Data privacy

1. Introduction

In the following, we provide information about the collection of personal data in the context of:

  • our website www.bio-m.org
  • our profiles in social media.
  • our events
  • communication with us

Personal data is any data that can be related to a specific natural person, such as their name or IP address.

1.1. Contact details

The controller within the meaning of Art. 4 para. 7 EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is BioM Biotech Cluster Development GmbH, Am Klopferspitz 19a, 82152 Planegg, Germany, email: info@bio-m.org. We are legally represented by Prof. Dr. Ralf Huss.

Our data protection officer can be reached via heyData GmbH, Schützenstraße 5, 10117 Berlin, www.heydata.eu, E-Mail: datenschutz@heydata.eu.

1.2. Scope of data processing, processing purposes and legal bases

We detail the scope of data processing, processing purposes and legal bases below. In principle, the following come into consideration as the legal basis for data processing:

  • Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. a GDPR serves as our legal basis for processing operations for which we obtain consent.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. b GDPR is the legal basis insofar as the processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a contract, e.g. if a site visitor purchases a product from us or we perform a service for him. This legal basis also applies to processing that is necessary for pre-contractual measures, such as in the case of inquiries about our products or services.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. c GDPR applies if we fulfill a legal obligation by processing personal data, as may be the case, for example, in tax law.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR serves as the legal basis when we can rely on legitimate interests to process personal data, e.g. for cookies that are necessary for the technical operation of our website.

1.3. Data processing outside the EEA

Insofar as we transfer data to service providers or other third parties outside the EEA, the security of the data during the transfer is guaranteed by adequacy decisions of the EU Commission, insofar as they exist (e.g. for Great Britain, Canada and Israel) (Art. 45 para. 3 GDPR).

In the case of data transfer to service providers in the USA, the legal basis for the data transfer is an adequacy decision of the EU Commission if the service provider has also certified itself under the EU US Data Privacy Framework.

In other cases (e.g. if no adequacy decision exists), the legal basis for the data transfer are usually, i.e. unless we indicate otherwise, standard contractual clauses. These are a set of rules adopted by the EU Commission and are part of the contract with the respective third party. According to Art. 46 para. 2 lit. b GDPR, they ensure the security of the data transfer. Many of the providers have given contractual guarantees that go beyond the standard contractual clauses to protect the data. These include, for example, guarantees regarding the encryption of data or regarding an obligation on the part of the third party to notify data subjects if law enforcement agencies wish to access the respective data.

1.4. Storage duration

Unless expressly stated in this privacy policy, the data stored by us will be deleted as soon as they are no longer required for their intended purpose and no legal obligations to retain data conflict with the deletion. If the data are not deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing is restricted, i.e. the data are blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for commercial or tax law reasons.

1.5. Rights of data subjects

Data subjects have the following rights against us with regard to their personal data:

  • Right of access,
  • Right to correction or deletion,
  • Right to limit processing,
  • Right to object to the processing,
  • Right to data transferability,
  • Right to revoke a given consent at any time.

Data subjects also have the right to complain to a data protection supervisory authority about the processing of their personal data. Contact details of the data protection supervisory authorities are available at www.bfdi.bund.de/EN/Service/Anschriften/Laender/Laender-node.html.

1.6. Obligation to provide data

Within the scope of the business or other relationship, customers, prospective customers or third parties need to provide us with personal data that is necessary for the establishment, execution and termination of a business or other relationship or that we are legally obliged to collect. Without this data, we will generally have to refuse to conclude the contract or to provide a service or will no longer be able to perform an existing contract or other relationship.

Mandatory data are marked as such.

1.7. No automatic decision making in individual cases

As a matter of principle, we do not use a fully automated decision-making process in accordance with article 22 GDPR to establish and implement the business or other relationship. Should we use these procedures in individual cases, we will inform of this separately if this is required by law.

1.8. Making contact

When contacting us, e.g. by e-mail or telephone, the data provided to us (e.g. names and e-mail addresses) will be stored by us in order to answer questions. The legal basis for the processing is our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR) to answer inquiries directed to us. We delete the data accruing in this context after the storage is no longer necessary or restrict the processing if there are legal retention obligations.

1.9. Customer surveys

From time to time, we conduct customer surveys to get to know our customers and their wishes better. In doing so, we collect the data requested in each case. It is our legitimate interest to get to know our customers and their wishes better, so that the legal basis for the associated data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit f GDPR. We delete the data when the results of the surveys have been evaluated.

This includes, in particular, the preparation and follow-up of our events (e.g., via SurveyMonkey or Jotform) to tailor workshop content to participants’ experience levels and interests, as well as to collect feedback for quality assurance purposes afterward. To enable our speakers or cooperation partners (e.g., Agentic GmbH as part of the Executive Session) to tailor the content to your needs, the information provided in the questionnaire will be shared directly with these partners. Personal data will only be shared if you actively provide it yourself in the questionnaire (e.g., name or specific challenges). Without such information, the evaluation for the partners will be conducted without direct reference to individuals. Participation in these surveys and the provision of personal data are expressly voluntary.

1.10. Events

We may process the data you provide to enable your attendance at events, including registration, communication, and logistical arrangements. This may involve sharing your information with event partners and service providers as necessary. Your data will be retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill these purposes and will be deleted after the event concludes, unless legal obligations require longer retention.

1.10.1 Partnering BayOConnect

As part of the registration process for the BayOConnect event, we offer participants the opportunity to use the one-to-one partnering system to facilitate networking. Participation in this partnering program and the sharing of your data with the platform operator are expressly voluntary and occur only on the basis of your prior consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.

If you gave your consent during registration, the data you entered (name, email address, company/organization, and address) will be transferred to the “partneringONE” portal. The contractual partner is EBD Group GmbH (Munich); data processing is carried out by its parent company, Informa Connect Limited (UK). Please note: From the time of transmission, Informa Connect processes your data as a separate, independent data controller under data protection law (including to create an Informa Connect account and to make your profiles available for future events).

On the portal, your profile is visible and searchable to all other participants by name and company/organization. You may optionally add further information to your profile there or hide it completely at any time. The data collected as part of the partnering process will be deleted in the event of a cancellation or at your request, provided that this does not conflict with any retention obligations of the independent operator.

For more information on the provider’s data processing practices, please see the partneringONE Privacy Policy at: https://informaconnect.com/privacy-policy/

1.10.2. Photos and videos

During the event, photographs and video recordings will be taken for documentation and public relations purposes. The legal basis for this processing is our legitimate interest according to Article 6 para 1 lit. f GDPR, to document and report on the event.

You have the right to object to the creation and use of photos and videos in which you appear. To clearly indicate your objection, you can obtain a visible sign at the event registration desk, which you can wear during the event. This sign will indicate that you do not wish to be photographed or filmed.

The photos and videos will be deleted after the expiration of the statutory retention periods, unless there are legitimate interests in longer storage.

1.10.3. Pretix

We may use the service provider Pretix for the processing of ticket sales and event registrations. The provider is rami.io GmbH, Berthold-Mogel-Straße 3, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany. Pretix processes personal data (e.g. name, address, e-mail address, payment data) and event-related data (e.g. ticket type, event date, list of participants) in the EU. The legal basis for processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. b GDPR (fulfillment of contract) for the processing of ticket purchases

1.10.4. „BayStartUP x BioM Pitch Day“

We process your form data and your pitch deck for the purposes of conducting the application process and organising the event (Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR). Data is collected via Microsoft Forms on the basis of a data processing agreement (Art. 28 GDPR), with the data being processed on servers within the EU. To avoid double allocations of places, we only cross-check team names with our cooperation partner BayStartUP (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). No further data is transferred to BayStartUP. Subsequent publications (e.g. on LinkedIn) will only take place with your express, separate consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

1.10.5. Participant Surveys and Content Surveys for Content Design

To ensure that our events are tailored to your needs, well-structured, and of consistently high quality, we regularly conduct surveys, feedback requests, and content assessments (e.g., using SurveyMonkey or Jotform). On the one hand, these help us tailor workshop content in advance to participants’ experience levels, interests, and specific challenges. On the other hand, we use these surveys after the event to gather feedback on how you rated the content and execution, and to identify areas for improvement.

To enable our respective speakers, experts, or partners (such as Agentic GmbH in the context of the Executive Session) to prepare effectively, the information you provide in the questionnaire will be shared directly with these partners. Personal data will only be shared to the extent that you actively provide it yourself as part of the survey (e.g., name or specific professional challenges in free-text fields). If you do not provide any identifying information, the analysis and feedback for the partners will be anonymous.

All information provided in these surveys is expressly voluntary. The legal basis for this data processing is our legitimate interest in high-quality, target-group-specific event planning pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, as well as the performance of the contract with participants pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR, in order to provide the agreed services in accordance with their needs.

1.11. BioM Mentoring Program (Status Survey and Profile Maintenance)

From time to time, we conduct status and interest surveys among the registered mentors in our mentoring program to ensure that the profiles in our database are up to date and to facilitate matches that meet participants’ needs. In doing so, we process the data requested in the form as well as updates to the mentors’ profiles. The legal basis for processing the data to maintain and update active profiles is the consent of the data subjects pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. To the extent that we contact registered mentors to inquire about their ongoing interest, the legal basis is our legitimate interest in maintaining a well-maintained and functional mentor database in accordance with Article 6(1), first sentence, letter f of the GDPR. If data subjects confirm their ongoing interest in response to the inquiry, the data will continue to be stored for the duration of their active participation in the mentoring program. If data subjects indicate that they would like to take a break due to temporary capacity constraints, their profile will be blocked for active matchmaking, and the data will be stored for a period of one year after receipt of the response in order to check their status again after this period has expired. If data subjects state that they no longer wish to participate in the mentoring program, we will immediately delete the relevant data or restrict processing if required by law.

2. Newsletter

We reserve the right to inform customers who have already used services from us or purchased goods from time to time by e-mail or other means about our offers, if they have not objected to this. The legal basis for this data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR. Our legitimate interest is to conduct direct advertising (recital 47 GDPR). Customers can object to the use of their e-mail address for advertising purposes at any time without incurring additional costs, for example via the link at the end of each e-mail or by sending an e-mail to our above-mentioned e-mail address.

Interested parties have the option to subscribe to a free newsletter. We process the data provided during registration exclusively for sending the newsletter. Subscription takes place by selecting the corresponding field on our website, by ticking the corresponding field in a paper document or by another clear action, whereby interested parties declare their consent to the processing of their data, so that the legal basis is Art. 6 para. p. 1 lit. a GDPR. Consent can be revoked at any time, e.g. by clicking the corresponding link in the newsletter or notifying our e-mail address given above. The processing of the data until revocation remains lawful even in the event of revocation.

Based on the consent of the recipients (Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. a GDPR), we also measure the opening and click-through rate of our newsletters to understand what is relevant for our audience.

We send newsletters with the tool CleverReach of the provider CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG, Schafjückenweg 2, 26180 Rastede. The provider processes content, usage, meta/communication data and contact data in the process in the EU. Further information is available in the provider's privacy policy at www.cleverreach.com/de/datenschutz.

We send newsletters using anyRM (Peakfactor), Typo3. The provider thereby processes content, usage, meta/communication data and contact data.

3. Data processing on our website

3.1. Notice for website visitors from Germany

Our website stores information in the terminal equipment of website visitors (e.g. cookies) or accesses information that is already stored in the terminal equipment (e.g. IP addresses). What information this is in detail can be found in the following sections.

This storage and access is based on the following provisions:

  • Insofar as this storage or access is absolutely necessary for us to provide the service of our website expressly requested by website visitors (e.g., to carry out a chatbot used by the website visitor or to ensure the IT security of our website), it is carried out on the basis of Section 25 para. 2 no. 2 of the German Telecommunications Digital Services Data Protection Act (Telekommunikation-Digitale-Dienste-Datenschutzgesetz, "TDDDG").
  • Otherwise, this storage or access takes place on the basis of the website visitor's consent (Section 25 para. 1 TDDDG).

The subsequent data processing is carried out in accordance with the following sections and on the basis of the provisions of the GDPR.

3.2. Informative use of our website

During the informative use of the website, i.e. when site visitors do not separately transmit information to us, we collect the personal data that the browser transmits to our server in order to ensure the stability and security of our website. This is our legitimate interest, so that the legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR.

These data are:

  • IP address
  • Date and time of the request
  • Time zone difference to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
  • Content of the request (specific page)
  • Access status/HTTP status code
  • Amount of data transferred in each case
  • Website from which the request comes
  • Browser
  • Operating system and its interface
  • Language and version of the browser software.

This data is also stored in log files. They are deleted when their storage is no longer necessary, at the latest after 14 days.

3.3. Web hosting and provision of the website

Our website is hosted by Datamints (part of netgrade) Homepage, Hauptdomain und bestimmte Subdomains Hosting und Homepage Hosting, Linxys für Dienstleistungen rund um Software Bitrix24: Beratung, Hosting (in D), Wartung und Support (AVV und Toms vorhanden), Parkbank mediasolutions (Beratung und domains bei All-Inkl Betreuung) in EU. The provider thereby processes the personal data transmitted via the website, e.g. on content, usage, meta/communication data or contact data. It is our legitimate interest to provide a website, so that the legal basis for data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR.

Our website is hosted by Datamints. The provider is datamints GmbH, Im Thal 1, 82377 Penzberg . In doing so, the provider processes the personal data transmitted via the website, e.g. content, usage, meta/communication data or contact data, in the EU. Further information can be found in the provider's privacy policy at www.datamints.com/datenschutz.html.

It is our legitimate interest to provide a website, so the legal basis of the described data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR.

3.4. Contact form

When contacting us via the contact form on our website, we store the data requested there and the content of the message.
The legal basis for the processing is our legitimate interest in answering inquiries directed to us. The legal basis for the processing is therefore Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR.
We delete the data accruing in this context after the storage is no longer necessary or restrict the processing if there are legal retention obligations.

3.5. Vacant positions

We publish vacant positions on our website, on pages linked to the website or on third-party websites.

The processing of the data provided as part of the application is carried out for the purpose of implementing the application process. Insofar as this is necessary for our decision to establish an employment relationship, the legal basis is Art. 88 para. GDPR in conjunction with Sec. 26 para. 1 of the German Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz). We have marked the data required to carry out the application process accordingly or refer to them. If applicants do not provide this data, we cannot process the application.
Further data is voluntary and not required for an application. If applicants provide further information, the basis is their consent (Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. a GDPR).

We ask applicants to refrain from providing information on political opinions, religious beliefs and similarly sensitive data in their CV and cover letter. They are not required for an application. If applicants nevertheless provide such information, we cannot prevent their processing as part of the processing of the resume or cover letter. Their processing is then also based on the consent of the applicants (Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a GDPR).

Finally, we process the applicants' data for further application procedures if they have given us their consent to do so. In this case, the legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. a GDPR.

We pass on the applicants' data to the responsible employees in the HR department, to our data processors in the area of recruiting and to the employees otherwise involved in the application process.

If we enter into an employment relationship with the applicant following the application process, we delete the data only after the employment relationship has ended. Otherwise, we delete the data no later than six months after rejecting an applicant.

If applicants have given us their consent to use their data for further application procedures as well, we will not delete their data until one year after receiving the application.

3.6. Customer account

Site visitors can open a customer account on our website. We process the data requested in this context based on the consent of the site visitor. Legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. a GDPR.

The consent may be revoked at any time by contacting us, for example, using the contact details provided in our privacy policy. The revocation does not affect the lawfulness of the processing until the revocation. If the consent is revoked we will delete the data insofar as we are not obliged or have a right to retain it further.

3.7. Offer of services

We offer services via our website. In doing so, we process the following data as part of the ordering process:

Name, Unternehmen, Adresse, Email, Telefonnummer

The processing of the data is carried out for the performance of the contract concluded with the respective site visitor (Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. b GDPR).

We pass on the above data to the following service providers, insofar as this is necessary in the context of the order:

anyRM, CleverReach

The legal basis of the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. b GDPR, as it is necessary for the performance of the contract.

  • PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., Luxemburg

3.8. Technically necessary cookies

Our website sets cookies. Cookies are small text files that are stored in the web browser on the end device of a site visitor. Cookies help to make the offer more user-friendly, effective and secure. Insofar as these cookies are necessary for the operation of our website or its functions (hereinafter "Technically Necessary Cookies"), the legal basis for the associated data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in providing customers and other site visitors with a functional website.
Specifically, we set technically necessary cookies for the following purpose or purposes:

  • Cookies that store log-in data

3.9. Third parties

3.9.1. ​Matomo​

We use Matomo for analytics. The provider is InnoCraft Ltd., 150 Willis St, 6011 Wellington, New Zealand. The provider processes usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times) and meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses) in the EU.

The legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. a GDPR. The processing is based on consent. Data subjects may revoke their consent at any time by contacting us, for example, using the contact details provided in our privacy policy. The revocation does not affect the lawfulness of the processing until the revocation.

The data is deleted when the purpose for which it was collected no longer applies. Further information is available in the provider's privacy policy at matomo.org/privacy-policy/.

3.9.2. ​YouTube Videos​

We use YouTube Videos for videos on the website. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. The provider processes usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times) and meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses) in the USA.

The legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. a GDPR. The processing is based on consent. Data subjects may revoke their consent at any time by contacting us, for example, using the contact details provided in our privacy policy. The revocation does not affect the lawfulness of the processing until the revocation.

The transfer of personal data to a country outside the EEA takes place on the legal basis consents.

Further information is available in the provider's privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

3.9.3. ​Google Maps​

We use Google Maps for maps on our website. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Dublin, Irland. The provider processes usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times), location data, and meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses) in the USA.

The legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. a GDPR. The processing is based on consent. Data subjects may revoke their consent at any time by contacting us, for example, using the contact details provided in our privacy policy. The revocation does not affect the lawfulness of the processing until the revocation.

The transfer of personal data to a country outside the EEA takes place on the legal basis adequacy decision. The security of the data transferred to the third country (i.e. a country outside the EEA) is guaranteed because the EU Commission has decided as part of an adequacy decision in accordance with Art. 45 para. 3 GDPR that the third country ensures an adequate level of protection.

We delete the data when the purpose for which it was collected no longer applies. Further information is available in the provider's privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

3.9.4. SurveyMonkey

We use the SurveyMonkey service for participant surveys. The provider is SurveyMonkey Europe UC, 2 Shelbourne Buildings, Shelbourne Road, Dublin, Ireland. The provider processes usage data and the information you provide in the survey. We have disabled IP tracking to ensure a high degree of anonymity. The legal basis is our legitimate interest in optimizing our event formats (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). For more information, please see the provider’s privacy policy at https://www.surveymonkey.de/mp/legal/privacy/.

3.9.5. Jotform

We use Jotform to collect event-related content (e.g., for the BayOConnect event). The provider is Jotform Ltd., 4th Floor, 115 George Street, Croydon, London, CR0 1AN, UK. We have limited the storage of data to servers within the European Union (Germany). Processing is carried out on the basis of a data processing agreement in accordance with Art. 28 of the GDPR. The legal basis for the processing is our legitimate interest in the efficient collection of event-related content (Art. 6(1)(f) of the GDPR) as well as the performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b) of the GDPR). For more information, please visit: https://www.jotform.com/privacy/.

3.9.6. heyData

We have integrated a data protection seal on our website. The provider is heyData GmbH, Schützenstraße 5, 10117 Berlin, Germany. The provider processes meta/communication data (e.g. IP addresses) in the EU.

The legal basis of the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in providing website visitors with confirmation of our data privacy compliance. At the same time, the provider has a legitimate interest in ensuring that only customers with existing contracts use its seals, which is why a mere image copy of the certificate is not a viable alternative as confirmation.

As the data is masked after collection, there is no possibility to identify website visitors. Further information is available in the privacy policy of the provider at https://heydata.eu/en/privacy-policy.

4. Data Processing in Connection with the m4 Award via the Alpha Awards Platform

If you apply for the m4 Award, which we coordinate, or participate in the selection process as a juror, you will use our digital portal to submit and evaluate projects. This portal is provided on our behalf by 79 Blue Elephants GmbH, Längenfeldgasse 27B, 1120 Vienna, Austria, as a technical service provider. We have entered into a data processing agreement with this partner, which ensures that your data is processed strictly in accordance with our instructions and exclusively on secure servers within the European Union (Hetzner Online GmbH, Germany). System emails, such as your registration or submission confirmation, are sent via the service provider Mailjet GmbH, Germany.

