1. Definitions
In these Terms and Conditions ("Terms"), the following definitions apply:
"Application": the submission made by a Startup through the Programme application form.
"Credits": the monetary value allocated to a Participant’s Gladia account for use against the Gladia Platform, denominated in US dollars ($).
"Effective Date": the date on which Credits are activated on the Participant’s Gladia account following acceptance into the Programme.
"Gladia": Gladia SAS, a société par actions simplifiée registered in France under RCS Lille Métropole, with registered offices at 2 rue Kellermann, 59100 Roubaix, France.
"Gladia Platform": Gladia’s voice AI platform, including the Solaria speech-to-text engine, upcoming text-to-speech capabilities, and all related APIs, services, and documentation made available at gladia.io.
"Participant": a Startup that has been accepted into the Programme and whose Credits have been activated.
"Programme": the Gladia Startup Studio programme, as described in these Terms.
"Programme Period": the twelve (12) month period commencing on the Effective Date.
"Startup": a company, as further defined in Section 3 (Eligibility), that applies to or participates in the Programme.
"GTCS" or "General Terms and Conditions of Service": Gladia’s General Terms and Conditions of Service, as published on the Gladia website (https://www.gladia.io/terms-and-conditions), which form part of these Terms by reference.
"Terms of Use": Gladia’s General Terms of Use, as published on the Gladia website (https://www.gladia.io/general-terms-of-use), which form part of these Terms by reference.
"VC Partner": a venture capital firm that participates in the Gladia VC Partner Programme and issues referral codes to eligible startups.
2. Programme overview
2.1. The Gladia Startup Studio is a programme designed to support early-stage startups building products that rely on voice AI technology (speech-to-text, text-to-speech, or both). Gladia provides eligible startups with free credits to use on the Gladia Platform, along with dedicated technical support.
2.2. Accepted Participants receive:
(a) $3,000 in Credits (or $3,500 if referred by a VC Partner), allocated as a single pool for the duration of the Programme Period;
(b) access to a dedicated Field Developer Engineer ("FDE") for technical support, integration guidance, and production troubleshooting.
2.3. The approximate capacity of the standard Credit allocation is 1,200 hours per month of real-time or asynchronous transcription, based on standard configuration. Actual capacity depends on the Participant’s usage patterns, language configuration, and features enabled.
2.4. Participation in the Programme is subject to these Terms, the GTCS, and the Terms of Use. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and the GTCS, these Terms shall prevail with respect to Programme-specific provisions.
3. Eligibility
3.1. To be eligible for the Programme, a Startup must satisfy all of the following criteria at the time of Application:
(a) Team size: fewer than ten (10) people (including founders, employees, and contractors);
(b) Company age: incorporated less than two (2) years prior to the date of Application (pre-seed or seed stage);
(c) Product: building a product (in development or in production) with voice AI (speech-to-text, text-to-speech, or both) as a core component of the use case; the product must be monetised or have a clear path to monetisation;
(d) Company type: the applicant must be a product company; agencies, consulting firms, and service providers are not eligible;
(e) Geography: the Programme is open globally, with the exception of the following restricted territories as defined in Gladia’s General Terms of Use: the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Cuba, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), the Russian Federation, South Sudan, Sudan, and the Syrian Arab Republic. Applications from any additional country or territory subject to comprehensive EU, UN, or US sanctions at the time of review will also be declined;
(f) No existing enterprise relationship: the applicant must not currently hold an active enterprise contract with Gladia;
(g) Age: all individual applicants (or authorised representatives of the applying entity) must be eighteen (18) years of age or older.
3.2. No minimum funding is required. The Programme is open to bootstrapped and funded startups alike.
3.3. Startups referred by a VC Partner are eligible for the enhanced Credit allocation ($3,500) and must provide a valid VC Partner referral code in their Application.
3.4. Gladia reserves the right to verify any information provided in the Application and to request additional documentation to confirm eligibility.
4. Application and acceptance
4.1. Application process. Startups apply by completing the application form on the Startup Studio page of the Gladia website. The form requires: company name, website, team size, product description, intended use of Gladia, and estimated monthly usage.
4.2. One application per entity. Only one Application is permitted per legal entity. Duplicate or multiple Applications from the same entity (or substantially overlapping entities) will be declined.
4.3. Review and decision. Gladia evaluates Applications on a rolling basis. Applicants will receive a response (accepted, waitlisted, or declined) within seven (7) business days of submission. Gladia’s decision is final and at its sole discretion.
4.4. No NDA required. No non-disclosure agreement is required to apply for or participate in the Programme. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the confidentiality obligations set out in Section 15 of these Terms and in Article 13 of the GTCS apply to both Parties.
4.5. Onboarding. Accepted Participants will be onboarded with their assigned FDE. Credits will be activated on the Participant’s Gladia account promptly following acceptance.
4.6. VC Partner referrals. Applications submitted with a valid VC Partner referral code will be eligible for the enhanced Credit allocation as described in Section 5.
5. Credits
Allocation
5.1. Each Participant receives a single pool of Credits:
(a) Standard allocation: $3,000; or
(b) VC Partner referral allocation: $3,500 (applicable only to Participants who submitted a valid VC Partner referral code at the time of Application).
5.2. Credits are made available in full from the Effective Date. There are no monthly sub-allocations, caps, or rollover mechanisms; the entire Credit pool is accessible from day one.
Usage
5.3. Credits may be used for any Gladia Platform services, including real-time streaming and asynchronous transcription, subject to the GTCS and Terms of Use. The Participant shall comply with the prohibited uses listed in the Terms of Use at all times.
5.4. Usage is metered against the Participant’s Gladia account. The Participant is responsible for monitoring Credit consumption through the Gladia dashboard.
Restrictions
5.5. Credits are non-transferable. They may not be assigned, sublicensed, shared with, or made available to any third party.
5.6. Credits are non-cashable. They carry no cash value and may not be exchanged, refunded, or converted into monetary payment under any circumstances.
5.7. Credits may not be resold. Any attempt to sell, barter, or commercially redistribute Credits (whether directly or indirectly) constitutes a material breach of these Terms and grounds for immediate termination under Section 9.
5.8. Credits are tied to the Participant’s Gladia account and may not be transferred to another account, even if controlled by the same entity.
Expiry
5.9. Unused Credits expire automatically at the end of the Programme Period. There is no extension, rollover, or carry-forward of unused Credits beyond the Programme Period, except at Gladia’s sole discretion.
6. Participant obligations
6.1. By accepting entry into the Programme, each Participant agrees to the following obligations for the duration of the Programme Period:
(a) Community engagement: participate in Gladia events (virtual or in-person) and contribute content about the Participant’s experience with the Gladia Platform, such as blog posts, technical articles, or event presentations.
(b) Social visibility: share the Participant’s experience building with Gladia on social media and other public channels.
(c) Case studies: be available to collaborate with Gladia on a case study or customer story during or after the Programme Period.
(d) Attribution: display the Gladia logo and a hyperlink to gladia.io on the Participant’s website or product page for the duration of the Programme Period. Logo assets will be provided by Gladia.
(e) Product feedback: share roadmap priorities and provide candid feedback on the Gladia Platform to assist product development.
(f) VC Partner referrals: where applicable, introduce Gladia to the Participant’s investors for potential inclusion in the Gladia VC Partner Programme.
6.2. Failure to comply with the obligations set out in Section 6.1 may result in Gladia issuing a written notice requesting compliance. Persistent or material non-compliance may constitute grounds for suspension or termination under Section 9.
6.3. Gladia acknowledges that the scope and frequency of these obligations will be reasonable and proportionate to the early-stage nature of Participants.
7. Intellectual property
7.1. Gladia’s IP. All intellectual property rights in and to the Gladia Platform, the Gladia brand, and any materials provided to Participants (including logos, documentation, and APIs) remain the sole property of Gladia. Nothing in these Terms grants the Participant any ownership rights in Gladia’s intellectual property.
7.2. Participant’s IP. All intellectual property rights in and to the Participant’s product, data, and outputs generated through the Participant’s use of the Gladia Platform remain the sole property of the Participant. Gladia claims no ownership over the Participant’s intellectual property.
7.3. Limited licence to Gladia. The Participant grants Gladia a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use the Participant’s company name, logo, and a brief description of the Participant’s product for the purposes of Programme marketing, case studies, and promotional materials. This licence survives termination of the Programme solely for materials published during the Programme Period, unless the Participant requests removal in writing.
7.4. Limited licence to Participant. Gladia grants the Participant a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to use the Gladia logo on the Participant’s website and product materials for the sole purpose of fulfilling the attribution obligation described in Section 6.1(d). This licence terminates automatically upon expiry or termination of the Programme.
7.5. No model training. For the avoidance of doubt, Gladia’s data processing practices are governed by the GTCS and the Gladia Data Processing Agreement. Participation in the Programme does not alter the Participant’s rights regarding its data.
8. Term, expiry, and renewal
8.1. Programme Period. The Programme Period begins on the Effective Date and runs for twelve (12) months, unless terminated earlier in accordance with Section 9.
8.2. Expiry. At the end of the Programme Period:
(a) all remaining unused Credits expire and are forfeited;
(b) the Participant’s obligations under Section 6 cease (except for the case study obligation under Section 6.1(c), which may extend for a reasonable period following expiry, not exceeding six (6) months); and
(c) the Participant’s Gladia account transitions to standard self-serve pricing as described in Section 10.
8.3. No automatic renewal. The Programme does not renew automatically. Gladia may, at its sole discretion, offer a Participant an extension or a renewed allocation of Credits.
9. Termination and suspension
Termination by Gladia
9.1. Gladia may terminate a Participant’s participation in the Programme immediately and without prior notice if the Participant:
(a) materially breaches these Terms, the GTCS, or the Terms of Use;
(b) provides false, misleading, or materially incomplete information in the Application;
(c) ceases to meet the eligibility criteria set out in Section 3 (for instance, by exceeding the team size threshold, entering into an enterprise contract with Gladia, or operating from a sanctioned jurisdiction);
(d) engages in fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful use of the Gladia Platform or the Credits;
(e) attempts to resell, transfer, or commercially redistribute Credits in violation of Section 5; or
(f) becomes insolvent, enters liquidation, or ceases to carry on business.
Suspension by Gladia
9.2. Gladia may suspend a Participant’s access to Credits and the Programme (in whole or in part) pending investigation of any suspected breach described in Section 9.1. Gladia will use reasonable efforts to notify the Participant of any suspension and the reasons for it.
Termination by Participant
9.3. A Participant may withdraw from the Programme at any time by providing written notice to Gladia. Upon withdrawal:
(a) all unused Credits are forfeited immediately; and
(b) the Participant’s Gladia account transitions to standard self-serve pricing.
Effect of termination
9.4. Upon termination (for any reason):
(a) all unused Credits are immediately revoked and cannot be recovered;
(b) the Participant’s licence to use the Gladia logo (Section 7.4) terminates;
(c) Sections 7 (Intellectual Property), 11 (Limitation of Liability), 13 (Governing Law), 14 (General Provisions), 15 (Confidentiality), and 17 (Non-Solicitation) survive termination; and
(d) the Participant’s Gladia account remains active under standard terms; only the Programme benefits are discontinued.
10. Post-programme transition
10.1. Upon expiry or termination of the Programme, the Participant’s Gladia account transitions automatically to Gladia’s standard self-serve pricing. There is no service interruption; the Participant’s existing integrations and configurations remain intact.
10.2. The Participant will be billed under standard pay-as-you-go rates for any usage beyond the Programme Period. It is the Participant’s responsibility to review the applicable pricing on the Gladia website before the end of the Programme Period.
10.3. No preferential or discounted pricing is guaranteed post-Programme, unless separately agreed in writing between the Participant and Gladia.
11. Limitation of liability
11.1. "As is" provision. The Programme benefits (including Credits and FDE support) are provided "as is" and "as available". Gladia makes no warranties, whether express, implied, or statutory, regarding the Programme benefits, including (without limitation) warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Gladia Platform itself remains subject to the warranties and service levels set out in the GTCS.
11.2. Service availability. Gladia does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access to the Gladia Platform. Service levels, if any, are governed by the GTCS.
11.3. Cap on liability. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Gladia’s total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the Programme (whether in contract, tort, negligence, or otherwise) shall not exceed the value of the Credits allocated to the Participant ($3,000 or $3,500, as applicable).
11.4. Exclusion of indirect damages. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Gladia shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities, arising out of or in connection with the Programme, even if Gladia has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
11.5. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for: (a) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; (b) death or personal injury caused by negligence; or (c) any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.
12. Modifications to programme
12.1. Gladia reserves the right to modify these Terms, the Programme structure, or the Credit allocations at any time. Material modifications will be communicated to active Participants with at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice.
12.2. Gladia reserves the right to discontinue the Programme entirely, with at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to active Participants. In the event of discontinuation:
(a) active Participants will retain their remaining Credits for the remainder of the Programme Period or for the thirty (30) day notice period, whichever is longer; and
(b) no additional Credits or Programme benefits will be issued beyond the notice period.
12.3. Continued participation in the Programme following notification of a material change constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms. Participants who do not accept the modifications may withdraw under Section 9.3.
13. Governing law
13.1. These Terms are subject to French law.
13.2. The Parties will endeavor to resolve amicably any disputes that may arise from the interpretation or execution of these Terms within thirty (30) days of the date of occurrence of such disputes.
13.3. In the absence of an amicable agreement, all disputes to which these Terms may give rise, concerning their validity, interpretation, execution, termination and consequences will be submitted to the competent Courts in Paris (France).
