Technovate N.V. provides primarily digital products and services, which by their nature have different return and refund conditions than physical goods. This Return Policy outlines how we handle cancellations, returns, and refunds for the various services and occasional hardware products we offer. We strive to be fair and transparent, while also considering the work and costs involved in delivering our services.

Important: Nothing in this policy is intended to limit any statutory rights you may have. Surinamese consumer protection laws, as well as any applicable laws in other jurisdictions (like the EU), may grant you certain non-waivable rights to refunds or remedies for defective goods or services. Those statutory rights will apply notwithstanding anything in our policies[37].

1. Digital Services (Non-Tangible Products)

Most of our offerings (web hosting, software licenses, subscriptions, consulting, development services, digital backups, etc.) are digital or service-based. These are generally not eligible for return once delivered or accessed, because they are intangible and/or customized for you. However, we address specific scenarios below:

• Subscription Fees. All subscription and license fees (including web hosting plans, annual software subscriptions, domain names, etc.) are non-refundable once paid[12]. If you choose to cancel a subscription before the end of its term, you will not receive a refund for the remaining unused period, except at our discretion or if required by law. For example, if you pay for a year of hosting and decide to cancel after 3 months, the remaining 9 months are not refunded. This is because we often offer discounts for longer commitments and allocate resources for the full term.
• One-Time Service Fees. Setup fees, onboarding fees, or one-time service fees (such as a one-time consultation session fee) are generally non-refundable once the service has been initiated. If you cancel before the service is rendered, we may offer a refund minus any costs already incurred. For instance, if you paid for a one-time security audit and then cancel before it starts, we might refund you minus any preparatory work costs if those were significant.
• Custom Software Development Projects. If you have entered a custom development agreement, the refund and cancellation terms should be specified in that contract. In general, deposits or retainers for custom work are non-refundable[13], especially if work has started or we have reserved developer time for your project. If you decide to terminate a project early, you will typically be billed for the work completed up to termination and may not receive any refund of amounts already paid. However, we might consider a prorated refund of an implementation or setup fee if you are genuinely dissatisfied with delivered work and you notify us within 10 days of the deliverable[38][39]. In such cases, we will deduct the value of the work already performed (hours or milestones completed) and any non-cancellable costs incurred on your behalf, and potentially refund the remaining portion[38][39]. This is evaluated on a case-by-case basis and is meant as a goodwill gesture; our goal is to ensure you either get the service to meet requirements or a fair partial refund if we cannot.
• Services with Guaranteed Outcomes: Generally, we do not guarantee specific outcomes (like increased sales, search ranking improvements, etc.) for our services, therefore those are not grounds for refund. We guarantee only the delivery of the service as described. However, if we fail to deliver the agreed service at all (for example, you paid for a penetration test report and we did not deliver any report), you are entitled to a refund for that non- delivered service.

2. Hardware Products (Bundled or Standalone)

On occasion, Technovate may provide or sell hardware devices as part of our solutions (for example, VR headsets for Augmentify, storage appliances for backup solutions, or IoT devices accompanying software). Our policy for hardware is as follows:

• Return Eligibility. Hardware products may be eligible for return or replacement if they are defective or arrive damaged. You must inform us within 7 days of delivery if hardware is delivered in a defective or damaged state. We will arrange for a return merchandise authorization (RMA) and either send you a replacement unit or issue a refund, at our discretion.
• Return Process for Hardware. To initiate a hardware return, contact us at [email protected] with your order details and the issue. Hardware must be returned in its original packaging with all components/accessories included. We will provide instructions for shipping the item back (in some cases, we will arrange courier pickup). After receiving and inspecting the returned item, we will notify you of the approval or rejection of the refund or replacement. If approved, we will process the refund or shipment of a new item within 14 days.
• Non-Defective Returns. If the hardware is not defective and you simply wish to return it (e.g., due to a change of mind), the ability to do so will depend on the circumstances and applicable law. For business customers, generally all sales are final on hardware once delivered, unless otherwise agreed. For consumer customers (if applicable), if local law provides a cooling-off period for distance sales of goods (for example, some jurisdictions allow 7-14 days to return goods in new condition), we will honor those rights in accordance with the law. Note that digital software that’s been activated is usually exempt from such cooling-off periods. If a return of non-defective hardware is accepted, it typically must be unused and in new condition, and you may be responsible for return shipping costs and a restocking fee (if stated).
• Warranty on Hardware. Any hardware devices sold or provided may be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. We will pass along any such warranty to you. If a device fails within the warranty period (outside our 7-day immediate DOA return window), you may need to contact the manufacturer for support or warranty claims, although we can assist in facilitating this. Our liability for hardware is limited; aside from the initial DOA (dead-on-arrival) replacement obligation, hardware is provided “as is” without additional warranty from Technovate, except as required by law or explicitly documented.

