Privacy Statement
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Last modified on September 29, 2025
This is the Privacy Statement of:
GENTREPRENEUR PARTNERSHIP, represented by
Ghent University (public institution with legal personality)
Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 25
9000 Ghent
Belgium
Enterprise number 0248.015.142
We ensure that your Personal Data is processed securely and lawfully, and always in accordance with the applicable data protection legislation. In this Privacy Statement, we explain which Personal Data we process for the operation and activities of Gentrepreneur, including: (a) the registration and use of the Startium platform (hereinafter the “Startium Platform”), (b) the use of our website www.gentrepreneur.be and www.gentrepreneur.gent (hereinafter the “Website”), (c) the registration for and attendance at events of the Gentrepreneur Partnership, (d) the registration for and attendance at coaching sessions, (e) the registration for a vacancy (as employee or freelancer), and (f) our collaboration with partners.
The “Gentrepreneur Partnership” is a collaboration between Artevelde University of Applied Sciences, Ghent University, HOGENT, KU Leuven – Ghent, Odisee University of Applied Sciences and Luca School of Arts, with the support of the City of Ghent, the Province of East Flanders and VLAIO. Gentrepreneur Company CV, as a cooperative company, is active within this collaboration.
All capitalized terms not defined in this Statement have the meaning given to them in the General Data Protection Regulation.
Please read this Privacy Statement carefully. It not only describes your rights, but also the way in which you can exercise these rights.
Changes
This Privacy Statement may be adjusted and amended in the future, which will be clearly indicated through the date at the top of this Privacy Statement. It is your responsibility to take this Privacy Statement into account. Any substantial change will always be communicated.
Who processes your Personal Data?
Gentrepreneur is the Controller for the processing of your Personal Data that we collect via the Startium Platform, the Website, through contact requests, via partners, from applicants, etc.
You can reach us at the above-mentioned address or via:
Tel: 09 331 48 12
E-mail: hello@gentrepreneur.be
Which Personal Data do we process from whom, and for which purposes?
We process different types of Personal Data. The following Personal Data may (among others) be processed by us. In addition, we process other Personal Data that we require in the context of the activities in which you participate and our operations. We do not process sensitive personal data of the end user, such as information about your race, political opinions, health, religious or other beliefs, sexual orientation, and similar data.
Visitors to the Website
Collected Personal Data
Personal Data related to your visit to the Website, such as IP address, browser type, browser version, the pages of the Website you visit, the date and time of your visit, the time spent on the Website, unique device IDs and other data for the purpose of website statistics.
Purpose
We process Personal Data for the technical and functional management of our Website and to make the Website user-friendly. On the basis of your Personal Data, we can determine how our Website is used and improve its content and layout. This Personal Data also enables us to adequately secure our Website.
We do this, for example, by using cookies. More information about the use of cookies can be found in our cookie policy, which you can find here.
Basis
Our legitimate interest in offering a well-functioning and secure Website.
Users of the Startium Platform
Collected Personal Data
Personal Data related to your registration on and use of the Startium Platform, including your first name, last name, gender, date of birth, telephone number, student number, graduation year and field of study, email address, address, other Personal Data you add to your profile on the Startium Platform, and your use of the Startium Platform (such as booking coaching sessions).
Purpose
We process Personal Data in order to provide users of the Startium Platform with a personalized and optimal experience. This includes creating and managing user profiles, facilitating participation in coaching sessions and events, and improving the functionality and security of the platform. Personal Data is also used to maintain communication with users and to inform them about relevant updates and opportunities within the platform.
In addition, Personal Data is shared between us and Varsity Ventures Ltd (the administrator of the Startium Platform), as well as partners and experts active on the Startium Platform, in order to make the operation of the platform possible and to properly perform the user agreement.
Basis
Our legitimate interest in offering a well-functioning platform, and the performance of a contract.
Persons who contact us or register for Gentrepreneur events or coaching sessions
Collected Personal Data
The Personal Data that you provide to us through and in your email, other contact request or registration, such as your name, email address, telephone number, age category, educational institution, field of study, as well as the content of such email or contact request.
Purpose
We process your Personal Data in order to contact you by email, telephone, SMS or other equivalent forms of electronic communication.
Basis
We process this information on the basis of our legitimate interests. You are free to choose whether to provide your Personal Data to us, and you may at any time object to the processing.
Applicants
Collected Personal Data
Name, email address, address, telephone number, job title, current employer, gender, age, CV.
Purpose
We process your Personal Data in order to evaluate your application and to contact you regarding the progress of the application procedure. In addition, we may use your Personal Data to identify future suitable vacancies and to inform you about these.
Legal basis
We process this Personal Data on the basis of your consent and, in some cases, on the basis of our legitimate interest in conducting an efficient and effective recruitment procedure. You may withdraw your consent at any time.
