Cisco Steals British Start-Up's Confidential Information

Thanks everyone for supporting Wave on the Cisco Innovation Award Website. Your vote for a Free Worldwide Internet Access Solution made our idea favourite to win the Award. We hope you know this is actually built now and isn't just an idea? 

However we've been FORCED TO WITHDRAW FROM THIS COMPETITION!

We raised some concerns with Cisco. Cisco demand all semi-finalists’ disclose particular confidential information. But Cisco has self proclaimed authority to risk our private information. Our intellectual property is being shared with Cisco’s ANONYMOUS PARTNERS.

Cisco’s anonymous partners are NOT subject to any non-disclosure agreements. Cisco and their partners may use our IP without ANY LIABILITY to them. It’s not enough for them to know our ideas; they want the blueprints for a measly £60k prize. Our blueprints are ten years of hard work; they’re our heart and soul, AND OUR SOUL IS NOT FOR SALE.

CISCO WILL NOT RESPOND TO OUR CONCERNS. 

  

After raising these concerns with Cisco, our entry dropped from 1^st place to 2^nd. The 2^nd favourite actually shot up a BREATHTAKING 400% OVERNIGHT. The Idea Market was supposed to be giving this Award some democracy. IT’S NOT!  Take a look at the stats which paint the picture better than we can:

FREE INTERNET ACCESS FOR THE WORLD: Wave: Ads for Access over WiFi

VIEWS: 1593

FORUM POSTS: 68

Likes: 10

Dislikes: 10

Market Cap: 22,851

DESIGNER CLOTHES APP: Snap Fashion - Search Engine for Fashion

VIEWS: 592

FORUM POSTS: 26

Likes: 6

DISLIKES: 15

Market Cap: 113,713 >>>   WHAT THE HELL ?????? <<<<<

We accept fair defeat in any competition, or even competition rigging. What we cannot accept is the possibility of this being the result of an authentic vote. Can you imagine what it says about all of us if the votes were actually for a Mobile Fashion App NOT a Sustainable Solution for Getting the Worlds Remaining 65% Population Online **** AND MAKING OUR INTERNET ACCESS FREE IN THE PROCESS ? ***

GANDHI AND EINSTEIN WOULD BE TURNING IN THEIR GRAVES IF THEY SAW SUCH AN INJUSTICE TO SCIENCE AND THE POOR! ARE WE HONESTLY SAYING WE PREFER TO INDULGE IN OUR LOOKS AND POCKETS INSTEAD OF GETTING THE WORLDS REMAINING 65% POPULATION TO JOIN US ONLINE? ONLY A SOCIETY OF SICK MORALS WOULD VOTE THIS WAY! WHERE'S THE HUMANITARIANISM IN EVERYONE?

Don’t just vote for 'Wave'. Make your vote known everywhere. Be proud of your vote and Tweet, Blog and Facebook about it. Stop empowering money, war, greed and imbalance. SUPPORT DEVELOPMENTS IN PIECE AND UTOPIA. 

--

Here's a few last words to Cisco as we left the competition: 

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Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012

Dear Cisco,

For the purpose of this email I'll refer to your affiliates, judges, judging panel and third-party subject matter experts as anonymous sources. 

Here's where I'm at:  

• Cisco have failed to provide me with full and proper answers to five of the concern I asked about on the 31st of May. 

• I'm told it's not mandatory to submit information that I consider confidential but in order to be eligible for the award I must comply with the terms and submit what any entrepreneur would consider confidential.  I doubt for example, Cisco's shareholders  would be happy if you released the same information under the terms of this award.

• Cisco will neither confirm or deny if it has developed or commissioned (or is currently in the process of developing or commissioning, or may in the future develop or commission), products, services or solutions similar (or even identical) to my idea

• Cisco will neither confirm or deny that the terms give my authority for my confidential information to be exposed to anonymous sources 

• Cisco will neither confirm or deny that anonymous sources are not subject to non-disclosure agreements

• Cisco will neither confirm or deny that they will accept liability in the event of their anonymous sources, not subject to non-disclosure agreements, exposed to our confidential information, using it. 

I was the best technician and youngest in my rank working within the MOD in Cyber Security and Electronic Warfare. 

I'm not an idiot! Cisco claim this award is to "discover and reward the finest examples of the UK's most innovative start-ups" by asking for our ideas.  I have more evidence to believe that Cisco is attempting to obtain (and share with anonymous sources) 'British start-ups confidential information'. 

