Website Privacy/Cookie Notice

Allied For Startups

I. Introduction

We value your privacy. Our purpose is to share information about Allied For Startups, our members, mission and programs. We collect your personal data when you visit the Allied For Startups website at www.alliedforstartups.org (“Website”), register for our newsletters and when you otherwise decide to provide us with your data, for instance by contacting us. This Website Privacy/Cookie Notice (“Notice”) describes how Allied For Startups VZW located at Kantersteen 12, 1000 Brussels, Belgium (“AFS”, “we”, “our” and “us”) processes personal data collected or received from Website visitors or individuals who otherwise interact with us as described above (“you” and “your”). For purposes of European data protection law, AFS acts as data controller responsible for your personal data.

II. How Do We Collect Personal Data

We collect personal data from you through your use of our Website in various ways. You may choose to submit your personal data and other information to us through various communication channels provided on our Website, for example, by reaching out to us via e-mail, telephone or by completing online forms. When you choose to subscribe to our newsletters you will be prompted to provide us with information that helps us identify you, such as your name, email address, and organization.

Unless otherwise indicated, you are not required to provide us with your personal data. However, if we do not have your personal data we may not be able to provide you with our services or adequately assist you. Subscribing to our newsletters and completing online forms is optional. If you choose not to subscribe or provide personal data, you can still use the Website. However, you will not receive our newsletters.

We use cookies or similar technologies to collect certain Website usage information when you visit and interact with the Website. A cookie is a data file placed on a computer or mobile device when it is used to visit websites. Below is an overview of the cookies we use and why we use them:

• The following cookies are essential for our Website to function:

• The following cookies are not essential for our Website to function, but are generally used to provide, maintain and improve our services or your user experience:

You may disable cookies in your browser’s settings (e.g., under the “Preferences” or “Internet Options” features of your browser). Note, however, that some features of the Website may not function properly if you disable the use of cookies, and that you may need to re-enter your information or log-in details. You may choose to reject the use of non-essential cookies without this having an impact on your use of our Website, and we will request your consent prior to using these cookies. For detailed information on how to manage or delete cookies, visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org/. If you would like to opt-out from Google Analytics cookies specifically, you can also download the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

III. The Types of Personal Data We Collect

Through the cookies listed above under the section “How Do We Collect Personal Data” we collect information regarding your Website usage.

In addition, through the communications channels made available on the Website’s “Contact” webpage, and the newsletter registration page, we collect the personal data you choose to provide us with or the data which is necessary to complete newsletter subscription, namely your contact details, such as your name, email address, address, telephone number, and organization name. You may also voluntarily provide other personal data in connection with your inquiries or comments. We encourage you, however, not to provide more personal data than is necessary in order for us to provide an appropriate response to your inquiries or comments.

IV. How We Process the Personal Data We Collect

We only process your personal data to the extent it is necessary (i) for the performance of your agreement with us or in order to take steps at your request prior to entering into an agreement with us; (ii) to comply with our legal obligations; (iii) to pursue our legitimate interests, such as providing, evaluating and improving our services; (iv) or, where required, with your consent. Our legitimate interests include operating, evaluating and improving our organization; preventing and protecting us and others against fraud, unauthorized transactions, claims and other liabilities, and ensuring compliance with company policies and industry standards. Note that we have carefully balanced our legitimate business interests against your data protection rights. Please contact us using the contact details listed below if you would like to receive more information on this.

Therefore, we process the personal data we obtain about you to:

• Manage your newsletter registration;
• Address your comments or inquiries when you reach out to us;
• Communicate with you;
• Operate, evaluate and improve our services and facilitate your use of our websites;
• Perform accounting, auditing, billing and collection activities;
• Comply with applicable legal requirements, industry standards and our policies.
• Operate, evaluate and improve our services; and
• Prevent and protect us and others against fraud, unauthorized transactions, claims and other liabilities.

V. How We Share and Transfer Personal Data

For the purposes and legal bases described above, we may disclose your personal data to:

• AFS members and sponsors;
• AFS service providers and vendors, such as consultants and legal counsel;
• Other non-governmental organizations where relevant or necessary;
• Government authorities or other third parties, if required by law, upon official request or to the extent reasonably necessary to protect the rights, legal interests, property or safety of others or ourselves.

We may transfer your personal data to other jurisdictions as necessary for the purposes described in this Notice, including to jurisdictions that may not provide a level of data protection that is found adequate by the European Commission. We will only transfer your personal data outside the European Economic Area (“EEA”) on the basis of an adequacy decision of the European Commission pursuant to Art. 45 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (“GDPR”) or on the basis of other appropriate data transfer mechanisms to address cross-border transfers as required or permitted by Articles 46 and 49 of the GDPR. Please contact us if you have any questions with respect to the safeguards or transfer mechanisms we have put in place to protect your personal data when we transfer this (including how to obtain a copy of or consult these safeguards), or to find out which jurisdictions we may transfer your data to.

VI. Your Data Protection Rights

You have certain data protection rights which may be subject to limitations and/or restrictions. These rights include the right to:

• request access to and rectification or erasure of your personal data;
• obtain restriction of processing or to object to processing of your Employee personal data;
• have your Employee personal data provided to you, or a third party, in a digital format; and
• withdraw your consent at any time (please note that this does not affect the lawfulness of the processing based on your consent prior to withdrawal).

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the contact details outlined below clearly indicating in the subject line or header that your communication relates to the exercise of a data protection right. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent Supervisory Authority (such as the Supervisory Authority of your place of residence).

You also have the right to object, at any time, to the processing of your personal data which is based on our legitimate interests.

VII. How We Protect Personal Data

We maintain appropriate technical and organizational security safeguards designed to protect the personal data we process against accidental, unlawful or unauthorized destruction, loss, alteration, access, disclosure or use.

VIII. How Long We Retain Personal Data

We store personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collect the data as described above under “How We Process the Personal Data We Collect”), except if required otherwise by law. Please contact us using our contact details provided below, if you have any questions with respect to our data retention practices.

IX. Links to Other Websites

The Website may contain links to websites maintained by third parties, whose information and privacy practices are different than ours. We are not responsible or liable for the information or privacy practices employed by such third parties. We encourage you to read the privacy statements of all third party websites before using such websites or submitting any personal data or any other information on or through such websites.

X. Children’s privacy

We do not knowingly collect any personal data from children under the age of 13 and our Website is not directed to children. If you think that your child provided personal data to us, we strongly encourage you to contact us immediately and we will work with you to find a solution to remediate this.

XI. Updates to the Website Privacy Notice

We reserve the right to modify this Notice at any time. If we make changes to this Notice, we will notify you through regular communication channels if we have your contact details (e.g., e-mail) or through a prominent posting at the top of the Notice indicating that the Notice has changed and modifying the date under “Last Update”.

XIII. How to Contact Us

If you have any comments or inquiries about this Notice, if you would like to update your personal data, or to otherwise exercise your data protection rights, you may contact us at [email protected] or by letter at Allied For Startups VZW, Kantersteen 12, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.