If you submit a project to the m4 Award to participate in the competition, you must register on the platform. In doing so, we process your registration and master data, such as your name, academic title, contact information (email address and phone number), and details about your institution or startup. During the application process, you will also upload project-specific data and sensitive documents, including project outlines, descriptions of your research approaches, business plans, pitch decks, and information on current IP and patent protection.

We process this data solely to manage your application, verify your formal eligibility for the competition, and conduct the selection process properly. The legal basis for this processing is the fulfillment of the existing participation agreement with you for the m4 Award (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR).

Since the m4 Award is a pre-startup competition sponsored and funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development, and Energy, we are obligated to disclose the data of the final selected and award-winning projects to the Ministry and, where applicable, to commissioned project administrators. This serves the purpose of formal grant administration and the legally required audit of the use of funds. The legal basis for this is the fulfillment of our legal obligations in connection with the applicable budgetary and funding regulations (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR).

If you serve as a juror or reviewer and assist us in evaluating the submitted projects, we process your personal information (name, email address, and your field of expertise) as well as all evaluations, comments, scores, and notes that you submit on the portal regarding the individual projects.

This processing is carried out to enable a scientifically sound, fair, and qualified evaluation of the submitted projects and to determine the winners of the award. The legal basis for processing your juror data is our legitimate interest in a professional and expert selection process (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) as well as the fulfillment of obligations related to juror activities (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR).

We are aware that the submitted biotech projects involve highly sensitive research and business ideas. The external reviewers and jurors we appoint therefore receive only strictly limited access—both in terms of time and content—to the application documents relevant to them on the portal. All jurors have been contractually obligated in advance to maintain the strictest confidentiality and to comply with data privacy requirements.

If, unfortunately, your submitted project does not receive funding in the current round, your uploaded application data, project outlines, and the corresponding jury evaluations will be completely deleted from the system or anonymized after the official end of the selection process, the award ceremony, and the expiration of procedural deadlines (typically after 6 months).

Due to the strict guidelines of the state funding agency, we are required to store the data from the winning projects long-term to comply with the legally mandated multi-year archiving and retention requirements.

Your user account (whether as a submitter or a juror) will remain active for the purposes of the current award process and for invitations to future award processes. However, you may request the deletion of your account at any time by simply contacting us, provided that no legal retention requirements prevent us from doing so.

5. Data processing on social media platforms

We are represented in social media networks in order to present our organization and our services there. The operators of these networks regularly process their users' data for advertising purposes. Among other things, they create user profiles from their online behavior, which are used, for example, to show advertising on the pages of the networks and elsewhere on the Internet that corresponds to the interests of the users. To this end, the operators of the networks store information on user behavior in cookies on the users' computers. Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that the operators merge this information with other data. Users can obtain further information and instructions on how to object to processing by the site operators in the data protection declarations of the respective operators listed below. It is also possible that the operators or their servers are located in non-EU countries, so that they process data there. This may result in risks for users, e.g. because it is more difficult to enforce their rights or because government agencies access the data.

If users of the networks contact us via our profiles, we process the data provided to us in order to respond to the inquiries. This is our legitimate interest, so that the legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 s. 1 lit. f GDPR.

5.1. Instagram

We maintain a profile on Instagram. The operator is Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland. The privacy policy is available here: help.instagram.com/519522125107875.

5.2. YouTube

We maintain a profile on YouTube. The operator is Google Ireland Limited Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4. Ireland. The privacy policy is available here: policies.google.com/privacy.

5.3. X (formerly Twitter)

We maintain a profile on X. The operator is Twitter Inc, 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. The privacy policy is available here: twitter.com/de/privacy. One way to object to data processing is via the settings for advertisements: twitter.com/personalization.

5.4. LinkedIn

We maintain a profile on LinkedIn. The operator is LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. The privacy policy is available here: https://https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy?_l=de_DE. One way to object to data processing is via the settings for advertisements: www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.

6. Changes to this privacy policy

We reserve the right to change this privacy policy with effect for the future. A current version is always available here.

7. Questions and comments

If you have any questions or comments regarding this privacy policy, please feel free to contact us using the contact information provided above.