Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Bnder (“we”, “us”, or “our”) operates the Bnder platform at bnder.co (the “Platform”). This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have. By using the Platform, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

• Account information: name, email address, password, and profile photo when you register.
• Profile information: bio, location, skills, work experience, education, LinkedIn profile URL, and any other details you choose to add.
• Venture listings: titles, descriptions, categories, images, and financial details you include in posted ventures.
• Messages: content of messages sent between users through our in-platform messaging system.
• Payment information: billing details processed by Stripe. Bnder does not store your full card number — Stripe handles all payment data directly.
• Communications with us: emails or support requests you send to Bnder.

Information collected automatically

• Usage data: pages visited, features used, search queries, clicks, and session duration.
• Device & log data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, and timestamps.
• Cookies & similar technologies: session cookies for authentication and preference cookies for your settings. See Section 8 for more.

Information from third parties

• OAuth providers: if you sign in with Google or another provider, we receive your name and email address from that provider.
• LinkedIn: if you connect your LinkedIn profile for verification, we receive only the public profile data you authorize.
• Stripe: we receive confirmation of payment status and subscription details from Stripe.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account and authenticate your sessions.
• Display your profile and venture listings to other users of the Platform.
• Enable messaging and matching between users.
• Process subscription payments and manage billing.
• Send transactional emails (account confirmations, password resets, match notifications).
• Send platform updates and, where permitted, promotional communications — you can opt out at any time.
• Improve the Platform by analyzing usage patterns and diagnosing technical issues.
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service.
• Comply with applicable legal obligations.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only in the following circumstances:

With other users (by design)

Your public profile (name, photo, bio, location, skills, experience) and any venture listings you post are visible to other registered users and, unless you have set them as private, to the general public. Messages are shared only with the intended recipient.

With service providers

• Supabase — database and authentication infrastructure.
• Stripe — payment processing.
• Vercel — hosting and content delivery.
• Resend / email provider — transactional email delivery.

These providers only access your data to perform services on our behalf and are contractually obligated to protect it.

For legal reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of Bnder, our users, or the public.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Platform. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law (e.g., billing records for tax purposes, which are kept for up to 7 years) or where we have a legitimate interest in retaining it (e.g., to investigate fraud or abuse).

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure authentication (JWT-based sessions via Supabase Auth), and access controls. However, no system is completely secure — we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data.

7. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information (you can do this directly in your account settings).
• Delete your account and associated personal data.
• Object to or restrict certain processing of your data.
• Data portability — receive a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Opt out of marketing emails using the unsubscribe link in any email we send.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@bnder.co. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

8. Cookies

Bnder uses the following types of cookies:

• Strictly necessary cookies: required for authentication and to keep you logged in across sessions. These cannot be disabled.
• Preference cookies: remember your settings (e.g., view mode on the browse page).
• Analytics cookies: help us understand how the Platform is used so we can improve it. We do not use invasive third-party advertising trackers.

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling strictly necessary cookies will prevent you from staying logged in.

9. Children’s Privacy

Bnder is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a person under 18, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, please contact us at hello@bnder.co.

10. International Transfers

Bnder is operated from the United States. If you are accessing the Platform from outside the US, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. By using the Platform, you consent to this transfer. We take reasonable steps to ensure your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy wherever it is processed.

11. Third-Party Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites (such as LinkedIn profiles or external company sites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will notify you by email or by a prominent notice on the Platform. Continued use of Bnder after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us: