Last updated: October 2026 · Governed by the laws of Sri Lanka
By accessing or using Picela ("the Platform"), operated by Picela (Pvt) Ltd, a company incorporated under the laws of Sri Lanka ("Picela", "we", "us", or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Platform.
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes by posting a notice on the Platform or by email. Your continued use after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
You must be at least 18 years of age to use the Platform. By registering, you represent and warrant that you are 18 or older and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement.
If you are registering on behalf of a company or organisation, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You agree to notify us immediately at [email protected] of any unauthorised use of your account.
You may not share your account with others or create multiple accounts for the same person. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.
You warrant that any idea or patent you list is your original work or that you have the legal right to sell or license it. You are solely responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and legality of your Listings.
You agree to conduct due diligence before purchasing any idea or patent. Picela does not guarantee the commercial viability, novelty, or patentability of any Listing.
Patent attorneys, chartered accountants, corporate services providers and virtual managers must provide accurate professional credentials. Verified status means Picela checked the documents provided at that time; it is granted at Picela's sole discretion, is not an endorsement, and may be revoked at any time.
You warrant that your business listings are accurate and that you have the authority to offer franchise, licensing, or partnership arrangements described.
Picela is a marketplace that connects Creators with Buyers. Picela runs automatic checks on Listings (for example a listing-quality check and an AI originality check). These checks are guidance only: Picela does not verify or endorse any Listing, and a check result is not legal advice about novelty or patentability. You acknowledge that:
We reserve the right to remove any Listing that violates these Terms, infringes third-party rights, or is otherwise objectionable, without prior notice.
All transactions on Picela are processed through our escrow system. When a Buyer initiates a purchase:
If a dispute arises, Picela may act as a neutral mediator but is not obligated to resolve disputes or guarantee outcomes. Picela's decision in disputes is final.
If the Buyer neither confirms nor reports a problem within 7 days of delivery, the funds are released to the Creator automatically. The same 7-day rule applies to Idea Requests and to hired professionals.
Picela charges a platform fee on completed transactions. Current fee rates are displayed on the Platform and may be updated with 14 days' notice.
Card payments are processed by Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC through its secure internet payment gateway; Picela never sees or stores your full card number. You may pay in Sri Lankan rupees (converted from the US dollar price at the rate shown at checkout) or in US dollars. Payouts to sellers are made by bank transfer (in rupees to Sri Lankan accounts) or, where offered, in US dollars to foreign bank accounts or PayPal. Picela is not responsible for errors or delays caused by banks, card networks or PayPal.
All fees are non-refundable except as described in our Refund Policy. Prices displayed on the Platform are in US Dollars (USD) unless otherwise stated.
An Investor can post an Idea Request describing a problem and a budget. Creators send proposals. When the Investor chooses a proposal, the agreed price plus Picela's fee is paid into escrow; the Creator then shares the full idea and delivers. The payment is released when the Investor confirms, or automatically 7 days after delivery unless a problem is reported. The transfer of rights follows the Idea Transfer Agreement accepted at the time of payment.
Professionals on Picela (patent attorneys and agents, chartered accountants, corporate services providers and virtual managers) are independent. They are not employees or agents of Picela, and Picela does not give legal, tax, accounting or business advice. When you hire a professional, they send a fixed quote; once you accept it, the fee plus Picela's fee is held in escrow and released when you confirm the work, or automatically 7 days after delivery unless you report a problem.
A Virtual Manager acts for one client under a written mandate agreed on Picela. The mandate is between the client and the manager; Picela hosts the payments and the records but is not a party to it.
IdeaWall and Life Hacks are free community spaces for sharing social work, innovations and tips. You keep ownership of what you post and give Picela a non-exclusive licence to display it on the Platform and in links shared from it. Do not post contact details, offers to trade outside Picela, other people's private information or anything unlawful or offensive. Posts that members report may be hidden automatically and reviewed by Picela, which may remove them. Anything you post publicly can be read by anyone, so do not post an idea you intend to sell.
Some features use artificial intelligence, including the Ask Picela assistant and the originality check on new listings. AI output can be wrong or incomplete; it is information only and not professional advice. Content needed for these features (for example a listing's text, or your question to the assistant) is processed by our AI provider as described in our Privacy Policy.
All content on the Platform excluding User-submitted Content — including logos, design, code, and text — is owned by Picela (Pvt) Ltd and protected under applicable intellectual property laws.
By submitting Content to the Platform, you grant Picela a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to display, reproduce, and promote your Content solely for operating the Platform.
You retain ownership of your Content. You warrant that your Content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights.
You agree not to:
Violation of these prohibitions may result in immediate account termination and, where applicable, legal action.
Picela is a marketplace platform only. We are not a party to any transaction between Users and accept no responsibility for the quality, safety, legality, or delivery of any Listing.
To the maximum extent permitted by Sri Lankan law, Picela (Pvt) Ltd shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising from your use of the Platform.
Our total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the Platform shall not exceed the amount you paid to Picela in the 12 months preceding the claim.
We may suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately.
You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us. Termination does not affect any obligations you incurred prior to termination, including payment obligations for completed transactions.
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Sri Lanka.
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us: