For things like this, "affiliated" usually has a very precise legal definition, which means that they don't help each other with research and they're not financially invested. It means they're not cheating by entering their friends (or themselves) in the competition. Compare with the small print on most lotteries and contests, e.g. Google Code Jam:
> You cannot participate in the Contest if... you are a current employee (including intern), contractor, officer, or director, of Google or its affiliates.
what does that mean? Didn't they come up with the idea of hyperloop?