Foundalaya
Privacy Policy
Who we are
Foundalaya is operated by Manish, an individual (sole operator; no registered company at this time), based in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. For any privacy question or request, contact foundalaya45@gmail.com.
What we collect
Account and profile info: your name, handle, email address (used for one-time-password sign-in), profile photo, bio, city, chosen language, and your role (founder, mentor, investor, or co-founder seeker). If you sign in with Apple, we receive the identifier Apple gives us to confirm who you are -- never your Apple password.
Content you create: posts, comments, messages, startup listings (including traction, which we only ever store as a band such as "pre-revenue" or "₹1L-10L/month", never an exact figure), mentor session requests, event RSVPs, badge/verification applications and any evidence files you attach to one, reports you file, and accounts you block.
Device and usage info: a push notification token, only if you allow notifications, used solely to deliver them to your device. We also log a small set of in-app product events (for example: signup completed, post created, event RSVP, badge application submitted) in our own database -- this is not a third-party analytics vendor; the data never leaves our own Supabase project.
This version of the app has no payment features. We do not collect, process, or store any payment or card/UPI information.
How we use it
To run the app: show your profile and posts to other members, connect founders with mentors and (once we approve them) investors, process event RSVPs and check-in, and review badge/verification applications. Badges are always free -- we never charge for a badge or for unlocking a message.
To notify you: in-app notifications, push notifications, and, where applicable, email -- each of which you can turn off independently in Settings.
To keep the platform safe: reviewing reports, enforcing blocks, and reviewing investor/mentor verification applications before granting full access, since unverified "investors" contacting founders is a known scam risk we actively guard against.
Who we share it with
We don't sell your data, ever. We share the minimum necessary with the services that run the app:
- Supabase -- hosts our database, authentication, and file storage. Supabase's infrastructure may process and store data on servers located outside India; by using the app you consent to this transfer.
- Expo's push notification service -- delivers push notifications, using only your device's push token.
- Google / Apple -- if you sign in with them, they confirm your identity to us; we never see your password.
- We do not use Razorpay or any other payment processor in this version of the app.
- We do not currently use Sentry or any other crash-reporting service. If we turn one on in a future release, we will update this policy first and list it here.
How long we keep it
Your profile, content, and uploaded files are kept for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, your profile, posts, startup listings, messages, RSVPs, badge applications, and uploaded files (avatar, post photos, badge evidence) are deleted immediately and permanently, not just hidden.
In-app product-usage events (see "What we collect") are not deleted on account deletion, but they are immediately disassociated from you -- the link to your account is permanently removed, and the remaining record cannot be traced back to you.
Account deletion
You can permanently delete your account at any time, in-app, from Settings -> Delete account. This is a full deletion, not a deactivation: see "How long we keep it" above for exactly what is removed.
If you can't access the app, you can request deletion by emailing foundalaya45@gmail.com from your registered email address. We will complete the deletion within 30 days.
Your rights (India's DPDP Act, 2023)
As a user in India, you have the right to:
- Access a summary of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correct or update inaccurate or incomplete data (most of this you can do yourself, directly in the app).
- Erase your data by deleting your account (see "Account deletion" above).
- Withdraw consent at any time, which may limit or end your ability to use parts of the app.
- Nominate another individual to exercise these rights on your behalf in the event of your death or incapacity.
- Raise a grievance with our Grievance Officer (see below) if you're unsatisfied with how we've handled a request.
Grievance Officer
In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Grievance Officer for Foundalaya is:
Tadikonda Maneesh Sri Kasinadh
Email: foundalaya45@gmail.com
We will acknowledge and respond to grievances within 15 days of receipt.
Security
Access to your data is controlled by database-level row security rules (not just app-level checks), so that, for example, only you and admins reviewing a report can read your private messages. No system is perfectly secure, but we take reasonable technical measures to protect your data against unauthorised access.
Investors, mentors, and diligence
Foundalaya is a networking platform. We are not an investment adviser, broker, or intermediary, and we never take a fee or commission on any investment made as a result of connections made here. A badge means a user has submitted evidence to us -- it is not independent verification, and we do not guarantee the accuracy of any claim. Anyone relying on it, especially investors, should conduct their own due diligence.
Children
Foundalaya is not directed at, and may not be used by, anyone under 18. We don't knowingly collect data from children.
Changes to this policy
We'll update the effective date above if this policy changes, and notify you in-app for material changes.
Contact
foundalaya45@gmail.com -- Manish, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.