GENEWIZ Week 2026 Awards Program Official Rules

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN

1. Sponsor

The GENEWIZ Week 20266 Awards Program (“Awards Program”) is sponsored by GENEWIZ from Azenta Life Sciences (“Sponsor”), 115 Corporate Boulevard, South Plainfield, NJ 07080, USA.

2. ELIGIBILITY

Awards Program is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are: eighteen (18) years or older, of the age of majority in their state of residence, whichever is higher, at the time or entry, who are professionally engaged in scientific or research activities. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Employees, officers, directors, contractors, and agents of Sponsor and its affiliates, and their immediate family and household members, are not eligible. (.
The following individuals are not eligible to enter to win:
1. Individuals who were awarded an Award under the Awards Program for the years 2024, 2025, or 2026.
2. An Individual who is a federal, state, local, tribal, or foreign government official, officer, or employee, or a member of the uniformed services of the United States; an employee or official of any public international organization (e.g., the United Nations, World Bank); a political party official, employee, or candidate for political office; or an immediate family member or household member of any of the foregoing, where acceptance of the prize would violate applicable anti-corruption, ethics, gift, or conflict-of-interest laws, rules, or policies—including, without limitation, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the federal Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. Part 2635), applicable state ethics codes, and the recipient's own employer policies. It is the entrant's sole responsibility to confirm eligibility to accept the award under all applicable rules.
3. An Individual who is an ordinarily resident in, or a national of, any country or region subject to comprehensive U.S. sanctions; identified on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), the Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List, or any other OFAC-administered restricted-party list; identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Denied Persons List, Entity List, Unverified List, or Military End User List; identified on the U.S. Department of State's Debarred List or Nonproliferation Sanctions Lists; who is a "covered person" as defined under the U.S. Department of Justice's regulations implementing Executive Order 14117; or otherwise a restricted party under applicable U.S. export control, sanctions or other laws.
c. Compliance Right of Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to: screen any potential winner against applicable government restricted-party and sanctions lists prior to awarding any prize; require reasonable certifications from a potential winner confirming eligibility under this Section 2; and disqualify and select an alternate winner if any entrant or potential winner is determined to be ineligible under this Section 2, in each case without liability to the entrant.

3. AWARDS PROGRAM PERIOD

The Awards Program begins on July 23, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) and ends on September 30, 2026 at 5:59 p.m. ET (“Awards Program Period”). Sponsor’s timekeeping system is the official timekeeping device for the Awards Program, and Sponsor shall have sole discretion in determining the timeliness of any actions or inactions related to the Awards Program.

4. HOW TO ENTER

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY. A purchase or payment will not increase your chances of winning.
To enter this Award Program, an eligible entrant must visit web.genewiz.com/genewiz-week/grants (“Website”) during the Awards Program Period, complete and submits one entry (the “Entry”). Each Entry must include:
1. Designation of which category of the Award they seek to enter.
2. Entrant Information, including, but is not limited to, your full name, email address, phone, number, name of institution/company (“Institution”), job title, and state of residence. c. Research narrative, written in English, between 500 to 1,500 words that describes: i) the proposed multiomics and synthesis research project and scientific problem it seeks to address; (ii) an explanation of why the project is practical and feasible, including how GENEWIZ Multiomics & Synthesis Solutions can be applied to the project; and (iii) what is novel of unique about the project and how it advances new ideas or insights.

c. An Entry will be disqualified if it:

1. is submitted after the Awards Program Period;
2. is incomplete;
3. contains false or misleading information;
4. infringes any intellectual property rights
5. discloses confidential, proprietary, person, export-controlled, or otherwise restricted information;
6. fails to comply with applicable laws, regulations, employer policies, institutional policies, or grant restrictions;
7. contains offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, or unlawful material; or
8. does not substantially address the Awards Program theme.
9. Only Entries that satisfy all requirements will be submitted for judging.

5. SELECTION OF WINNERS

The Awards Program is divided into five (5) categories: (1) Gene Synthesis, (2) NGS, (3) 10x Visium, (4) Plasmid-EZ, and (5) New Wizard (each a “Category”).
1. Judging
  
  All eligible Entries for each Category will be reviewed by a panel of qualified judges selected by Sponsor (“Judges”). Entries will be evaluated solely on the following criteria, weighted as follows: Feasibility of project (40%), Scientific merit (30%), and Originality (30%). Each criterion will be scored independently.
2. Feasibility of project (40%)
  
  Judges will evaluate: the practicality and achievability of the proposed project, the appropriateness of the proposed methodology; likelihood of successful completion of project, and the overall viability of proposed approach.
3. Scientific merit (30%)
  
  Judges will evaluate the quality of the research rationale; the technical strength of the concept; and the potential contribution to scientific knowledge.
4. Originality (30%)
  
  Judges will evaluate: the novelty of the concept; the creativity of the proposed approach; and the degree of innovation compared to existing methods or solutions

The entrant(s) receiving the highest aggregate score(s) will be selected as the winner(s).

b. Tie-Breaking Procedure.

1. If two or more Entries receive the same total score, the Entry receiving the highest score in the Feasibility of Project will be ranked higher.
2. If a tie remains, the Entry receiving the higher Scientific Merit score will be ranked higher.
3. If a tie remains, the tied Entries will be re-evaluated by the judging panel using the published judging criteria.

Judges’ decision shall be final and binding in all matters relating to the Awards Program. No random drawing or other game of chance mechanism will be used to select a winner.

6. WINNER NOTIFICATION

Each potential winner will be notified using the email address provided with their entry. Sponsor shall have no obligation to send multiple notifications.
Potential winners must respond to the notification email within five (5) business days of the notification and must timely complete and return any requested information within two (2) days of the request. Sponsor may require winners to complete eligibility, compliance, publicity, tax or other applicable documents before receiving an Award.
A potential winner may be disqualified and forfeit the Award if: the notification is returned undeliverable; the potential winner fails to respond within the required time period; the potential winner declines the Award; the potential winner fails to provide requested documentation; the potential winner is determined to be ineligible; or Sponsor reasonably determines that awarding the Award would violate applicable law, sanctions restrictions, ethics requirements; employer or institutional policies, or these Official Rules.
In the event of a forfeiture or disqualification, Sponsor reserves the right to select an alternate winner in accordance with the winner selection process above.

7) AWARD DESCRIPTIONS

a. Gene Synthesis Grant: First place: one award consists of a credit toward a new single order for a GENEWIZ recombinant antibody production, AAV Packaging, Lentivirus packaging, custom mRNA synthesis or gene synthesis services(Gene Synthesis service) up to $5,000; Second place: one credit toward a new single order for a GENEWIZ Gene Synthesis service up to $3,000, Third place: one credit toward a new single order for a GENEWIZ Gene Synthesis service up to $2,000.

b. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Grant: First place: a credit toward a new single-order for winner’s preferred sequencing path service up to $5,000; Second place: a credit toward a new single-order for winner’s preferred sequencing path service up to $3,000; Third place: a credit toward a new single-order for winner’s preferred sequencing path service up to $2,000. Credits cannot be used towards NGS Sequencing Only Services.

c. 10x Visium Grant: First place: credit toward a single order using 10x Visium spatial transcriptomics up to $18,000; Second place: credit toward a single order using 10x Visium spatial transcriptomics up to $3,000; Third place: credit toward a single order using 10x Visium spatial transcriptomics up to $2,000.

d. Plasmid-EZ Grant: First place: credit toward a single new order for GENEWIZ Plasmid EZ services (“Plasmid EZ”) up to $500 credit, Second place: one credit toward a single new order for Plasmid EZ up to $300; Third through Fifth place: one credit each toward a single new order for Plasmid EZ up to $200 credit.

e. New Wizard Grant: First place: one award consists of a $5,000 credit; Second place: one award consists of a $3,000 credit, Third place: one award consisting of a $2,000 credit toward a single order using GENEWIZ Multiomics & Synthesis Solutions service for a new-to-GENEWIZ applicant. Credits cannot be used towards NGS Sequencing Only Service.

All awards are not transferable and may not be redeemed for cash unless required by law. No substitutions except at Sponsor’s option. All Federal, state, and local taxes on awards, if any, are the sole responsibility of winner. Credits may only be applied toward new orders placed and confirmed by February 28, 2027, and if required, starting material must be received by February 28, 2027; such order using the award cannot be combined with any discount, offer or promotion. Except for Plasmid EZ Grant, credits may not be applied towards EZ Services. Credit may not be applied to Projects that: (i) are custom; (ii) must be conducted under regulatory conditions; or (iii) where the samples are pathogenic.

