Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Venbase LLC, a Virginia limited liability company ("VenBase," "we," "us," or "our") operates the VenBase platform at venbase.io. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our platform. Please read this policy carefully. By using VenBase, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account information: your name, email address, password (stored by AWS Cognito, never by us in plain text) and role (founder or investor) at sign-up. During onboarding and in your settings you may add profile details such as a headline, company, bio, LinkedIn URL, and — optionally — your country and investor classification.
• Startup information: company name, industry, funding stage, team members, descriptions, financials, and documents uploaded by founders.
• Round information: expressions of interest, introductions, and self-reported commitment amounts. VenBase makes introductions only: we do not handle transactions between investors and founders, and every amount shown is self-reported by the founder and not verified by VenBase.
• Payment information: subscription billing details processed securely through Stripe. We do not store card numbers on our servers, and we never process payments between users.
• Communications: messages sent through our contact form, comment sections, and support channels.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data: pages viewed, features used, time spent on pages, and interaction patterns.
• Device information: browser type, operating system, IP address, and device identifiers.
• Cookies: see our Cookie Policy for details on how we use cookies and similar technologies.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Provide, maintain, and improve the VenBase platform.
• Make introductions: when a founder accepts an investor's interest, we disclose each party's contact details to the other (see section 4). This is the purpose for which we collect your email address and LinkedIn URL.
• Process subscription payments through Stripe.
• Show investors rounds and founders investors that match their stated preferences and interests.
• Send notifications about interests, introductions, round updates, and platform activity, and send the VenBase Weekly newsletter to subscribers who opted in.
• Generate analytics and insights for founders (e.g., profile views and interest pipeline data).
• Respond to inquiries and provide customer support.
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, and security threats.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.

4. Information Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share data with:

• Introductions: when a founder accepts an investor's interest in a round, we disclose to each party the other party's name, email address, LinkedIn URL (if provided) and VenBase profile link, by in-app notification and by email. Nothing is shared until the founder accepts, and founders can decline any interest. The same disclosure happens when a user requests an introduction on the secondary board. Once shared, the other party holds those details under their own responsibility; our Terms of Service restrict how they may be used.
• Other users: your public profile information, startup listings, and (for investors who enable it) portfolio visibility are visible to other platform users as described in your settings.
• Service providers: Amazon Web Services (Cognito for identity, RDS Postgres for database, S3 for file storage, Simple Email Service for transactional email, and EC2 hosting, all in us-east-2), Stripe (subscription billing only — we never move funds between users), Anthropic (AI assistant), and Google Analytics plus, where enabled, Meta, LinkedIn and HubSpot tags (analytics and marketing measurement, loaded only after you accept cookies on the consent banner) — each bound by its data processing terms.
• Legal requirements: when required by law, subpoena, or government request.
• Business transfers: in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (with prior notice).

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (TLS/SSL), encryption at rest, secure authentication via AWS Cognito, application-level authorization on every database mutation, and regular security audits. While we strive to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., resolving disputes, enforcing agreements). Contact details already shared with another user through an introduction remain in that user's notification history.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access, correct, or delete your personal information.
• Object to or restrict certain processing activities.
• Data portability: receive your data in a structured format.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Lodge a complaint with a data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@venbase.io.

8. International Data Transfers

VenBase is operated from the United States and your information is stored there. If you use VenBase from another country, your information is transferred to and processed in the United States. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including standard contractual clauses where required, to protect your data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

9. Children's Privacy

VenBase is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on this page with a new effective date and, where required, by email. Your continued use of VenBase after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at: