Legal
Privacy Notice
We take your privacy seriously. This notice explains what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we protect it.
Preamble
Welcome
This Privacy Notice explains how VentureBridge collects, uses, stores, and discloses your personal data in connection with the VentureBridge platform ("Platform").
VentureBridge is committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Malaysia) ("PDPA") and other applicable privacy laws.
By using VentureBridge, you acknowledge this Privacy Notice and consent to the processing of your personal data as described herein.
Section 1
What We Collect
We may collect the following categories of personal data:
Identity data: Full name, profile photo, account role (founder or investor)
Contact data: Email address
Profile data: Location, biography, company or firm name, investor type, ticket size preferences
Startup content: Startup name, description, financial figures, projections, logos, poster images, and other materials you upload as a founder
Transaction data: Records of payments made for listing credits or subscription plans (we do not store card numbers — see Section 10)
Activity data: Saved startups, contact requests, messages sent and received, startup views, and platform usage patterns
Technical data: Session identifiers, access tokens, and browser or device information as part of platform operation
Section 2
How We Collect Data
We collect data when you create an account, complete your profile, publish a startup, request founder contact, send messages, make payments, or contact support.
We may also receive limited data from third-party sign-in providers such as Google when you use those services to authenticate.
Section 3
Why We Use Your Data
We process your personal data for the following purposes:
Creating and managing your account and verifying your identity
Operating and improving the marketplace and its features
Enabling messaging and contact request functionality between users
Processing payments and managing billing records
Providing customer support and responding to enquiries
Detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, or security threats
Complying with legal, regulatory, and tax obligations
If you opted in during registration, we may also use your email address to send product updates, feature announcements, and promotional communications. You can withdraw this consent at any time by emailing venturebridgemy@gmail.com with the subject "Unsubscribe".
Section 4
Disclosure of Personal Data
We may share your personal data in the following circumstances:
Other users: Where necessary for the Platform to function (e.g., your display name and startup information visible to investors)
Service providers: Third parties who support platform hosting, cloud storage, authentication, analytics, and payment processing, operating under appropriate data protection agreements
Legal authorities: Where required by applicable law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of VentureBridge or others
We do not sell your personal data
to third parties for their own marketing or commercial purposes.
Section 5
User Visibility on the Platform
Depending on your activity and role, certain information may be visible to other registered users of the Platform, including your display name, profile photo, account role, biography, location, company or firm name, and — if you are a founder — your published startup listings.
You can manage your profile information from your dashboard settings at any time.
Section 6
Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure, including encrypted data transmission (HTTPS), access controls, and secure cloud infrastructure.
No internet-based system is completely secure. While we take data protection seriously, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights or freedoms, we will notify affected users as soon as reasonably practicable and in accordance with our legal obligations.
Section 7
Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Notice:
Active accounts: Data retained for the duration of your use of the Platform
Closed accounts: Core account and transaction records retained for up to 7 years after closure to meet legal, tax, and audit obligations
Messages and activity logs: Retained for up to 3 years or as required by law
Marketing opt-in records: Retained for the duration of the relationship, or until you withdraw consent
When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.
Section 8
Your Rights Under the PDPA
Under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Malaysia) and other applicable laws, you have the right to:
Access the personal data we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data
Withdraw consent for optional processing (such as marketing emails)
Request deletion of your personal data where there is no overriding legal basis for retention
Raise a complaint with the relevant data protection authority
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at venturebridgemy@gmail.com. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with our legal obligations.
Section 9
Cookies and Similar Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Platform. These fall into two categories:
Essential cookies: Required to keep you signed in and for the Platform to function correctly. These cannot be disabled without affecting core functionality.
Analytics cookies: Used to understand how the Platform is used so we can improve it. You may opt out by emailing us or adjusting your browser settings.
Section 10
Payment Processing — Stripe
All payments on VentureBridge are processed by Stripe, a PCI DSS-compliant payment processor. VentureBridge does not store, transmit, or have access to your full payment card details.
Stripe collects and processes payment data under its own privacy policy, available at stripe.com/privacy. We retain transaction records (amount, date, product purchased) for accounting and legal compliance purposes.
Section 11
Third-Party Services
VentureBridge uses third-party providers for platform infrastructure, including Appwrite (database and authentication), and Stripe (payments). These providers operate under their own privacy policies and data protection standards.
We select providers that offer reasonable data protection commitments appropriate to the nature of the data processed.
Section 12
International Data Processing
Your personal data may be processed or stored on servers located outside Malaysia by our third-party infrastructure providers. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure your data is protected to a standard consistent with the PDPA.
Section 13
Changes to This Notice
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. Where changes are material, we will notify you by email or through an in-platform notice before the changes take effect. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes your acknowledgement of the updated Notice.
Section 14
Contact Us
For privacy questions, data access requests, unsubscribe requests, or general support, contact us at venturebridgemy@gmail.com.