frequency you select (monthly or annual);
• Any applicable taxes; and
• Any other charges for products or services you purchase through the Platform.

All amounts are in U.S. dollars. You are responsible for any taxes that apply to your subscription. We will display estimated taxes at checkout where required.

8.3 Automatic renewal

Your subscription renews automatically at the end of each billing period (monthly or annual) at the then-current price for your plan, unless you cancel before the renewal date. For annual subscriptions, we will send you a reminder before each renewal in accordance with applicable law.

By starting a subscription, you affirmatively consent to automatic renewal. You can manage your renewal settings and cancel at any time through your account settings.

8.4 Cancellation

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings or by contacting us. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You will retain access to premium features until the end of that period and will not be charged for the next period.

8.5 Price changes

We may change subscription prices from time to time. If we increase the price of your plan, we will notify you at least 30 days before the increase takes effect, and you may cancel before the change applies. Price changes for new subscribers take effect immediately upon posting.

8.6 Termination of subscription

We may suspend or terminate your subscription if:

• Your payment method fails and is not corrected within a reasonable period after notice;
• You materially breach these Terms or the Acceptable Use Policy; or
• We discontinue the subscription product.

If we terminate your subscription for breach, you are not entitled to a refund. If we discontinue the subscription product, we will provide reasonable advance notice and a pro-rata refund of any prepaid fees for the unused portion of your subscription.

9. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

9.1 "As is" service

Hello Alice provides the Services on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we make no warranties about the Services, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, accuracy, completeness, or reliability.

We do not warrant that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure; that defects will be corrected; that the Services will meet your specific needs; or that content or information provided through the Services (including the AI Advisor's outputs) is accurate, complete, or up to date.

9.2 AI Advisor

The AI Advisor provides general business information and personalized recommendations based on the information you share with it. AI systems can make mistakes, including by stating inaccurate information confidently or by making recommendations that are not appropriate for your specific circumstances. You acknowledge the following:

• The AI Advisor's outputs are not professional advice. They are not a substitute for legal, accounting, tax, financial, medical, or other licensed professional advice.
• You are solely responsible for verifying the accuracy and appropriateness of the AI Advisor's outputs before acting on them.
• You are solely responsible for any decisions you make or actions you take based on the AI Advisor's outputs, including actions the AI Advisor takes on your authorization (see Section 4.5).
• We are not liable for losses or damages arising from your reliance on the AI Advisor's outputs.

9.3 Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, revenue, data, business opportunities, goodwill, or reputational harm, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
• Our total aggregate liability arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services is limited to the greater of (a) the amount you paid us for the Services in the twelve (12) months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred U.S. dollars ($100).

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of these limitations may not apply to you. Nothing in these Terms limits our liability for gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be limited or excluded by law.

9.4 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Hello Alice, our affiliates, and our employees, officers, directors, agents, and contractors from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your use of the Services;
• Your Content;
• Your violation of these Terms or any other policy that applies to your use of the Services;
• Your violation of any law or regulation; or
• Your violation of any rights of a third party.

We may, at our option, control the defense of any claim subject to indemnification. You may not settle any claim that involves us without our prior written consent.

10. Term and Termination

10.1 Term

These Terms begin when you first accept them or use the Services, whichever is earlier, and continue until terminated as described below.

10.2 Termination by you

You may terminate your relationship with Hello Alice at any time by closing your account (see Section 2.4).

10.3 Suspension or termination by us

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Services, in whole or in part, with or without notice, if:

• You violate these Terms, the Acceptable Use Policy, or any other agreement that applies to your use of the Services;
• We are required to do so by law;
• Continued provision of the Services to you presents a security, fraud, or legal risk; or
• Your account has been inactive for 24 months or longer.

We may also discontinue all or part of the Services at any time. Where feasible, we will provide reasonable advance notice.

10.4 Effect of termination

When your access to the Services ends:

• Your right to use the Services ends immediately.
• Your Content will be retained, deleted, or anonymized in accordance with our Privacy Policy and retention schedule, except where we are required to retain it for legal or operational reasons.
• Any fees you owe us through the termination date remain due. We will not refund prepaid fees except as required by law or as described in Section 8 (Subscription Terms).

10.5 Survival

The following sections survive termination of these Terms: Section 4.3 (Your Content license), Section 4.4 (Feedback license), Section 7 (Intellectual Property), Section 9 (Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability), Section 10.4 (Effect of termination), Section 11 (Changes to These Terms) for ongoing notice obligations, Section 12 (Resolving Disputes), Section 13 (General Provisions), and any provision that by its nature should survive.

11. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make changes:

• For material changes, we will notify you at least thirty (30) days before the changes take effect, by email to the address on file and through a notice on the Platform.
• For non-material changes (clarifications, corrections, formatting, or changes that do not affect your rights or obligations), we will post the updated Terms with a new "Last Updated" date.

Your continued use of the Services after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using the Services and may close your account before the changes take effect.

We will not retroactively apply material changes to events that occurred before the changes took effect, except as permitted or required by law.

12. Resolving Disputes

12.1 Governing law

These Terms, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms or the Services, are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. The federal laws of the United States also apply.

12.2 Venue

Subject to the informal resolution process in Section 12.3, any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms or the Services must be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Sonoma County, California. You and Hello Alice consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

12.3 Informal resolution first

Before filing a claim, you agree to try to resolve the dispute informally by contacting us at legal@helloalice.com with a written description of the dispute, your contact information, and the relief you are seeking. We will do the same if we have a claim against you. The parties will negotiate in good faith for at least sixty (60) days after receipt of the notice before filing any claim.

12.4 Time limit for claims

Any claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms or the Services must be filed within one (1) year after the claim arose. Otherwise, the claim is permanently barred, unless applicable law requires a longer period.

12.5 Equitable relief

Your violation of these Terms may cause irreparable harm to us for which monetary damages would be inadequate. We may seek injunctive or other equitable relief, in addition to any other remedies available, without the requirement of posting bond.

13. General Provisions

13.1 Entire agreement

These Terms, together with the documents incorporated by reference (see Section 1.2), are the entire agreement between you and Hello Alice regarding the Services. They supersede all prior agreements, representations, and understandings on that subject. If there is a conflict between these Terms and an incorporated document, these Terms control unless the incorporated document expressly states otherwise.

13.2 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or similar transaction, with notice to you.

13.3 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable. If it cannot be modified, it will be severed. The remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

13.4 No waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms is not a waiver of that provision or of our right to enforce it later.

13.5 Force majeure

Neither party is liable for delays or failures in performance caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, pandemics or other public health emergencies, war or armed conflict, terrorism, civil unrest, government action, labor disputes, power or telecommunications failures, internet service disruptions, and cyberattacks.

13.6 Independent contractors

Nothing in these Terms creates an agency, partnership, joint venture, employment, or franchise relationship between you and Hello Alice.

13.7 Interpretation

Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. The word "including" means "including without limitation." References to "days" mean calendar days unless otherwise specified.

13.8 Notices and contact information

We may send notices to you at the email address associated with your account or through a notice on the Platform. You are responsible for keeping your contact information current.

Notices to us should be sent to:

14. Special Provisions

14.1 Export controls

The Services and any related software are subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations. You agree not to export, re-export, or transfer the Services or related software to any country, person, or entity that is restricted under U.S. export laws, or to use the Services in any way that would cause Hello Alice to violate U.S. export laws.

14.2 Sanctions

You represent and warrant that you are not located in, a national or resident of, or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of any country or region subject to comprehensive U.S. economic sanctions, and that you are not listed on any U.S. government list of prohibited or restricted persons. You will not access or use the Services in any way that would cause Hello Alice to violate U.S. sanctions laws.

14.3 Geographic access restrictions

In addition to the sanctions-based restrictions in Section 14.2, Hello Alice may restrict or block access to the Services from particular countries or regions for security, fraud-prevention, abuse-mitigation, or eligibility-enforcement reasons. Because the Services are designed for U.S.-based small businesses, access from outside the United States is not supported, and access from certain locations may be blocked even where it is technically possible to reach our servers. The specific list of restricted locations may change at our discretion and is not published.

14.4 U.S. government users

If you are a U.S. federal, state, or local government entity, the Services and any associated software are "commercial computer software" and "commercial computer software documentation" as those terms are defined in 48 C.F.R. § 2.101, and are licensed to you with only the rights provided under these Terms.