Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Founder First collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you create an account, access, or use the platform.

Founder First is a platform that helps founders, businesses, and investors discover each other and initiate potential business or investment discussions. By using Founder First, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect information that you provide directly when creating an account, completing a profile, submitting a business or investment listing, or using platform features.

Depending on how you use Founder First, this may include your name, email address, account information, professional information, business information, investor preferences, portfolio information, profile descriptions, website and social links, and other information that you voluntarily submit.

We may also collect information relating to your use of the platform, including login activity, security events, rate limiting information, and other technical information required to maintain account security and platform functionality.

3. Information You Choose to Publish

Some information submitted to Founder First may become publicly visible after the applicable review and approval process. Public information may include approved founder, investor, business, portfolio, profile, description, image, logo, and website information.

You should not submit information that you do not want to be displayed publicly in a profile or listing intended for public access.

Pending or rejected profiles and listings are not intended to be publicly displayed through the public directory.

4. Contact Information

Contact information and other non-public account information are not intentionally displayed as part of a public profile unless the relevant feature or user action specifically allows it.

Where Founder First provides connection or enquiry functionality, certain contact information may be shared with another user when permitted by the platform and triggered by the applicable user action.

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

5. How We Use Information

We may use collected information to:

• create and maintain user accounts;
• operate founder, investor, and business profiles;
• review and approve submitted listings;
• facilitate permitted connections and enquiries;
• provide platform features and services;
• maintain security and prevent abuse or fraud;
• enforce account and platform restrictions;
• monitor login attempts and rate limiting;
• troubleshoot and improve platform functionality; and
• comply with applicable legal obligations.

6. Account and Security Information

We may record login attempts and related security information to protect accounts and the platform from unauthorized access, automated abuse, credential attacks, and other security threats.

Security and rate-limiting information may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to protect the platform and investigate or prevent abuse.

7. Uploaded Images and Files

Users may upload profile images, logos, cover images, pitch decks, documents, and other permitted files depending on the features available to their account.

Profile images, logos, and cover images associated with approved public listings may be delivered through publicly accessible image URLs because they are part of the public profile or listing.

Certain documents, including pitch decks and draft documents, may be stored using private or authenticated storage and accessed through temporary signed URLs or similar access mechanisms.

Users should not upload sensitive personal information or confidential third-party information unless they have the necessary rights and authorization to do so.

8. Sharing of Information

We may share information when necessary to provide Founder First features, process user requests, maintain platform security, operate infrastructure, or comply with applicable law.

We may use service providers that assist with hosting, authentication, storage, communications, analytics, security, or other operational functions. These providers may process information on our behalf as necessary to provide their services.

We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration.

9. Business and Investment Information

Information submitted about businesses, investments, portfolios, funding requirements, investment preferences, or related activities may be displayed publicly when the relevant profile or listing has been approved.

Users are responsible for ensuring that they have the right to submit and publish any business, financial, portfolio, or other information they provide to Founder First.

Founder First does not independently guarantee the accuracy or completeness of information submitted by users.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Founder First may use cookies, local storage, session technologies, or similar mechanisms where necessary to maintain sessions, remember preferences, provide functionality, maintain security, and improve the platform.

Some technologies may be essential for the platform to operate correctly and cannot be disabled without affecting certain functionality.

11. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide our services, maintain account records, satisfy legitimate operational and security requirements, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and comply with applicable legal obligations.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the purpose for which it was collected.

12. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no method of transmitting or storing information can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should use a strong, unique password and protect your account credentials.

13. Your Choices and Rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights relating to your personal information, including the ability to request access, correction, updating, or deletion of certain information.

You can update information available through your account dashboard where those controls are provided.

To request deletion of your account or personal information, contact us through the contact page.

14. Public Listings and Search Engines

Approved public profiles and listings may be accessible to visitors without an account and may potentially be discovered through search engines or other publicly available services.

Because publicly displayed information may be copied, indexed, or cached by third parties, removing information from Founder First may not immediately remove copies that have already been obtained or indexed elsewhere.

15. Children's Privacy

Founder First is intended for users who are legally capable of using the platform and entering into applicable agreements. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children where prohibited by applicable law.

If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us improperly, please contact us so that appropriate action can be taken.

16. Third-Party Services

Founder First may rely on third-party infrastructure and services to operate the platform. These services may process information according to their own privacy policies and contractual obligations.

Founder First is not responsible for the independent privacy practices of third-party websites or services that you access through links or integrations.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, technology, legal requirements, or data practices.

When changes are made, the updated version will be published on this page together with a revised update date. Your continued use of Founder First after an updated policy becomes effective will be subject to the updated policy to the extent permitted by applicable law.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, you may contact Founder First through the official contact channels available on the platform.