1. Agreement & Acceptance

By using Startup Gate ("Platform"), you ("User") agree to these Terms, which form a binding legal contract. Accessing, registering, or contributing content constitutes acceptance.

2. Eligibility & Account Registration

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• Entities must be represented by an authorized person.
• Startup Gate reserves the right to verify or suspend non-compliant, misleading, or fraudulent accounts.
• You must maintain accurate, up-to-date information, and promptly update any changes.

3. User Responsibilities

• Safeguard confidential login credentials; indemnify the Platform for any misuse.
• Notify us immediately of unauthorized access.
• Do not create multiple, false, or impersonated accounts.

4. Use of the Platform

• Powered for ecosystem collaboration: startup discovery, mentorship, event listings, funding calls, and ecosystem insights.
• Startup Gate is not a licensed financial advisor, broker, or legal representative. Any introductions or platform-generated connections do not guarantee outcomes.

5. Acceptable Conduct

Prohibited actions include:

• Uploading illegal, defamatory, or infringing content.
• Harassment, hate speech, or disinformation.
• Automated data extraction (bots, scraping).
• Disruption of service; malware uploads.
• Misleading representations of identity or affiliation.

6. User Content & Licensing

• You retain ownership of content submitted (e.g. bio, pitch, image).
• By submitting, you grant Startup Gate a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, transferable license, for display, distribution, and promotion.

7. Intellectual Property

• Platform code, UI, design, documentation, trademarks, and brand assets belong to Startup Gate or its licensors.
• Unauthorized reproduction, plagiarism, or derivative uses are prohibited.

8. Third-Party Links & Services

You may encounter third-party services (e.g. email, payment, social media plugins). Those services are governed by their own terms. Startup Gate offers no warranties or responsibilities for those external services.

9. Termination & Suspension

• We may suspend or terminate accounts at our discretion—e.g. for violations, inactivity, or legal obligations.
• You may request account deletion; data may remain in backups per legal retention obligations.

10. Disclaimer & Limitation of Liability

• The platform is offered "as is" with no warranties.
• Startup Gate shall not be liable for indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, including lost profits or data.
• Use of the Platform is at your own risk.

11. Indemnification

You agree to defend and indemnify Startup Gate, its employees, agents, and affiliates against all claims or losses arising from your breach of these Terms or misuse of Platform content.

12. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

• Governed by the laws of Egypt, Art. 151/2020 + other applicable legislation.
• Disputes resolved via Cairo Economic Courts unless arbitration is mutually agreed.
• The Arabic version of these Terms legally prevails in case of discrepancy.

13. Modification of Terms

• We reserve the right to update these Terms. Users will be informed via email or dashboard notice.
• Continued use signifies acceptance of updated Terms.

14. Contact Information

Email: info@startup-gate.net

Address: Cairo, Egypt

1. Data Controller & Contact

Startup Gate, registered in Cairo, Egypt. We are the controller for your personal data.

Privacy Contact: privacy@startup-gate.net

2. Personal Data We Collect

3. Why We Process Your Data

4. Data Sharing & Disclosure

• We do not sell personal data.
• Shared with trusted third parties (hosting, analytics, email services).
• Shared with other users—only per your profile settings or explicit content submissions.
• Shared with authorities if required by law.
• With your explicit consent, shared with investors or ecosystem partners.

5. Third-Party Integrations

We may integrate with:

• Social login providers (e.g. Google, LinkedIn)
• Analytics tools (Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Clarity)
• Communication platforms (Mailchimp, SendGrid)

Their respective privacy practices apply to their data use.

6. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies for:

• Session maintenance (e.g. login)
• Personalization
• Usage analytics

You can manage cookies via browser settings. Disabling may affect functionality.

7. Data Retention

• User data retained while your account is active.
• Deleted accounts: anonymized within 30–90 days, fully deleted if not recoverable.
• Backup data may remain for up to 5 years to comply with legal obligations.
• Transactional/financial data retained up to 10 years for tax compliance.

8. Security Measures

• HTTPS / TLS encryption
• Industry-standard password protection and hashing
• Role-based access control
• Regular audits and penetration testing
• Breach response procedures consistent with PDPL

9. Your Rights

Under Egyptian PDPL and GDPR-style rights (if applicable), you may:

• Access, correct, or delete your personal data
• Object to or restrict processing
• Withdraw consent for marketing use
• Request data portability
• Lodge complaints with the Egyptian Data Protection Authority

Requests should be submitted to: info@startup-gate.net

10. Children's Privacy

The Platform is intended for individuals aged 18+. We do not knowingly collect information from persons under 18 without verified parental consent.

11. International Data Transfers

Your data may be stored or processed outside Egypt (e.g. via cloud providers). When international transfers occur, they are governed by contractual safeguards (e.g. EU standard clauses) and encrypted protocols.

12. Changes to Policy

We may periodically update the Privacy Policy. Significant changes will be notified via email or dashboard. Continued use implies acceptance.