8. PUBLICITY AND MARKETING

Except where prohibited by law, acceptance of a prize constitutes permission for Sponsor to use the winner's name, institution, city, state, and submission title for promotional purposes without additional compensation.
By submitting an Entry, an entrant permits Sponsor to contact them regarding the Sponsors’ products and services, subject to the terms of Sponsor’s Privacy Policy. https://www.genewiz.com/en/Public/Company/Policies/Privacy-Policy

9. SPONSOR'S RIGHTS AND DECISIONS

Sponsor reserves the right to verify eligibility, investigate potential violations of these Official Rules, and disqualify any entrant who violates these Official Rules or attempts to interfere with the administration of the Awards Program.
Sponsor may refuse to award a prize if doing so would violate applicable law, sanctions regulations, institutional policies, ethics rules, or other legal restrictions.
All judging decisions and eligibility determinations made by Sponsor and the judging panel are final and binding.

10. MISCELLANEOUS

Release of Liability. By participating in the Awards Program, each entrant agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor, its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and representatives (collectively, the "Released Parties") from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses arising out of or relating to: participation in the Awards Program; acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize; any acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize; any technical, administrative, or human error relating to the Awards Program; or any dispute regarding eligibility, judging, scoring, winner selection, or prize award, except to the extent resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of a Released Party.
Limitation of Liability. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Released Parties shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages arising out of or relating to the Awards Program or any prize. Sponsor's aggregate liability arising from or relating to the Awards Program shall not exceed the value of the prize at issue.
Suspension, Modification, Cancellation or Termination. The Sponsor reserves the right to suspend, modify, cancel or terminate the Awards Program without advance notice, including, without limitation, in the event of any act, occurrence or reason that it believes would compromise the legality, integrity, administration or fairness of the Awards Program. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, suspend, cancel, or terminate the Awards Program, in whole or in part, if Sponsor determines that any event, circumstance, or occurrence impairs or is likely to impair the proper administration, security, fairness, integrity, or operation of the Awards Program, including, without limitation:
1. fraud, misconduct, or unauthorized intervention;
2. technical, software, hardware, network, website, platform, or communications failures;
3. computer viruses, malware, cyberattacks, or other security incidents;
4. errors in the administration of the Awards Program;
5. force majeure events, including acts of God, natural disasters, severe weather, epidemic, pandemic, public health emergency, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes, utility failures, or governmental actions;
6. actual or potential violations of applicable laws, regulations, or regulatory guidance; or
7. any other event beyond Sponsor's reasonable control.
8. Sponsor's decisions regarding the administration, modification, suspension, cancellation, termination, and continuation of the Awards Program shall be final and binding.
Severability. If one or more provisions of these Official Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall be valid and enforceable.
Dispute Resolution. The Awards Program and these Official Rules are governed by and shall be construed by the laws of the State of New Jersey, USA, without application of its choice of law principles. Any dispute that may arise hereunder shall be brought solely in the appropriate state or federal courts sitting in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA and participant consents to the personal jurisdiction and venue thereof. To the fullest extent permitted by law, disputes shall be resolved solely on an individual basis, and entrants waive any right to participate in a class, collective, representative, or consolidated action.
Entrant Responsibility. Entrant represents and warrants that the submission complies with these Official Rules and does not infringe the rights of any third party. Entrant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Sponsor from third-party claims arising from: (a) breach of the foregoing representations and warranties; (b) infringement of intellectual property rights by the submission; (c) violation of confidentiality obligations by the entrant; or (d) violation of applicable laws by the entrant in connection with participation in the Contest
Institutional Compliance. Sponsor shall have no responsibility for determining whether participation in the Awards Program or acceptance of any prize complies with an entrant's employer policies, institutional policies, ethics rules, procurement restrictions, grant conditions, or applicable laws. Entrants are solely responsible for obtaining any required approvals. Sponsor reserves the right to refuse or revoke a prize award where Sponsor reasonably determines that awarding the prize could violate such requirements.