Last updated: September 18, 2026
StartupSpotting respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.
This Privacy Policy explains how information may be collected, used, stored and shared when you visit StartupSpotting.com, contact us, submit a startup, subscribe to communications or otherwise interact with the website.
By using StartupSpotting.com, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
1. Who We Are
StartupSpotting is a startup discovery publication that writes about and helps people discover interesting startups, apps, websites and digital products from around the world.
For questions about this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal information, contact:
Email: startupspotting.com@gmail.com
Website: StartupSpotting.com
2. Information We May Collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with StartupSpotting.
Information You Provide
You may voluntarily provide personal information when you:
Submit a startup
Contact us
Send us an email
Subscribe to a newsletter or other communication
Respond to a survey or request
Enter into a business relationship with us
Purchase advertising, promotional or other services, if offered
Otherwise communicate with StartupSpotting
This information may include:
Your name
Email address
Company or startup name
Website URL
Job title or role
Social media profiles
Information about your startup, company or product
Messages and correspondence
Information included in forms you submit
Any other information you voluntarily provide
Please do not provide sensitive personal information unless it is genuinely necessary.
3. Startup Submissions
When you submit a startup, we may collect the information included in your submission, such as your name, email address, startup name, website URL and description.
We use this information primarily to:
Review the submission
Evaluate whether the startup may be suitable for StartupSpotting
Research the startup
Contact you regarding the submission
Request additional information
Prepare, edit or publish content about the startup
Maintain records of submissions
Prevent spam, fraud or misuse
Submitting a startup does not guarantee publication.
Information intended for publication, such as the startup's name, website, product information or publicly relevant founder information, may appear publicly on StartupSpotting.
We will not normally publish a submitter's private email address unless permission has been given or the address is already intentionally published as public business contact information.
4. Information Collected Automatically
When you visit StartupSpotting, certain technical information may be collected automatically by the website, hosting provider, security services, analytics services or other technologies used to operate the site.
Depending on the services in use, this information may include:
IP address
Browser type
Device type
Operating system
Approximate geographic location derived from an IP address
Referring website
Pages viewed
Links clicked
Date and time of visits
Time spent on pages
Technical logs
Error information
Cookie identifiers or similar identifiers
This information may be used to operate, secure, maintain, understand and improve the website.
For more information, see our Cookie Policy.
5. How We Use Information
We may use information for purposes including:
Operating StartupSpotting
Reviewing startup submissions
Communicating with users and founders
Responding to questions and requests
Researching and preparing editorial content
Publishing startup profiles and articles
Improving the website and user experience
Measuring website performance and readership
Maintaining website security
Detecting spam, abuse, fraud and malicious activity
Troubleshooting technical problems
Maintaining records
Managing advertising or commercial relationships
Sending communications that users have requested
Complying with legal obligations
Establishing, exercising or defending legal claims
We do not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the reason it was collected unless permitted by applicable law.
6. Legal Bases for Processing
Where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies, we process personal information only when we have a lawful basis.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
Consent
For example, where you voluntarily subscribe to certain communications or consent to non-essential cookies.
Contract
Where processing is necessary to provide a service you have requested or to take steps before entering into an agreement.
Legitimate Interests
Where processing is reasonably necessary for operating, securing, improving and administering StartupSpotting, handling submissions, communicating with users, conducting editorial activities or protecting our rights, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
Legal Obligation
Where processing is required to comply with applicable law.
Legal Claims
Where information is necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
The applicable legal basis depends on the particular processing activity.
7. Publicly Available Information and Editorial Research
StartupSpotting is an editorial and discovery website.
When researching startups and preparing articles, we may use information that has been made publicly available, including information from:
Official company websites
Founder websites
Public social media profiles and posts
Press releases
News publications
Startup directories
Public databases
Interviews
Podcasts
Videos
Public company records
Other publicly accessible sources
Such information may include names, professional roles, company affiliations and statements made publicly.
We may retain research material where reasonably necessary for editorial, archival, verification or legal purposes.
8. Cookies and Similar Technologies
StartupSpotting may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, remember preferences, understand website usage, maintain security and, where applicable, support advertising or other functionality.
Where required by law, non-essential cookies will not be used until you have provided the required consent.
You can find more information in our Cookie Policy.
9. Analytics
StartupSpotting may use analytics tools to understand how visitors use the website.
Depending on the analytics service used, information may include page views, referral sources, device information, browser information, approximate location and interactions with the website.
