Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how CIBA Startups ("we," "our," or "Platform") collects, uses, stores, shares, and otherwise handles personal information.

CIBA Startups operates as an initiative under CIBA Business Network.

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information and related data practices. Certain submission-specific matters, including confidentiality expectations, disclosure rights, sharing practices, publicity-related uses, and handling of startup applications, pitch materials, ideas, and related submissions, may also be governed by the Startup Submission & Idea Disclosure Policy and other applicable Platform terms.

By using the Platform, you acknowledge and agree to the practices described in this Policy.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Policy applies to personal information collected through or in connection with:

  • The website and Platform;
  • Forms, submissions, applications, and startup-related intake processes;
  • Event registrations, participation, and related activities;
  • Communications, including email, messaging, inquiries, and outreach; and
  • Other interactions, programs, features, or services offered by or through CIBA Startups.

This Policy does not apply to third-party websites, platforms, services, or practices that are not controlled by us, even if linked from or referenced on the Platform.

3. Categories of Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

a. Identifiers

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • IP address

b. Professional or Business Information

  • Startup or company details
  • Professional background
  • Applications, submissions, and profiles

c. User-Generated Content

  • Startup submissions
  • Comments, messages, and communications
  • Media content (text, images, video, audio)

d. Internet and Usage Data

  • Browser type and device information
  • Pages visited and interaction data
  • Referring URLs

e. Event and Participation Data

  • Event registration details
  • Attendance and participation records

4. How We Collect Information

We collect information in the following ways:

  • Directly from you when you submit forms or content
  • Automatically through cookies and tracking technologies
  • Through communications with us
  • Through participation in events or activities

5. How We Use Information

We may use personal information and related submission information for the following purposes:

  • To operate, maintain, administer, and improve the Platform;
  • To facilitate networking, community engagement, introductions, visibility, and related interactions;
  • To receive, review, organize, evaluate, process, store, archive, and otherwise handle submissions, applications, profiles, and related materials;
  • To publish, promote, feature, distribute, disclose, or otherwise make available startups, content, profiles, materials, and related information;
  • To communicate updates, newsletters, event information, platform notices, and related communications;
  • To analyze usage, improve performance, develop features, and support future services;
  • To detect, investigate, prevent, or address misuse, abuse, fraud, security issues, rights-related issues, or policy violations;
  • To maintain records, archives, and operational documentation; and
  • To comply with legal obligations, enforce policies, protect rights, and support dispute-resolution, security, or compliance-related needs.

We may also use information for other purposes consistent with the Platform's functions, submission processes, events, programs, community activities, and related operations.

6. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

We do not sell personal information. We also do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

We may share, disclose, distribute, transmit, make available, or otherwise provide access to personal information and user-submitted materials, as applicable, for purposes consistent with the Platform's functions, operations, submissions, events, programs, community activities, visibility goals, and related processes.

This may include sharing:

  • With other users, participants, community members, or viewers where you participate in networking, submissions, profiles, public or semi-public content, event activities, or other visibility-related activities;
  • With committees, judges, mentors, advisors, reviewers, sponsors, partners, investors, collaborators, event personnel, affiliated persons, or other third parties involved in or connected to Platform activities, submission handling, events, programs, introductions, or related purposes;
  • With service providers, contractors, consultants, hosting providers, analytics providers, email providers, communications providers, and other vendors that support the Platform;
  • When required by law, legal process, governmental request, or regulatory request;
  • To protect the rights, safety, integrity, operations, users, submissions, records, or security of the Platform or related persons or entities; and
  • In connection with restructuring, merger, reorganization, asset transfer, or similar organizational or operational changes.

Because certain submissions, profiles, communications, and participation-related materials may be visible, distributed, discussed, disclosed, promoted, or otherwise shared through the Platform and related channels, you should not submit confidential, secret, private, or sensitive information you do not want handled in that manner.

7. Public Content and Visibility

Information and materials you submit to the Platform may be made publicly available, semi-publicly available, internally available, event-available, community-available, or otherwise shared or disclosed through Platform-related channels.

This may include, without limitation:

  • Startup profiles;
  • Content submissions;
  • Application materials;
  • Interview materials;
  • Founder, team, or startup information;
  • Event-related materials; and
  • Other submitted or participation-related content.

Submissions to the Platform are not treated as confidential by default. You should not submit confidential, secret, private, or sensitive information you do not want disclosed, used, stored, shared, distributed, discussed, promoted, archived, or otherwise handled by CIBA Startups or others.

For additional details regarding submission handling, disclosure expectations, and use of startup-related materials, please review the Startup Submission & Idea Disclosure Policy.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Enable Platform functionality
  • Analyze user behavior
  • Improve performance and user experience

You may control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect functionality.

Our Platform does not currently respond to Do Not Track (DNT) signals from browsers. We will update this Policy if our practices change.

We may use third-party analytics or service providers that utilize cookies or similar technologies to help us understand usage patterns and improve the Platform.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information and related records for as long as reasonably necessary or appropriate to:

  • Provide, operate, improve, and support the Platform and related services;
  • Maintain records of Platform activity, submissions, participation, communications, and operations;
  • Support visibility, promotional, archival, historical, administrative, analytical, educational, security, compliance, and dispute-resolution purposes; and
  • Comply with legal, regulatory, evidentiary, contractual, policy-enforcement, or operational obligations or needs.

We may retain certain information even after you stop using the Platform, even after a submission becomes inactive or is not selected, and even after a request relating to withdrawal or deletion, where retention is reasonably necessary or appropriate for legal, operational, archival, administrative, security, evidentiary, recordkeeping, or related purposes.

10. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect personal information.

However:

  • No system is completely secure
  • We cannot guarantee absolute security

Use of the Platform is at your own risk.

In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify affected individuals as required by applicable laws, including California Civil Code Section 1798.82 where applicable.

11. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location and applicable law, including California where applicable, you may have the right to:

  • Request access to certain personal information we hold about you;
  • Request correction of certain inaccurate personal information;
  • Request deletion of certain personal information; and
  • Request information about how certain personal information is used.

To exercise available rights, contact us at info@cibastartups.com or 25351 Commercentre Dr, Suite 100, Lake Forest, CA 92630.

We will review and respond to requests in accordance with applicable law. Any such rights are subject to verification requirements, legal limitations, operational realities, and applicable exceptions.

We may deny, limit, or decline a request where permitted by law, including where information may be retained for legal, compliance, evidentiary, security, archival, recordkeeping, dispute-resolution, policy-enforcement, internal operational, or other legitimate purposes.

Nothing in this section should be interpreted as creating a confidentiality commitment, a submission-restriction obligation, or a right to require complete deletion of all submitted materials, archives, backups, disclosures, or downstream uses in all circumstances.

12. Children's Privacy

The Platform is intended for individuals who are at least 18 years old. Persons under the age of 18 should not use the Platform or submit any personal information.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided personal information, we will take prompt steps to delete such information in accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

If you believe that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at info@cibastartups.com.

13. Third-Party Links and Services

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services.

We are not responsible for:

  • Their privacy practices
  • Their content or policies

You should review their policies before providing information.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy at any time.

Changes will become effective upon posting. Continued use of the Platform indicates acceptance of the updated Policy.

15. Severability

If any provision of this Policy is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

16. Contact

For questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at info@cibastartups.com

Effective April 10, 2026Last updated April 19, 2026