1. Introduction
Welcome to the SWEAT Africa website (https://sweat.africa/). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you interact with our AI-powered chatbot (the “Chatbot”) integrated into our website. By using the Chatbot, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
SWEAT Africa is a tech and biotech community accelerator event held in Stellenbosch, South Africa, connecting startups, investors, entrepreneurs, and incubators across the African continent and beyond.
2. Data Controller
The data controller responsible for the processing of your personal data through the Chatbot is SWEAT Africa, operated by Open StartUp International. For data protection inquiries, please contact us at: info@sweat.africa.
3. Information We Collect
When you interact with the Chatbot, we may collect the following categories of information:
3.1 Information You Provide Directly
- Messages, questions, and any text you input into the Chatbot
- Your name, email address, or other contact details if you voluntarily provide them during a conversation
- Feedback or ratings you provide about the Chatbot experience
- Any other personal information you choose to share in your messages
3.2 Automatically Collected Information
- Technical data such as your IP address, browser type, device type, and operating system
- Session data including timestamps, conversation duration, and interaction patterns
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 8 below)
- Referring URL and pages visited on our website before and after Chatbot interaction
3.3 Third-Party AI Service Data
Our Chatbot is powered by third-party artificial intelligence services. These services may process your input data to generate responses. We ensure that our AI service providers maintain appropriate data protection standards.
4. How We Use Your Information
We use the information collected through the Chatbot for the following purposes:
- To provide, operate, and improve the Chatbot service and respond to your queries about SWEAT Africa events, tickets, programs, and partnerships
- To personalise your experience and deliver relevant information about our events and initiatives
- To analyse usage patterns and improve the Chatbot’s accuracy, functionality, and performance
- To ensure the security and integrity of our website and Chatbot
- To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms of service
- To communicate with you regarding event updates, if you have opted in to such communications
5. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on the following legal bases, in accordance with the South African Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
- Consent: By voluntarily using the Chatbot and providing your information, you consent to the processing described in this policy.
- Legitimate Interest: We have a legitimate interest in improving our services, ensuring website security, and understanding how users interact with the Chatbot.
- Contractual Necessity: Processing may be necessary to provide you with the services you have requested, such as event registration support.
- Legal Obligation: We may process your data to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
6. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information with the following categories of recipients:
- AI Service Providers: Our Chatbot relies on third-party AI platforms to process and generate responses. Your conversation data may be transmitted to these providers under strict data processing agreements.
- Hosting and Infrastructure Providers: Companies that provide website hosting, cloud storage, and technical infrastructure.
- Analytics Providers: Services that help us understand Chatbot usage and performance.
- Event Partners: With your explicit consent, we may share relevant details with event co-organisers, sponsors, or partners for event-related communications.
- Legal Authorities: When required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.
7. Data Retention
We retain Chatbot conversation data for a period necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy. Specifically:
- Conversation logs are retained for up to 12 months for service improvement and analytics purposes, unless a longer retention period is required by law.
- Personal data voluntarily provided (e.g., email addresses) is retained until you request its deletion or withdraw your consent.
- Aggregated and anonymised data, which cannot be used to identify you, may be retained indefinitely for statistical and research purposes.
8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
The Chatbot may use cookies and similar technologies to maintain session state, remember user preferences, and collect analytics data. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Chatbot.
9. International Data Transfers
As SWEAT Africa operates with international partners and utilises global technology services, your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside South Africa, including countries within the European Union, the United States, and other jurisdictions. Where such transfers occur, we implement appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses or reliance on adequacy decisions, to ensure your data is protected in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
10. Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
- Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit the processing of your data in certain circumstances.
- Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
- Right to Object: Object to the processing of your data based on legitimate interests.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@sweat.africa. We will respond to your request within 30 days, or as required by applicable law.
11. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL), access controls, regular security assessments, and secure data storage practices. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
12. Children’s Privacy
The Chatbot is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, we will take reasonable steps to delete such information promptly. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately.
13. Third-Party Links
The Chatbot may provide links to third-party websites or services, including ticketing platforms (e.g., Quicket), partner organisations, and social media channels. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies before providing any personal information.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Chatbot after any modifications constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. For material changes, we will endeavour to provide notice through the Chatbot or via our website.
15. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
SWEAT Africa
Operated by Open StartUp International
Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Email: contact@sweat.africa