Where analytics technologies require consent under applicable law, they will be activated only after the appropriate consent has been obtained.
Our Cookie Policy should be consulted for information about analytics services currently using cookies or similar technologies on the website.
10. Advertising and Affiliate Links
StartupSpotting may display advertising, sponsored content, paid placements or affiliate links.
If advertising technologies are introduced that use cookies or similar technologies for personalization, measurement or tracking, they will be handled in accordance with applicable consent requirements and described in our Cookie Policy.
Affiliate links may allow StartupSpotting to receive a commission when a visitor purchases something or completes another qualifying action through a link.
Where appropriate, sponsored or commercial content will be identified.
11. Third-Party Services
We may use third-party providers to help operate StartupSpotting.
These may include providers of:
Website hosting
Content delivery
Security
Email
Forms
Analytics
Newsletter services
Cloud storage
Advertising
Payment processing
Spam prevention
Website performance tools
These providers may process information on our behalf or, in some circumstances, act as independent data controllers.
We seek to use providers that offer appropriate privacy and security protections.
12. Links to Other Websites
StartupSpotting contains links to startups and other third-party websites.
We do not control those websites and are not responsible for their privacy practices, security, availability or content.
Visiting a third-party website is subject to that website's own privacy policy and terms.
We encourage users to review the policies of websites they visit.
13. Sharing Personal Information
We do not sell personal information in the ordinary meaning of selling personal data for money.
We may share information when reasonably necessary with:
Service providers that help operate StartupSpotting
Professional advisers
Hosting and infrastructure providers
Security providers
Analytics providers where applicable
Payment processors where applicable
Government authorities when legally required
Courts or law enforcement when required by law
Parties involved in protecting our legal rights
Information may also be disclosed in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale, restructuring or transfer of all or part of StartupSpotting or its assets.
If such a transaction occurs, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction subject to applicable law.
14. International Data Transfers
Some service providers may process information outside Sweden or the European Economic Area.
Where GDPR applies and personal data is transferred outside the EEA, we seek to rely on an appropriate legal mechanism where required, such as:
An adequacy decision
Standard Contractual Clauses
Another lawful transfer mechanism available under applicable data protection law
15. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, security, editorial and record-keeping purposes.
Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information.
For example:
General correspondence may be retained while relevant to our relationship or records.
Startup submissions may be retained to manage submissions, editorial history and future coverage.
Published editorial material may be retained indefinitely as part of StartupSpotting's publication and archives.
Technical and security logs may be retained for an appropriate period for security and troubleshooting.
Information required for legal or accounting purposes may be retained for the period required by law.
We may anonymize information so that it can no longer reasonably identify an individual.
Anonymized information may be retained for longer periods.
16. Your Rights Under GDPR
If GDPR applies to the processing of your personal information, you may have rights including the right to:
Request access to your personal information
Request correction of inaccurate information
Request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances
Request restriction of processing
Object to certain processing
Receive certain information in a portable format
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
Lodge a complaint with a competent data protection authority
These rights are subject to limitations and exceptions under applicable law.
In particular, rights relating to deletion or objection may not always require removal of information contained in legitimate editorial, journalistic, archival or legally required records.
To exercise a privacy right, contact:
We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.
17. Complaints
If you believe your personal information has been processed improperly, please contact us first so that we can investigate the matter.
You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority.
In Sweden, the supervisory authority is the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (Integritetsskyddsmyndigheten, IMY).
18. Security
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
However, no website, electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
19. Children's Privacy
StartupSpotting is not specifically directed toward children.
We do not knowingly seek to collect personal information from children who are below the age at which they may lawfully provide such information or consent under applicable law.
If you believe a child has provided personal information to us improperly, please contact us.
20. Email Communications
If you subscribe to newsletters or promotional emails, you may unsubscribe using the unsubscribe method provided in those communications or by contacting us.
Transactional, administrative or service-related messages may still be sent where necessary.
21. Automated Decision-Making
StartupSpotting does not currently use personal information to make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects on individuals.
If this changes, this Privacy Policy will be updated as required.
22. Business Transfers
If StartupSpotting is sold, merged, reorganized or transferred to another owner, information associated with the operation of the website may be transferred as part of that transaction.
Any successor will be expected to handle personal information in accordance with applicable law.
23. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when StartupSpotting changes, when new services or technologies are introduced, or when legal requirements change.
The latest version will be published on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.
Material changes may be communicated through additional means where required by law.