Terms of Service

Effective date: October 3, 2026

These terms apply when you use zcube8.com (the "site") and when you buy a Technical Scoping Sprint (the "Sprint") or a Software Second Opinion (a "Second Opinion") from zCube8 LLC ("zCube8," "we," "us"). By using the site or buying either, you agree to these terms. Where these terms say "the Sprint," they also cover a Second Opinion, except where section 3 says otherwise. If you buy on behalf of a company, you confirm that you're authorized to bind it, and "you" means that company.

Other engagements, such as builds, automations, retainers and rescues, are covered by a separate written agreement or statement of work. If that agreement conflicts with these terms, the agreement controls.

1. Using the site

  • The site provides general information. Nothing on it is legal, financial, tax or other professional advice for your situation.
  • Don't misuse the site: no attempts to break, overload or gain unauthorized access to it, no automated scraping, no spam through our forms, and no impersonating anyone.
  • The site's content and design belong to zCube8. You may share links and short quotes with attribution.
  • Links to other websites are provided for convenience; we're not responsible for their content.

2. The Scoping Sprint

2.1 What's included

A fixed-scope engagement of 5 business days from kickoff to readout, made up of:

  • a kickoff session (up to 90 minutes), a mid-sprint check-in (up to 30 minutes) and a readout (up to 60 minutes), held by video call;
  • analysis of the workflow, product or system we agree on at the kickoff;
  • written deliverables: an opportunity map, a version-one scope, an architecture and integration plan, a risk register, and a fixed quote and timeline for a next phase;
  • a recording of the readout, if you agree to it being recorded;
  • answers to follow-up questions by email for 14 days after the readout.

2.2 What's not included

Building, coding, configuring or deploying software (other than small technical tests needed to check feasibility); legal, regulatory, tax or financial advice; and support after the follow-up period. Anything beyond the agreed scope needs a separate agreement.

2.3 Timeline and your part

The 5-business-day timeline assumes you attend the sessions and provide the information and access we reasonably ask for, such as sample documents, a walkthrough of the process, or read-only access to relevant tools. You decide what to share, and you're responsible for having the right to share it. Delays on your side extend the timeline.

2.4 Sensitive and regulated data

Please don't share regulated data (for example, patient health information, payment card data or government ID numbers) during the Sprint unless we've agreed in writing how it will be handled. Samples with personal details removed are usually enough to scope the work.

3. The Software Second Opinion

  • What's included: a working session of up to 90 minutes by video call on the question you bring, and a written summary of what we looked at, our recommendations and suggested next steps, delivered within 2 business days after the session.
  • Scheduling: after you pay, you book the session through our booking link, or we agree a time by email.
  • Rescheduling: you can reschedule once, free of charge, with at least 24 hours' notice.
  • If we cancel: if we cancel the session, you get a full refund.
  • If it wasn't useful: if the session wasn't useful, tell us within 7 days of getting your written summary and we'll refund the $500.
  • Credit toward a Sprint: if you buy a Sprint within 30 days after the session, we credit 100% of the Second Opinion fee against the Sprint price. The credit applies once, can't be transferred and has no cash value.
  • The summary is our professional opinion based on what you share in the session. It isn't a fixed quote or a Sprint deliverable.
  • Sections 5 and 6 apply to the Sprint only.

4. Price and payment

The price is the price shown at checkout (currently $2,500 USD for the Sprint, the founding-client price, a discount from the regular price of $5,000 USD, and $500 USD for a Second Opinion). It's paid in full, in advance, using a payment method offered at checkout or on the invoice, through our payment processor, Stripe, whose terms apply to the payment. Prices don't include taxes; any applicable tax is added at checkout or invoiced.

Founding-client rate. If you buy the Sprint at the founding-client rate, in exchange you give us a 30-minute feedback call and permission to publish an anonymized case study of the work. We send you the anonymized draft first, and nothing is published until you approve it. The founding rate never depends on a review or a testimonial.

5. Scheduling, rescheduling and cancellation

  • Scheduling: after you buy, we'll agree a kickoff date together.
  • Rescheduling: you can reschedule the kickoff or the readout once, free of charge, with at least 2 business days' notice. Further changes depend on availability.
  • Cancelling before the kickoff: you can cancel at any time before the kickoff for a full refund.
  • Fit guarantee: if, during the kickoff, either of us concludes that a Sprint isn't the right next step for you, we'll end the Sprint and refund the full fee.
  • After the kickoff: apart from the fit guarantee, once the kickoff has taken place the fee is non-refundable, because the work has started.
  • If we can't deliver: if we can't complete the Sprint for reasons on our side, we'll refund the fee in full.
  • Unused Sprints: if the kickoff hasn't taken place within 90 days of purchase, we'll check in with you. If you no longer want the Sprint, we'll refund it.
  • Refunds are made to the original payment method. Nothing in these terms limits any rights you have under law that can't be waived.

6. Credit toward follow-on work

If you sign an agreement with us for a follow-on engagement within 30 days after the readout, we'll credit 100% of the Sprint fee against that engagement's invoices. The credit applies once, can't be transferred and has no cash value.

7. Quotes and estimates

The fixed quote in your deliverables is valid for 30 days after the readout, for the scope it describes. Changes to the scope can change the price. A quote isn't a commitment by either of us until we both sign an agreement. Estimates of time or cost savings are estimates, not guarantees.

8. Ownership of the deliverables

Once you've paid in full, you own the written deliverables we prepare specifically for you, and you can use them for any purpose, including sharing them with other vendors. We keep ownership of our pre-existing materials, general know-how, methods, templates and tools. To the extent any of them appear in your deliverables, we give you a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use them as part of the deliverables. We may reuse the general knowledge and skills we gain, but never your confidential information.

9. Confidentiality

Each of us will keep the other's non-public information confidential, use it only for the Sprint and related discussions, and protect it with reasonable care. This doesn't apply to information that becomes public through no fault of the receiving party, was already known to it, is developed independently, or must be disclosed by law. We're happy to sign a mutual NDA before the kickoff. We'll never name you as a client or publish a case study about your work without your written approval.

10. Recordings

We record sessions only with your consent.

11. Warranties

We'll perform the Sprint with reasonable care and skill. Except as stated in these terms, the site and the Sprint are provided "as is," and, to the extent the law allows, we disclaim all other warranties, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.

12. Limitation of liability

To the extent the law allows: (a) our total liability arising out of or related to the Sprint or the site is limited to the amount you paid for the Sprint; and (b) neither of us is liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or for lost profits, revenue or data, even if told they were possible. These limits don't apply where the law doesn't allow them.

13. Independent contractor

We provide the Sprint as an independent contractor. Nothing in these terms creates an employment, partnership or agency relationship.

14. Subcontractors

We may use vetted subcontractors who work under our direct supervision. We remain your single accountable party for all work under these terms. Every subcontractor is bound in writing by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as section 9 and assigns to us the rights in their work, so you receive the same ownership described in section 8. For engagements involving health information, any subcontractor who would have access signs a business associate agreement (BAA) before getting any access.

15. Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules, and any dispute will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Contra Costa County, California. Before either of us files a claim, we'll both try in good faith to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

16. General

If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest still applies. Not enforcing a provision isn't a waiver of it. You may not assign these terms without our consent; we may assign them as part of a sale of our business. These terms, together with your checkout confirmation, are the entire agreement between us about the Sprint.

17. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms. The version in effect when you buy a Sprint applies to that purchase. We'll change the effective date above whenever we update them.

18. Contact

zCube8 LLC · hello@zcube8.com