FoundersChat

Privacy Policy

Effective date: 16 September 2026  ·  Gnanz TechLabs

We built FoundersChat to connect startup founders — not to monetise your data. We collect only what the app needs to work and never sell your information to anyone.

This Privacy Policy explains what information Gnanz TechLabs ("we", "our", "us") collects when you use the FoundersChat mobile application, how we use it, and your rights over it. By using the app you agree to this policy.

1. Information We Collect

Account information (provided by you)

  • Full name and role (e.g. Technical Co-Founder, Designer)
  • Startup domain, stage, bio, and location
  • Skills and "looking for" preferences
  • Profile photo (uploaded to Firebase Storage)
  • Email address and/or mobile phone number, depending on how you sign in (email, Google, or phone). Both are stored only in Firebase Authentication and are never shown on your public profile
  • Verification status — whether your email or phone number has been confirmed, and the company domain of a confirmed work email. Other users see only a badge (for example "Phone verified" or "Verified work email · company.com"), never the email address or number itself
  • Availability for co-founding and time commitment, if you choose to set them

Content you create

  • Direct messages, including photos you send and emoji reactions
  • Group chat messages, photos, group descriptions and pinned messages
  • Startup ideas, comments, idea updates, poll votes, and event RSVPs
  • Connection requests, connections, and introduction requests
  • Call times you propose to other users
  • Reports you file about other users or content

Information from links you share

  • When a message contains a web link, our server fetches that page's public title, description and preview image so the chat can show a preview. The page never learns who sent the link

Device & usage data

  • Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) push notification token — stored in a private, owner-only sub-collection; no other user can read it
  • Notification settings, such as muted group chats and the weekly match digest preference — private to you
  • Crash reports and performance data collected automatically by Firebase Crashlytics and Firebase Performance

What we do NOT collect

  • Payment or financial information
  • Location beyond what you voluntarily type in your profile
  • Contacts or address book
  • Your SMS inbox — when you sign in with your phone, Google Play services can fill in the one-time code automatically without giving the app access to any of your other messages

2. How We Use Your Information

  • To create and maintain your account, and to sign you in by email, Google, or a one-time SMS code sent to your phone
  • To verify your email address or phone number and show verification badges
  • To show your profile to other users for networking
  • To deliver push notifications (new messages, group messages, connection and introduction requests, idea updates)
  • To match you with relevant co-founders using our in-app matching algorithm, including an optional weekly match digest
  • To review reports and keep the community safe, which may include suspending accounts that break our Terms
  • To improve app performance and fix bugs
  • To comply with legal obligations

We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or automated decision-making that has legal or significant effects on you.

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal data. We share it only in the following limited circumstances:

  • Other FoundersChat users — your public profile (name, role, domain, stage, bio, location, skills, photo) is visible to all authenticated users of the app. Your email address and phone number are never shared.
  • Google Firebase — we use Firebase Authentication (including phone verification, which sends your number to Google to deliver the SMS code), Firestore, Firebase Storage, Cloud Functions, Firebase Cloud Messaging, and Firebase Crashlytics. Google processes data on our behalf under their Data Processing Terms.
  • Law enforcement — we may disclose data if required by applicable law or valid legal process.

4. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored on Google Cloud infrastructure (Firebase). Our main database and server functions run in Google's Mumbai (asia-south1) region; some Firebase services, such as Authentication, Cloud Messaging and Crashlytics, may process data in other regions. Google Firebase implements industry-standard security measures including encryption at rest and in transit.

We apply Firestore security rules that restrict read/write access — for example, your FCM token and private data are only accessible by you, and your messages are only accessible by the participants in each conversation.

5. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account through the app ("Delete Account" in the menu), we permanently delete:

  • Your sign-in account, including your email address or phone number
  • Your user profile and all profile data
  • Your direct messages
  • Your group chat messages
  • Your startup ideas, comments, and connection records
  • Your FCM notification token
  • Your profile photo from Firebase Storage

Some residual data (e.g. crash logs) may be retained for up to 90 days in Firebase Crashlytics.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

  • Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Correction — update your profile information at any time inside the app
  • Deletion — delete your account and all associated data via "Delete Account" in the app menu, or by contacting us
  • Portability — request your data in a machine-readable format
  • Objection — object to certain processing activities

To exercise any of these rights, email us at founderschat.admin@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Children's Privacy

FoundersChat is intended for users aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us immediately and we will delete the account.

8. Third-Party Links

The app may display links to external websites or events. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. Please review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. For significant changes, we will notify you via an in-app notification.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact: