Privacy Policy
Last Updated February 26, 2026
Overview
Startup.Ready ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use the Startup Readiness Score assessment and related services.
In short:
We collect only what's necessary to provide the assessment and improve the service.
We never sell your personal data.
Your assessment responses and scores are private and belong to you.
You can request your data or deletion at any time.
Information We Collect
Information You Provide
When you create an account and use the Startup Readiness Score, we collect:
Account Information: Name, email address, password (encrypted).
Assessment Responses: Your answers to the Startup Readiness Assessment questions.
Assessment Scores: Your calculated readiness scores across the 6 pillars.
Profile Information: Any additional information you choose to provide (e.g., startup name, stage, industry).
Payment Information: If you subscribe to paid features, payment details are processed securely through our payment processor (Stripe). We do not store complete credit card numbers.
Information Collected Automatically
When you use our service, we automatically collect:
Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on the platform.
Device Information: Browser type, operating system, IP address, device identifiers.
Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies to maintain your session and improve user experience (see Cookie Policy below).
Information from Third Parties
Authentication Providers: If you sign in using Google or another OAuth provider, we receive basic profile information (name, email) from that provider.
Analytics Providers: We use analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand how users interact with our service.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
Provide and Improve the Service
Deliver your Startup Readiness Score and assessment results.
Save your progress and allow you to retake the assessment over time.
Provide customer support and respond to your inquiries.
Improve the assessment questions, scoring algorithms, and user experience.
Communications
Send you assessment results and account notifications via the platform.
Notify you of important service changes or security updates.
Provide customer support and respond to your inquiries.
Research and Insights
Analyze aggregate, anonymized data to understand readiness patterns across founders.
Generate insights about common gaps by stage, industry, or pillar (published publicly without identifying individual users).
Improve the framework and assessment methodology.
Legal and Security
Comply with legal obligations.
Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or security issues.
Enforce our Terms of Service.
How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal data. Period.
We only share your information in these limited circumstances:
Service Providers
We work with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate the platform:
Hosting: Vercel (cloud infrastructure and application hosting).
Payment Processing: Stripe (for subscription payments—Stripe does not share your payment information with us; we only receive confirmation of successful payments).
Analytics: Google Analytics (with IP anonymization enabled).
These providers are contractually required to protect your data and use it only for the services they provide to us.
Institutional Accounts
If you access the assessment through an accelerator, university, or other institutional partner:
Your individual assessment scores may be shared with that institution (only if you were invited through their program).
Institutions may see aggregate data for their cohort (e.g., average scores, common gaps).
You will be informed at the time of sign-up if your results will be shared.
Aggregate, Anonymized Data
We may publish or share aggregate, anonymized insights (e.g., "40% of founders score low on GTM clarity") for research, marketing, or educational purposes. This data cannot be used to identify individual users.
Legal Compliance
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.
Business Transfers
If Startup.Ready is acquired or merged with another company, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. You will be notified of any such change.
Data Retention
Account Data: We retain your account information and assessment data as long as your account is active
Deleted Accounts: If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or compliance reasons
Anonymized Data: We may retain anonymized, aggregated data indefinitely for research and improvement purposes
Your Rights and Choices
You have the following rights regarding your data:
Access and Portability
You can view your assessment scores and responses at any time in your account dashboard.
You can request a complete copy of your data by emailing shaun@probusinessplanning.com.
Correction
You can update your account information (name, email) in your account settings.
If you believe any data we hold about you is incorrect, contact us to request correction.
Deletion
You can delete your account at any time through your account settings.
Once deleted, your personal data will be permanently removed within 30 days.
Note: Deletion is irreversible and you will lose access to your assessment history.
Opt-Out
Cookies: Adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies (note: this may limit functionality).
Analytics: Opt out of Google Analytics using the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on.
Data Retention Preferences
Free users: Your data is retained as long as your account exists.
Subscribers: Your data is retained for the duration of your subscription plus 90 days after cancellation (to allow for reactivation).
Cookie Policy
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:
Keep you logged in.
Remember your preferences.
Understand how you use the service.
Improve performance and user experience.
Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies (Required).
Authentication cookies (to keep you logged in).
Session cookies (to maintain your state).
Analytics Cookies (Optional).
Google Analytics (to understand usage patterns).
You can opt out via browser settings or Google's opt-out tool.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling essential cookies may prevent you from using certain features.
Data Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your data:
Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest.
Authentication: Passwords are hashed and salted; we never store plain-text passwords.
Access Controls: Only authorized personnel can access user data, and only when necessary for support or maintenance.
Regular Audits: We regularly review our security practices and update them as needed.
However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children's Privacy
Startup.Ready is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately and we will delete it.
International Users
Startup.Ready is operated from the United States. If you are accessing the service from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the U.S.
By using our service, you consent to the transfer of your information to the U.S. and other countries where our service providers operate.
For EU/UK Users: If you are in the European Union or United Kingdom, you have additional rights under GDPR, including:
Right to access, rectify, and erase your data.
Right to restrict or object to processing.
Right to data portability.
Right to withdraw consent.
Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.
To exercise these rights, contact shaun@probusinessplanning.com.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do:
We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
If changes are material, we will notify you via email or a prominent notice on the website.
Your continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data:
Email: shaun@probusinessplanning.com
Response Time: We aim to respond within 5 business days.
For data access, correction, or deletion requests, please include:
Your account email address.
A description of your request.
Any relevant details to help us locate your information.
Thank you for using the Startup Readiness Assessment.
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