3. Process for Refunds (if applicable)

If a refund is approved in any of the above scenarios, it will be processed as follows:

• Refunds will be issued to the original payment method whenever possible. For example, if you paid by credit card, the refund will go back to that card. If the original method is not available (e.g., card expired), we will arrange an alternative method (bank transfer, etc.).
• Timing: Approved refunds for payments made by credit card or PayPal are typically processed within 5-10 business days, but it may take additional time for your bank or card issuer to post the credit. Bank transfers may take a similar period. We will notify you when we have issued the refund on our end.
• Partial Refunds: In cases of prorated or partial refunds (such as partial project refunds or remaining fee refunds), we will clearly communicate how the refund amount was calculated (e.g., total fee minus work completed costs, etc.).
• Currency and Fees: Refunds will generally be made in the same currency as the original charge. If currency conversion is involved, the refunded amount might differ slightly due to exchange rate fluctuations and third-party fees; we have no control over exchange rates or fees imposed by your bank. We do not charge any additional fees for processing a refund itself.

4. Non-Refundable Items and Exceptions

Some items are strictly non-refundable to protect our intellectual property and business integrity, including:

• Software Licenses/Activation Keys: Once we have issued software license keys or activated software for you, those licenses are considered delivered and are non-refundable. This is comparable to opening a sealed software package – the product can’t be “returned” once unlocked.
• Custom Development Deliverables: As custom work is tailored to you, delivered code or designs cannot be “returned.” We will work with you to fix any issues as per our warranty, but we cannot refund effort already spent. The only exception is the aforementioned discretionary partial refund for early dissatisfaction, which itself is conditional[38][39].
• Services Already Rendered: If a consulting session, training, or support service has been delivered, it is not refundable just because the outcome did not meet expectations. We encourage feedback and will try to make it right via continued support, but time and expertise spent cannot be undone.

5. Changes or Cancellation of Services by Technovate

If Technovate cancels the service you’ve paid for (for reasons other than a breach by you), we will provide a pro-rata refund for any remaining unused period. For example, if we decide to discontinue a particular product and you have 3 months left in your subscription, we will refund those 3 months. If we must cancel due to unforeseen circumstances or force majeure, we will try to offer alternatives or fair compensation. If you violate our terms (like Acceptable Use Policy) and we terminate your service as a result, you will generally not be entitled to a refund for any fees paid, due to your misconduct. For instance, if you are removed from our hosting for illegal content, we will not refund the unused portion of your term.

6. How to Request a Refund or Return

To discuss or request a return/refund, please contact our Sales & Billing team at [email protected]. Provide your account information, relevant order or invoice numbers, and a description of the issue. Our team will review your case and respond with the next steps or a decision. Please allow up to 30 business days for us to investigate and reply (we often reply sooner). If your request is urgent (for example, a fraudulent charge or major error), put “URGENT” in the subject line and we will prioritize it.

7. Your Statutory Rights

We reiterate that this policy does not override rights provided to consumers by law. If you are a consumer (not a business client) in a jurisdiction that grants you certain cancellation or refund rights, those rights remain in force. For example, under Surinamese consumer law, if a product or service is defective or not delivered as agreed, consumers have the right to seek a repair, replacement or refund[37]. Similarly, EU consumers have rights under the Consumer Rights Directive for certain distance sales. Technovate will abide by such laws. Where a law provides you the right to a refund or cancellation that is more generous than our policy, we will honor the statutory right. Note: all cases are properly investigated and responded to within 30 business days.

8. Policy Updates

This Return Policy may be updated occasionally (for example, to reflect changes in our services or legal requirements). The current version will always be posted on our website. Material changes will be communicated through our website or via email.

If you have any questions about our Return Policy, please contact us at [email protected]. We aim to be transparent and fair in resolving any issues with our services and appreciate your business.