Non- Confidentiality Policy
Openness is a core guiding principle at New Harvest; this includes not signing NDAs, non-disparagement clauses and other confidentiality agreements.
2016 - Ongoing
At New Harvest, we don’t sign NDAs or other confidentiality agreements because they go against our core values of openness and our mission to serve the public good.
As a nonprofit, we have a responsibility to stay independent, transparent, and accessible to all—not just a select few.
NDAs can reinforce power imbalances, limit collaboration, and create unnecessary legal risks in a fast-moving, competitive field.
By refusing to sign them, we’ve built a research community rooted in trust and open exchange, and we’ve seen firsthand how this accelerates progress.
This policy hasn’t held us back—it’s made us stronger. We encourage others who value equity and transparency to adopt a similar approach.
Non-Confidentiality Policy
Overview
As a nonprofit organization and group of scientific experts in a startup-dominated field, members of the New Harvest research community, including staff and grantees, are frequently approached by entrepreneurs seeking advice, support and funding to get their companies off the ground. In the early days of New Harvest, this meant that our staff had a lot of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in front of us at any given time.
In 2016, New Harvest decided not to sign NDAs. In 2022, we extended this policy to include grantees and confidentiality agreements of all kinds.
NDAs and other confidentiality agreements such as non-disparagement clauses conflict with our mission as a public charity committed to openness and the public good.
These agreements can create power imbalances, obscure unethical behavior, and restrict the kind of open collaboration that drives progress in cellular agriculture.
Staff Non-Confidentiality Policy.
2016 - 2022
Grantee and Staff Non-Confidentiality Policy.
2022 - Ongoing
Non-Confidentiality Policy
Funders
This work was funded by New Harvest, through unrestricted donations from our giving community.
Contact
If you have questions or would like to get in touch regarding our Non-Confidentiality policy, please contact Bre Duffy at breanna@new-harvest.org