Intellectual Property & Licensing Policy

1. Scope and hierarchy

This Policy applies to concepts, sketches, logos, wordmarks, symbols, color palettes, typography systems, layout systems, stationery, social media assets, brand guidelines, presentations, production files, working files, and related materials created or used in a Nexaliq Identity project.

A project-specific written agreement may add to or replace part of this Policy. If a direct conflict exists, the signed or otherwise validly accepted project agreement controls for that project. A website service description, estimate, conversation, mood reference, or draft does not by itself transfer copyright or create an unrestricted license.

2. Definitions

Final approved work means the specific design selected by the client, completed within the paid scope, and expressly identified as final in the delivery. Rejected concepts means all preliminary, alternate, unused, or unselected directions. Background materials means tools, templates, methods, know-how, grids, processes, code, and reusable elements developed before or independently of the project. Third-party materials means fonts, stock assets, mockups, software, open-source resources, or other content owned by someone other than the client or Nexaliq Identity.

3. Client-provided materials

The client retains ownership of materials the client owned before submitting them. The client grants Nexaliq Identity a limited, non-exclusive license to copy, adapt, display, and otherwise use those materials only as reasonably necessary to evaluate the inquiry, perform the project, communicate with vendors approved by the client, maintain project records, and exercise rights stated in the project agreement.

The client represents that it has the rights and permissions necessary to provide and authorize use of every business name, slogan, photograph, illustration, existing logo, font file, text, data set, or other supplied item. The client must identify any restrictions before work begins. Nexaliq Identity may pause or decline use of material that reasonably appears unauthorized, unlawful, misleading, defamatory, or infringing.

4. Work-in-progress materials

Concept presentations, proofs, sketches, exploration files, watermarked images, and review exports are provided only for internal evaluation and project feedback. They may not be published, registered, sold, sublicensed, recreated by another provider, fed into a generative system for imitation, or used commercially unless written permission expressly allows that use.

Sharing review materials with decision-makers who are directly involved in the project is permitted when those recipients preserve confidentiality and do not use the materials independently. Public posting of unfinished work can interfere with rights clearance, revision control, and the integrity of the final identity.

5. Rights in final approved original work

Subject to full payment of all project invoices and satisfaction of the written project terms, ownership of copyright in the final approved original logo or other specifically identified original deliverables will transfer to the client only to the extent stated in a signed written assignment or other written instrument valid under applicable law. If the project document grants a license rather than an assignment, the license terms in that document control.

No transfer becomes effective for unpaid work. Transfer of the final approved work does not include rejected concepts, background materials, third-party materials, general design knowledge, or files excluded from the deliverables. Physical possession of a file and payment of an invoice do not expand the rights expressly granted.

6. Conditions before transfer or license

Any promised assignment or final-use license is conditioned on complete, cleared payment, final approval, and compliance with the project agreement. Before those conditions are met, the client receives only a temporary, revocable right to review the work internally. If a payment is reversed, charged back, or later determined fraudulent, any rights dependent on that payment may be suspended to the extent permitted by law until the issue is resolved.

7. Rejected concepts and unused directions

All rejected, alternate, preliminary, or unused concepts remain the property of Nexaliq Identity or their existing owner. They are not included in the client’s final rights, even if they appeared in a presentation or share visual features with the selected direction.

Nexaliq Identity may retain rejected concepts and may reuse general ideas, methods, stylistic learning, or non-confidential elements, but will not knowingly resell a client’s confidential business information or present a rejected direction as the client’s adopted identity. The client may request a separate written quote if it wishes to acquire rights in an additional concept.

8. Background materials and design methods

Nexaliq Identity retains all rights in background materials, reusable tools, production methods, templates, processes, scripts, structural grids, presentation formats, and general know-how. When a background element is embedded in a final deliverable, the client receives a non-exclusive license to use that element only as part of the final deliverable and only to the extent necessary to enjoy the rights granted for that work.

The client may not extract, sell, sublicense, or distribute a background tool as a standalone product unless a separate written license allows it.

9. Fonts, stock assets, and other third-party rights

Third-party materials remain subject to the owner’s license and are never transferred by Nexaliq Identity. A font shown in a concept may require the client to purchase its own desktop, web, app, social, or other license. Stock photography, mockups, icons, plugins, templates, and open-source components may carry attribution, seat, territory, media, impression, modification, or redistribution limits.

Final delivery will identify material third-party dependencies known to be included in the final work. Unless the written scope says otherwise, the client is responsible for obtaining and maintaining licenses needed for its own use. A preview image or presentation mockup is not automatically licensed for public use.

10. Limited licenses and usage restrictions

When a project grants a license, its scope may be defined by media, purpose, duration, territory, exclusivity, users, brands, or business entities. Rights not expressly granted are reserved. The client may not sublicense, assign, mint, tokenize, train a model on, resell as a template, or make the deliverable available as a stock resource unless the written license expressly allows it.

Ordinary technical adaptation of a fully owned final logo—such as resizing, changing an approved color, or placing it in an approved layout—is permitted. Distortion, misleading use, unlawful use, removal of required third-party notices, or use that creates confusion about affiliation is not authorized.

11. Trademark searches and registration

Logo design is not a legal clearance opinion. Nexaliq Identity does not guarantee that a proposed business name, slogan, symbol, or design is available for registration or free from conflicting rights. Visual review, ordinary web research, and design differentiation are not substitutes for a professional trademark search and legal advice.

The client is responsible for selecting the business name, conducting appropriate clearance, deciding whether to file, and paying registration or legal costs. A design may need to change if a rights search, attorney, government office, or dispute identifies a conflict.

12. Portfolio and attribution

Portfolio display is governed by the project agreement. If portfolio permission is granted, Nexaliq Identity may identify the client and display the public final work after the client has publicly launched it. Confidential strategy, unpublished financial information, access credentials, private drafts, and materials marked confidential will not be intentionally disclosed.

If the project agreement withholds portfolio permission or imposes an embargo, those instructions control. The client is not required to place a design credit on routine logo use unless a separate written term requires attribution.

13. Source and production files

The deliverables listed in the accepted scope determine which file formats are included. Final vector, raster, print, digital, guideline, or template files may be included; native working files, font software, hidden layers, rejected variations, internal notes, linked stock assets, and proprietary tools are excluded unless expressly listed.

The client should inspect, download, and securely back up delivered files. Archival storage is not guaranteed after delivery. A later request to reconstruct or convert files may be treated as a new service.

14. Generative and automated tools

Nexaliq Identity will not knowingly use client confidential materials to train a public model. If an automated or generative tool is proposed for a material part of a project, its intended role, risks, and effect on ownership should be addressed in the project communication or agreement before final use.

The client may not upload confidential drafts, restricted third-party assets, or review concepts to a public generative platform without confirming that the upload is permitted and consistent with the project terms.

15. Claims and suspected misuse

A person who believes material on the website or in a deliverable infringes a right should provide their name, contact information, identification of the protected work, identification and location of the challenged material, the basis of the claim, and supporting documentation. Knowingly false claims may cause harm and should not be submitted.

Nexaliq Identity may remove, disable, replace, or investigate challenged material while a good-faith claim is reviewed. Nothing in this section admits liability or waives any defense.

16. Survival and interpretation

Provisions concerning ownership, licenses, payment-dependent rights, confidentiality, third-party restrictions, warranties, indemnity, limitations, records, and dispute resolution survive project completion or termination to the extent necessary to give them effect. If one provision is unenforceable, it should be limited to the minimum extent necessary without invalidating the remainder.