As a highly skilled British entrepreneur and founder of a pioneering new British tech start-up, I'm confident that even without the Cisco award many would still consider my idea to be one of the finest examples of a British start-up. Until a suspicious and substantial shift in support last night, your website also considered my idea to be the favourite to win this award: 

1st Place - Wave: VIEWS: 1593, FORUM POSTS: 68, Likes: 10 --------  MARKET CAP: 29,398

2nd Place: Snap Fashion VIEWS: 592, FORUM POSTS: 26, Likes: 6 ------ MARKET CAP: 113,377  

https://www.thebigawards.co.uk/Page/Invest

• More people have seen my idea than the others
• More people like my idea than the others
• More people have discuss my idea than the others
• Since I raised my concerns with Cisco the 2nd place idea  grew in support almost 400% overnight and overtook mine.
• Since I raised my concerns with Cisco no messages sent out using your system has gained replies, indicating that they're no longer reach the sender. 

I have a responsibility to my shareholders to manage all shapes and forms of risks surrounding our new technology and commercial venture. Cisco BIG Award is posing a risk. You've given my start-up more reason to leave for Silicon Valley than to stay here in Britain.

Need I remind you that this outcome is the complete inverse of the political objective this award represents.

Cisco is in disrepute and you've brought the British Government into disrepute with you slippery terms and clear agenda. 

Kindly withdraw my entry from this competition immediately and provide me with a copy of your complaints procedure at your earliest convenience. 

Regards,

Trusted Office

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From: European Commission 

Date: 10 June 2012 15:29

Dear Trusted Office,

I'm afraid that the Cisco website you referred me to does not present a security certificate issued by a trusted certification authority (according to my own system administrator). Following standard Commission security procedures, I have been unable to consult it - sorry about that. 

Regards,

Anthony Whelan

Head of Cabinet to Vice-President Neelie Kroes
European Commission 

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Sent: May 31, 2012 

Dear Cisco,

Hi, I am one of the semi-finalist for the Cisco BIG Awards. 
It's very pleasing to have made it this far in such a great competition. 

I look forward to providing you the following confidential information as requested throughout the duration of the competition:

• feasibility analysis
• core technology and IP being developed
• revenue model
• 3-5 year P&L
• market analysis; opportunity, theaters and verticals 
• operations plan; suppliers, vendors, channels and manufacturing partners
• competitive landscape and differentiation 
• management team
• financing goals
• reasons why we have developed this in the UK

Before I disclose any of the above confidential information I'd like to raise a few concerns about the following aspects of the competition terms:

• Sponsor or its affiliates may have developed or commissioned (or may currently be in the process of developing or commissioning, or may in the future develop or commission), products, services or solutions similar (or even identical) to my entry

• I grant the sponsor and its affiliates an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to: (a) use, review, assess, test, evaluate, analyze or otherwise consider my entry and all its content in connection with the contest, and (b) feature my entry and all its content in connection with the marketing or promotion of the contest in all media now known or later developed.  I understand that visitors to sponsor’s websites and the contest site will have the right to access information and content of my entry

• In sponsor's discretion, sponsor may engage third-party subject matter experts and judges to serve on the judging panel and/or assist with the review of entries and selection of contest winners

Please could you answer the following question for me which will help remedy my concerns; 

• What is a Market Theater/Theatre? 

• Will Cisco International Limited be willing to;

• confirm or deny if it has developed or commissioned (or is currently in the process of developing or commissioning, or may in the future develop or commission), products, services or solutions similar (or even identical) to my idea as described in my entry ?   http://trusted-office.blogspot.co.uk/2012_06_11_archive.html

and

• confirm or deny the identities of the affiliates, judges, judging panel and third-party subject matter experts that are exposed to my confidential information ? 

or

• provide a copy of the non-disclosure agreements between Cisco International Limited and the individuals that are exposed to my confidential information ? 

or

• enter into a non-disclosure agreement with me prior to me disclosing my confidential information ? 

or

• confirm or deny that anyone directly exposed to my confidential information is restricted by a non-disclosure agreement ?

• Confirm or deny that Cisco International Limited will be liable for any direct exposure of information not restricted by a non-disclosure agreement that results in IP theft or unauthorised use. 

• Am I correct to believe that in accordance with the terms of this competition I'm granting Cisco International Limited and its affiliates an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to: (a) use, review, assess, test, evaluate, analyze or otherwise consider my entry and all its content in connection with the contest which include the above listed confidential information ?  

• Are the judges, judging panel and third-party subject matter experts subject to this irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license ? 

Hywel Ap Buckler
Founder
Trusted Office / Wave Telecoms