Privacy Policy
Overview
AlphaMakina Inc. ("AlphaMakina", "we", "us", or "our") operates the website at alphamakina.com (the "Site") and provides venture studio services to domain-expert founders building AI companies. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share personal information about visitors to our Site, applicants to our studio programme, and founders who enter into a partnership with us.
This policy applies to all personal data processed by AlphaMakina in connection with our Site and services, including data collected through our application form, contact forms, email communications, and any data provided during the course of a studio engagement.
If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, you can reach us at moc.anikamahpla@ycavirp at any time.
Data we collect
We collect personal information in three ways: information you provide directly to us, information collected automatically when you use our Site, and information we may receive from third parties.
| Category | Examples | When collected |
|---|---|---|
| Identity data | First name, last name, professional title | Application form, contact form |
| Contact data | Email address, phone number | Application form, discovery call booking |
| Professional data | Industry, years of experience, current role, employer | Application form |
| Business data | Problem description, market, vision, team details | Application form |
| Communications data | Email content, call notes, message history | Ongoing correspondence |
| Engagement data | Founder validation reports, product briefs, contracts | Active studio engagements |
When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain technical data through cookies and similar technologies, including your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and time spent on the Site. This data is used to maintain the security and performance of the Site and to understand aggregate usage patterns.
We may receive limited information about you from third-party sources, such as when someone refers you to us by name, or when you connect with us via a professional networking platform such as LinkedIn. We handle any such information in accordance with this policy.
How we use your data
We use personal data only for the purposes for which it was collected or for compatible purposes that you would reasonably expect.
- Processing applications. To review, assess, and respond to applications submitted through our application form, including conducting our vetting process and scheduling discovery calls.
- Running studio engagements. To deliver our venture studio services to accepted founders, including building products, executing commercial strategy, and managing ongoing partnership obligations.
- Communications. To respond to your enquiries, send updates relevant to your application or engagement, and provide information you have requested.
- Legal and contractual obligations. To comply with applicable laws, enforce our agreements, and protect the rights and interests of AlphaMakina and our founders.
- Site operation and improvement. To monitor and improve the performance and security of our Site, and to understand how visitors use it in aggregate.
- Marketing communications. Where you have given consent or where we have a legitimate interest, to send information about new cohorts, studio updates, or content we believe may be relevant to you. You can opt out at any time.
We do not use your data for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects without human review.
Legal basis for processing
Where applicable data protection law requires us to identify a legal basis for processing your personal data, we rely on the following:
- Contract performance. Where processing is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. For example, processing your application and delivering studio services.
- Legitimate interests. Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests. For example, improving our Site, responding to enquiries, and operating our business, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
- Legal obligation. Where we are required to process your data to comply with a legal obligation, such as maintaining records required by company or tax law.
- Consent. Where you have given us clear consent. For example, subscribing to marketing emails. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
Sharing & disclosure
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third party under any circumstances.
We may share your data with carefully selected third parties only in the following circumstances:
- Service providers. We use trusted third-party services to operate our business, such as email platforms, scheduling tools, CRM software, and cloud storage. These providers are contractually bound to process your data only on our instructions and in accordance with this policy.
- Professional advisors. We may share data with lawyers, accountants, and other professional advisors under obligations of confidentiality where necessary to obtain professional advice.
- Legal requirements. We may disclose your data if required to do so by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
- Business transfers. In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our assets, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your data becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
All third parties with whom we share data are required to maintain appropriate security standards and to use your data only for the purposes we have specified.
Data retention
We retain your personal data for only as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Our general retention periods are as follows:
| Data type | Retention period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Unsuccessful application data | 12 months from decision | Future cohort consideration, with consent |
| Active founder engagement data | Duration of engagement + 7 years | Contractual and legal obligations |
| Financial and contractual records | 7 years from contract end | Tax and legal compliance |
| Marketing consent records | Until consent withdrawn + 3 years | Evidence of consent |
| Site analytics data | 26 months | Performance and trend analysis |
| General correspondence | 3 years from last contact | Legitimate business interests |
When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.
Security
We take the security of your personal data seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access.
- All data in transit is encrypted using TLS 1.2 or higher
- Data at rest is encrypted using AES-256 encryption
- Access to personal data is restricted to staff with a legitimate business need
- All team members undergo data protection training
- We conduct periodic reviews of our security practices and third-party providers
In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours and inform affected individuals without undue delay, as required by applicable law.
Your rights
Depending on your location and applicable data protection law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data. We will respond to all valid requests within 30 days.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at moc.anikamahpla@ycavirp with your request. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling the request. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority if you believe we have not handled your data appropriately.
Cookies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our Site. A cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you visit a website. We use the following categories of cookies:
| Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essential cookies | Required for the Site to function correctly. Cannot be disabled. | Session / up to 1 year |
| Analytics cookies | Help us understand how visitors use the Site in aggregate: pages visited, time spent, referral source. Data is anonymised. | Up to 26 months |
| Preference cookies | Remember your preferences such as language or display settings to improve your experience. | Up to 1 year |
| Marketing cookies | Used only with your consent to measure the effectiveness of our outreach campaigns. Not used for ad targeting. | Up to 90 days |
You can control cookies through your browser settings or through our cookie consent banner. Disabling non-essential cookies will not affect your ability to use the Site.
International data transfers
AlphaMakina is based in Canada. If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with data transfer restrictions, please be aware that your data may be transferred to and processed in countries that may not provide the same level of data protection as your home country.
Where we transfer personal data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, adequacy decisions, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms. You may request details of the safeguards in place for any specific transfer by contacting us at moc.anikamahpla@ycavirp.
Children's privacy
Our Site and services are directed at adults and are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child, we will take immediate steps to delete it. If you believe we may have collected data from a child, please contact us at moc.anikamahpla@ycavirp.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, for material changes, provide more prominent notice.
Your continued use of our Site or services after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. If you do not agree with changes to the policy, you may request deletion of your data by contacting us.
Contact us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please reach out. We take every enquiry seriously and aim to respond within 5 business days.