Privacy Policy

When you apply to or participate in the Z1 Forge, we collect the following information:

• Account information: name, email address, and login credentials.
• Application data: preferred role, skills, experience level, and motivation statement.
• Program activity: weekly submissions, scores, team assignments, and progress data.
• Usage data: pages visited, browser type, and device information collected automatically through standard web technologies.

We use collected information to:

• Process and evaluate your application.
• Match you with a team based on your role preference and skills.
• Operate the Forge platform, including team pages, and dashboard.
• Communicate program updates, schedule changes, and important announcements.
• Improve the platform experience and program quality.

We do not sell your personal information. We may share limited information in the following cases:

• Within the program: your name, role, and team assignment are visible to other Forge participants on the platform.
• Mentors: mentors have access to your team profile and weekly submissions to provide feedback and scoring.
• Public team pages: team names, product names, and progress status are displayed publicly on team pages.
• Legal requirements: we may disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights and safety of SBV and its participants.

Your data is stored on secure, cloud-hosted infrastructure. We use industry-standard measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, and access controls to protect your information. However, no method of electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We use essential cookies for authentication and session management. We do not use third-party advertising trackers. Analytics data, if collected, is used solely to improve platform performance and user experience.

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you by contacting us.
• Request correction of inaccurate information in your profile.
• Request deletion of your account and associated data. Note that some data (e.g., program history) may be retained in anonymized form.
• Withdraw from the program at any time, after which your active data will be archived.

Application data for non-accepted applicants is retained for up to 12 months, after which it is deleted. Participant data is retained for the duration of the program and up to 24 months after completion for alumni community purposes. You may request earlier deletion by contacting us.

The platform may integrate with third-party services (e.g., authentication providers, file storage). These services have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them. We only share the minimum information necessary for these integrations to function.

The Z1 Forge is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If we become aware that we have collected data from a minor, we will delete it promptly.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

For privacy-related questions or requests, contact us at hello@sbv.one.