Who has access to my Personal Data?
Social media providers
Through our Websites you can follow us on social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn, for example via a “follow” button or through a hyperlink that leads you to the relevant social media channel. When you click on a follow button or hyperlink, the respective social media provider collects your Personal Data directly from you, without us sharing it. We are not responsible for the way in which these social media providers handle your Personal Data. We therefore recommend that you consult the Privacy Statements of these providers:
Sending newsletters
Through our Websites you can subscribe to our newsletter. For sending our newsletters we use Mailchimp (The Rocket Science Group). For this purpose, your first name, last name and email address are processed, among other things. You can find more information about the processing of Personal Data and compliance with privacy legislation by Mailchimp via this link.
In the context of the Gentrepreneur Partnership
In the context of our collaboration with the Gentrepreneur Partnership, we share relevant Personal Data with the members of this partnership. This includes information about participation in activities and coaching sessions, such as the number and identity of students from higher education institutions who participate. These data are shared in order to evaluate the effectiveness of our programs, to enable internal follow-up within the higher education institution, and to report in the context of subsidy projects, such as EU projects and subsidy projects of VLAIO.
Other parties
We may also share your Personal Data with:
- third parties in the context of supporting the management and processing of our staff’s mailboxes;
- (sub)contractors to help us carry out the purposes mentioned above;
- service providers for creating and distributing tickets for events (including Zimma Ltd trading as Ticket Tailor, Eventbrite, etc.);
- service providers for monitoring and analyzing the use of our Website, for processing payments, or to contact you;
- affiliated companies, joint venture partners or other companies over which we exercise control or joint control. We will require such affiliated companies to comply with this Privacy Statement;
- our accountants, auditors, lawyers or similar advisors when we request them to provide us with professional advice;
- judicial, police or administrative authorities if we are required to disclose or share your Personal Data in order to comply with a legal obligation, a binding decision of an administrative authority or a court order.
We share your Personal Data with these third parties only on the condition that they (a) as Controllers comply with the GDPR, or (b) as Processors have entered into a processing agreement with us. For a detailed list of these third parties, you can contact us using the contact details provided above.
Processing of Personal Data outside the EEA
We are a Belgian company and, in principle, aim to process your Personal Data exclusively within the European Economic Area (EEA). However, it is possible that your Personal Data – through our (sub)processors – may be transferred to countries outside the EEA. The provider of the Startium Platform (Varsity Ventures Ltd) is established in Northern Ireland and Mailchimp (The Rocket Science Group) is established in the USA.
If your Personal Data is transferred to a country that, under the applicable legislation, does not provide an adequate level of protection, we will take the necessary measures to ensure an equivalent level of protection. This may include, for example, the use of standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission or the implementation of other appropriate safeguards.
How do we protect your Personal Data?
We have developed appropriate technical and organizational measures, safeguards and protections to process your Personal Data in accordance with the applicable Belgian and European legislation, and in particular to protect your Personal Data against loss, misuse or unauthorized alteration.
In addition, we have concluded a data processing agreement with our (sub)processors to secure your Personal Data and have taken various internal measures regarding confidentiality. We make all reasonable and necessary efforts to protect the confidentiality of your Personal Data.
How long do we retain your Personal Data?
We do not retain your Personal Data longer than necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. We retain and use your Personal Data insofar as necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain it in order to comply with applicable legislation), to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements.
We also retain usage data (i.e. data that is collected automatically, generated by the use of the Website or the Startium Platform itself) for internal analysis purposes. Usage data is generally retained for a shorter period, except where such data is used to strengthen security or to improve the functionality of our Website or the Startium Platform, or where we are legally required to retain such data for a longer period.
If you would like to know how long we retain your Personal Data for a specific purpose, you can contact us using the contact details provided above.
What are my rights as a data subject?
To the extent provided under the applicable Belgian and European legislation, you have the right:
- to obtain confirmation as to whether or not we process your Personal Data and, where that is the case, to access the Personal Data we process;
- to obtain the rectification, without undue delay, of inaccurate or incomplete Personal Data;
- to have your Personal Data erased;
- to obtain your Personal Data and transfer it to another Controller or Processor;
- to obtain from us the restriction of the processing of your Personal Data, to the extent possible;
- to receive your Personal Data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format;
- to object to the processing of your Personal Data and to the use of your Personal Data for direct marketing purposes.
You can exercise these rights by contacting us. If we are the Controller with respect to the Personal Data concerned, we will handle your request where appropriate.
In the event of a data breach, data subjects will be notified immediately. We have established a procedure to ensure that all data breaches are reported quickly and effectively to the data subjects, in accordance with the applicable legislation.
To the extent provided under the applicable Belgian and European legislation, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority if the processing of your Personal Data violates the applicable legislation. In Belgium, this is the Data Protection Authority (https://www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be/burger).