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Your privacy matters. This page explains in plain English what data Startup List collects, why we collect it, who we share it with, and the rights you have.
Last updated: June 25, 2026
We review this policy whenever we add new data processors or change how we use information.
Startup List (startup-list.org) is a startup directory and discovery platform operated as an independent publishing project. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information when you visit our website, create an account, submit a product, subscribe to our newsletter, or interact with our content. If you have any questions about this policy, contact us at hello@startup-list.org.
Account information: name, email address, password hash, optional avatar, and profile bio you provide when registering or editing your profile. Submission information: startup name, website URL, description, category, logos, screenshots, and contact email when you submit a product. Usage information: pages visited, referring URL, approximate location (country/region) derived from IP, browser type, device type, language, and timestamps. Communications: messages you send through our contact form, support emails, or in-app messaging. Payment information: when you purchase a paid plan or promoted listing, payment is processed by Stripe; we never see or store your full card number.
We use your information to operate the directory and your account, review and publish submissions, respond to support requests, send transactional emails (password resets, submission status, billing receipts), send the newsletter only to users who opted in, measure traffic and content performance, prevent abuse and spam, comply with legal obligations, and personalize recommendations such as related startups or trending tools.
We use first-party cookies for authentication (keeping you signed in) and CSRF protection. We use a first-party analytics cookie to count unique sessions and pageviews so we can improve content. We also use third-party cookies from Google AdSense and Google ad partners to serve, personalize, and measure ads. Third parties may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect information about your activities on our site and other sites to provide you advertising based on your browsing activities and interests. You can opt out of personalized advertising at https://www.google.com/settings/ads or via https://www.aboutads.info. For more detail see our Cookie Policy at /cookies.
We rely on the following processors who may receive personal data on our behalf: Google AdSense (advertising), Google Analytics-style first-party tracking, Stripe (payments), an email delivery provider (transactional and newsletter email), Cloudflare or similar CDN (DDoS protection and caching), Vercel-compatible hosting (server delivery), and UploadThing (image uploads). Each of these processors has its own privacy policy and is bound by contract or data-processing terms to safeguard your information.
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to startup-list.org and other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to our sites and/or other sites on the Internet. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings (https://www.google.com/settings/ads). For users in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland, we collect consent for advertising cookies through a consent management interface before non-essential cookies are set.
If you are located in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or Switzerland, our legal basis for processing depends on the data: contract (to operate your account and provide services), consent (for newsletter and personalized advertising), legitimate interests (to secure the site, prevent fraud, and improve content), and legal obligation (to retain billing records and comply with tax law).
Depending on your jurisdiction, you have the right to access, correct, delete, port, or restrict the processing of your personal data, and to object to processing. EU/UK users have the right to lodge a complaint with their local data protection authority. California residents have the additional rights described in the CCPA, including the right to know, the right to delete, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information for money. To exercise any right, email hello@startup-list.org from the address on file and we will respond within 30 days.
We retain account data for as long as your account is active and for up to 24 months after deletion to comply with legal, tax, and anti-abuse obligations. Submission data remains published on the directory unless you request removal. Analytics data is retained for up to 14 months. Billing records are retained for 7 years where required by tax law.
Startup List is not intended for users under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact hello@startup-list.org and we will delete it.
We use industry-standard measures to protect your information, including TLS encryption in transit, hashed passwords, restricted database access, and isolated server environments. No system is 100% secure; if we become aware of a breach affecting your personal data, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law.
Our servers and some processors are located in the European Union and the United States. When data is transferred outside your country of residence, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent safeguards approved by the relevant data protection authorities.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be announced via a banner on the homepage or by email to registered users at least 14 days before they take effect. The 'Last updated' date below always reflects the current version.
For any privacy question, data request, or complaint, email hello@startup-list.org. We aim to respond within 5 business days and resolve all valid requests within 30 days.