Privacy policy

Sardo Group FZCO ("we", "us"), licence number 28070, TRN 104505506600003, of Premises 001 - 28070 Dubai Silicon Oasis, DDP, Building A1, IFZA Business Park, 342001, Dubai, UAE, is the controller of personal data processed through Backed.Ventures. Contact: hello@backed.ventures.

This policy explains what we collect, why, who we share it with, and your rights. We handle personal data in line with the UAE Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021), and, for people in the United Kingdom and European Economic Area, the UK GDPR and EU GDPR.

• Account details: name, email address, role (founder or investor), sign-in and security information, and whether your email has been confirmed.
• Founder content: company details, pitch titles, summaries, sectors, amounts raised, traction, pitch decks, images, videos and links you upload or paste.
• Investor content: firm details, investor type, website, bio, phone, contact emails, LinkedIn links, logo, sectors, stages, countries, cheque sizes, and the names, job titles and contact details of colleagues you add.
• Messages, access requests, community posts, comments and likes.
• AI data: text and files you send to AI features, and the scores, feedback and structured information produced from them.
• Payment information: payments are handled by Stripe. We receive confirmation, amount and a payment reference, not your full card number.
• Technical data: device cookie, approximate usage such as which pitches were viewed, IP address and logs kept for security and fault finding.
• Records we hold about people who have not registered: for example, we may add investor firm contact details we have collected from public or business sources into the investor directory, so the firm can claim or correct its profile.

• To provide the Platform, including accounts, listings, access requests, messaging and the investor directory (performing our contract with you).
• To process payments and prevent fraud (contract and legitimate interests).
• To verify email addresses and profiles, enforce viewing limits and keep the Platform secure (legitimate interests).
• To provide AI features, such as drafting listings, scoring decks and matching, and to improve our services and run internal research and analytics (consent where required, otherwise legitimate interests).
• To send service messages, such as one-time codes, access decisions and launch notices (contract and legitimate interests). We send marketing only where the law allows it, and you can opt out at any time.
• To meet legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.

Uploading a file does not send it to an AI provider. Content is sent only when you choose to use an AI feature (for deck review you must tick a consent box and press the review button; the listing assistant uses only the notes you type), or when an administrator runs a deck review for quality control or support. In those cases we send the relevant content, which can include your pitch deck or notes, to third-party large language model providers through OpenRouter and the model providers it routes to. We request settings that tell providers not to retain or train on this content. Providers may still process it temporarily to return a result, and may be located outside the UAE, UK and EU.

We keep the AI scores, feedback and extracted information on our systems, and may use them internally, including in aggregated or anonymised form, for research, quality control and to improve matching and our services. Founders can see the feedback for their own pitches. Internal research notes are visible only to our administrators.

AI features are optional and are never run automatically on upload. Do not submit documents containing other people's personal data or information you are not entitled to share.

• Other users, as you direct: a pitch summary is visible to visitors and investors in line with the Platform's access rules, and full pitch materials only to investors you approve. Investor profiles are visible in the investor directory as the profile settings provide.
• Service providers who process data for us: Vercel (hosting and file storage), Neon (database and authentication), Stripe (payments), OpenRouter and its model providers (AI), and email delivery providers used for sign-in and notifications.
• Professional advisers, auditors and insurers where needed.
• Authorities, courts or other parties where the law requires or to protect rights, safety and the Platform.
• A buyer or successor if our business is sold or restructured.

We do not sell your personal data.

Our providers operate in several countries, including the United States and the European Union, so your data may be processed outside the UAE and your own country. Where the law requires, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses or the provider's certified data protection framework.

• Account, profile and pitch content: while your account is active, and for up to 12 months after you close it, unless you ask us to delete it sooner and we have no need or duty to keep it.
• AI feedback and extracted pitch information: while your account is active and for up to 12 months after it is closed. Aggregated or anonymised insights may be kept indefinitely.
• Payment and tax records: as long as the law requires, which can be several years.
• Security logs and view counts: generally up to 12 months.
• Messages and posts: while the relevant account or thread exists, then deleted or anonymised.

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures, including encrypted connections, access controls, private file storage and limits on who can open uploaded files. No system is completely secure. You are responsible for keeping your login details safe and for choosing what you share.

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access your data, have it corrected or deleted, restrict or object to some processing, withdraw consent, receive a portable copy, and complain to a data protection authority. To exercise a right, email us at the address below. We may need to confirm your identity first. Some data may have to be kept where the law requires or to establish or defend legal claims.

If you are an investor or firm listed in our directory and you want your details corrected or removed, email us and we will deal with it promptly.

We use a small number of cookies, and optional analytics cookies only with your consent. See our Cookie policy for details.

The Platform is for adults. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18, and will delete it if we learn we have.

We may update this policy and will post the new version with a new date. If a change is significant, we will take reasonable steps to tell you.

Questions or requests: hello@backed.ventures, or write to Sardo Group FZCO at the address below.