14. General provisions
Data protection
14.1. Gladia processes personal data in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (the General Data Protection Regulation, "GDPR") and applicable French data protection legislation. The Participant’s personal data submitted during the Application process and Programme participation will be processed for the purposes of administering the Programme, marketing and promotional activities as described in Section 7.3, and complying with legal obligations. The legal basis for such processing is the performance of these Terms (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR) and Gladia’s legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR). Participants may exercise their rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection by contacting startup-studio@gladia.io. Gladia’s Privacy Policy, available on the Gladia website, provides further detail on data processing practices, retention periods, and international data transfers.
14.2. The Participant’s use of the Gladia Platform (including any personal data processed through the APIs) is subject to the Gladia Data Processing Agreement, as referenced in the GTCS.
Incorporated documents
14.3. The following documents are incorporated into these Terms by reference, in the following order of precedence:
(a) These Terms (Gladia Startup Studio Terms and Conditions);
(b) Gladia Data Processing Agreement (DPA);
(c) Gladia General Terms and Conditions of Service (GTCS) (https://www.gladia.io/terms-and-conditions);
(d) Gladia Terms of Use (https://www.gladia.io/general-terms-of-use);
In the event of a conflict between the contractual documents, the higher-ranking document shall prevail over the lower-ranking document. Where documents are of the same rank, the most recent version shall prevail.
Entire agreement
14.4. These Terms (together with the incorporated documents) constitute the entire agreement between Gladia and the Participant with respect to the Programme and supersede all prior discussions, representations, and agreements relating to the subject matter hereof.
Severability
14.5. If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
Waiver
14.6. The failure of either party to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that provision or of the right to enforce it at a later time.
Assignment
14.7. The Participant may not assign or transfer its rights or obligations under these Terms without Gladia’s prior written consent. Gladia may assign its rights and obligations under these Terms to any successor entity (whether by merger, acquisition, or otherwise) without the Participant’s consent, provided that the assignee assumes Gladia’s obligations hereunder.
Notices
14.8. All notices under these Terms shall be in writing and sent to the email address provided by the Participant in the Application (for notices to the Participant) or to startup-studio@gladia.io (for notices to Gladia). Notices are deemed received upon confirmed delivery.
No partnership or agency
14.9. Nothing in these Terms creates a partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship between Gladia and the Participant. Neither party has the authority to bind or commit the other.
Language
14.10. These Terms are drafted in English. In the event of any translation, the English language version shall prevail.
15. Confidentiality
15.1. Each Party undertakes not to disclose to any third party any confidential information (including, without limitation, technical, commercial, financial, or strategic information) received from the other Party in connection with the Programme, and to use such information solely for the purposes of performing its obligations under these Terms.
15.2. Confidential information shall be disclosed only to employees, contractors, or advisers who have a need to know and who are bound by substantially similar confidentiality obligations.
15.3. These confidentiality obligations shall survive for a period of two (2) years following the expiry or termination of the Programme Period.
15.4. The obligations set out in this Section 15 shall not apply to information that: (a) is or becomes publicly available through no fault of the receiving Party; (b) was already lawfully known to the receiving Party prior to disclosure; (c) is independently developed by the receiving Party without reference to the disclosing Party’s confidential information; or (d) is required to be disclosed by law, regulation, or court order, provided that the receiving Party gives prompt written notice to the disclosing Party where legally permitted.
16. Force majeure
16.1. Neither Party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay results from a case of force majeure as defined in Article 1218 of the French Civil Code.
16.2. In particular, the following events shall constitute force majeure: strikes or social disputes, epidemics or pandemics, wars, production stoppages due to fortuitous breakdowns, fires, disruptions in the supply of energy or telecommunications and Internet network not attributable to the affected Party, and acts, decrees, legislation, regulations, or restrictions issued by any government.
16.3. The affected Party shall notify the other Party without delay. Obligations shall be suspended from the date of notification and shall resume within a reasonable period after the cessation of the force majeure event.
16.4. If the force majeure event persists for more than three (3) months, either Party may terminate these Terms by written notice, without either Party being liable for damages. Upon such termination, any unused Credits shall be forfeited.
17. Non-solicitation
17.1. For the duration of these Terms and for a period of two (2) years following expiry or termination, the Participant shall refrain from making, directly or indirectly, any offer of employment or engagement (whether as employee, contractor, consultant, or otherwise) to any Gladia employee or contractor assigned to the performance of the Programme (including, without limitation, the FDE).
17.2. Failure to comply with this provision shall give rise to the payment of compensation equal to at least twice the gross annual remuneration (including benefits and employer contributions) of the individual concerned. Amounts due under this clause constitute liquidated damages, not penalties.
Gladia SAS · 2 rue Kellermann, 59100 Roubaix, France · RCS Lille Métropole · SIREN 909 935 736 · startup-studio@gladia.io