Privacy Policy & Data Protection Notice

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”) and the Estonian Personal Data Protection Act (Isikuandmete kaitse seadus), STARTUPWORX OÜ (“We”, “Data Controller”) — operator of the Hi Networking project (“Hi Networking”, “Platform”) — wishes to inform you, visitors and members of our website at hinetworking.com (“Website”), about our identity, the purposes of processing your personal data, to whom and for what purpose it is transferred, our legal bases, processing methods, and your rights.

1. Data Controller

STARTUPWORX OÜ
Registry code: 16606029
Sepapaja tn 6, 15551 Tallinn, Harju Maakond, Estonia
E-mail: info@hinetworking.com
Web: hinetworking.com

2. Data Processing Principles

Your personal data processed during your use of the Platform is:

• Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner (Article 5(1)(a) GDPR)
• Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes (Article 5(1)(b) GDPR)
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary (Article 5(1)(c) GDPR)
• Kept accurate and up-to-date where necessary (Article 5(1)(d) GDPR)
• Retained only for as long as necessary (Article 5(1)(e) GDPR)
• Processed with appropriate security measures (Article 5(1)(f) GDPR)

3. Personal Data Collected

• Identity Information: First name, last name
• Contact Information: Email address, phone number (optional)
• Professional Information: Role, company, industry, interests, expertise areas
• Account & Profile: Profile photo, biography, digital card data, social links
• Networking Data: Contacts, relationship notes, timeline events, voice notes and transcripts, follow-up reminders, opportunities
• Platform Usage Data: Event participation, messages, AI coach interactions
• Technical Data: IP address, browser information, cookie data, device type

4. Legal Bases for Processing

• Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b)): Providing platform services and managing your membership
• Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f)): Improving platform experience, analytics, and security
• Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)): Marketing communications, push notifications, optional AI features, and processing of voice recordings
• Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)): Compliance with Estonian and EU legal requirements

5. Purposes of Data Processing

• Creating and managing your membership account
• Providing platform features (smart profile, digital card, relationship memory, events, AI coach)
• Generating AI-powered summaries, conversation starters, transcripts and translations from data you submit
• Sending notification, reminder and communication emails
• Statistical analysis and reporting (in aggregated form)
• Fulfilling legal obligations under Estonian and EU law
• Ensuring platform security and preventing abuse

6. Data Transfers

Your personal data may be transferred to servers and service providers located within the European Economic Area (EEA) and, where necessary, outside the EEA (including to AI model providers) for the purpose of providing the Platform’s technical infrastructure services. In such cases, appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with Chapter V of the GDPR (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions). Apart from this, your personal data is not shared with third parties except as required by legal obligations.

7. Data Retention Period

Your personal data is retained for the period required by the processing purpose and within the limitation periods prescribed by Estonian law (generally up to 3 years for contractual claims under the Estonian Law of Obligations Act). Upon termination of your membership, your data outside of legal retention periods will be deleted, destroyed, or anonymised within 30 days. Voice recordings stored in the Platform may be deleted by you at any time from your contact timeline.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

• Right of access (Art. 15)
• Right to rectification (Art. 16)
• Right to erasure (Art. 17) — “right to be forgotten”
• Right to restriction (Art. 18)
• Right to data portability (Art. 20)
• Right to object (Art. 21)
• Right regarding automated decisions (Art. 22)
• Right to lodge a complaint: You may lodge a complaint with the Estonian Data Protection Inspectorate (Andmekaitse Inspektsioon) at www.aki.ee

9. Cookies

Our Website uses cookies and similar technologies. Essential cookies are necessary for the functioning of the Website and do not require consent. Non-essential cookies (analytics, preferences, marketing) are only placed with your explicit consent in accordance with the EU ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC) and Estonian Electronic Communications Act. You can review categories, lifetimes and manage your choices at any time in our Cookie Policy or through your browser settings.

10. Data Security

STARTUPWORX OÜ implements appropriate technical and organisational measures in accordance with Article 32 of the GDPR to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk, including encryption of data in transit and at rest, row-level access controls, regular security assessments, and incident response procedures. See the Security page for the full control list.

11. Policy Changes

STARTUPWORX OÜ reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy to comply with changes in GDPR, Estonian data protection legislation, or Platform services. Material changes will be communicated via email or in-app notification.

12. Contact & Data Protection

To exercise your rights regarding your personal data or for any questions:

STARTUPWORX OÜ
Registry code: 16606029
Sepapaja tn 6, 15551 Tallinn, Harju Maakond, Estonia
E-mail: info@hinetworking.com