1. Introduction
Retrocause (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates retrocause.com (the “Site”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect information about you when you visit the Site or apply to the Retrocause Fellowship.
We built Retrocause for founders who value clarity. This policy is written the same way — plainly, so you can actually read it.
2. Information We Collect
Information you give us
When you submit an application through the apply form, we collect:
- Your full name
- Email address
- Company name and your role
- Company stage (revenue band)
- Your description of your biggest growth challenge
- Your reason for interest in the fellowship
- How you heard about us
Information we collect automatically
When you visit the Site, we use Vercel Analytics, a privacy-preserving analytics service that does not use cookies and does not track individuals. Vercel Analytics collects:
- Anonymized page views
- Referring domains
- Approximate location (country- or region-level)
- Device and browser category
No personally identifying information is collected through analytics, and we do not use any tracking cookies on the Site.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your application information only to:
- Review and evaluate your fellowship application
- Contact you about your application status
- Schedule and conduct an intro call if we mutually agree to one
- Communicate updates relevant to the fellowship program you applied to
We do not use your application data for marketing, advertising, or any purpose unrelated to your fellowship application.
4. How We Share Your Information
We share your information only with the providers we rely on to operate the Site:
- Resend — our email delivery provider, which transmits your application from our form to our inbox. Resend's Privacy Policy
- Google Workspace — our email platform, where application emails are received and stored in hello@retrocause.com. Google's Privacy Policy
- Vercel — our hosting provider, which serves the Site and collects anonymized analytics. Vercel's Privacy Policy
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party.
We may disclose your information if required by law, subpoena, or legal process; if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Retrocause or others; or in connection with a business transfer (merger, acquisition, asset sale). If a business transfer involves your data, we will notify you before it occurs.
5. How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain application data for as long as necessary to evaluate your application and, if you join the fellowship, for the duration of your participation plus a reasonable period afterward for program administration.
If you are not selected for the fellowship, we retain your application for up to 24 months in case a future cohort becomes a better fit, unless you request earlier deletion.
6. Your Rights and Choices
Regardless of where you live, you can always:
- Access — request a copy of the information we hold about you
- Correct— ask us to fix anything that's wrong
- Delete — ask us to remove your information from our systems
- Opt out — ask us to stop emailing you
To exercise any of these rights, email hello@retrocause.com. We'll respond within 30 days.
California residents (CCPA / CPRA)
Under California law, you have the right to:
- Know what personal information we have collected about you
- Know whether we disclose your personal information (we do not sell it)
- Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
- Not be discriminated against for exercising these rights
EU, UK, and EEA residents (GDPR)
If you are in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have the additional rights to:
- Object to certain uses of your data
- Restrict processing
- Data portability (receive your data in a structured format)
- Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
Our legal basis for processing your data is (a) your consent, given when you submit the apply form, and (b) our legitimate interest in evaluating fellowship applicants and communicating with them.
7. Data Security
We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your information. The Site uses HTTPS, email is encrypted in transit, and access to application data is limited to the small team that reviews applications (Brooke Bains and Amos Schwartzfarb).
No system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we act in good faith to protect your data and will notify you of any breach affecting your personal information, as required by applicable law.
8. Children's Privacy
Retrocause is intended for business founders 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us at hello@retrocause.com and we will delete it.
9. International Transfers
We are based in the United States. If you access the Site from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to, processed in, and stored in the United States. By using the Site, you consent to this transfer.
10. Third-Party Links
The Site includes links to third-party websites (such as LinkedIn profiles, book pages, and external resources). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally. When we do, we'll change the “Last updated” date at the top, and if the change is material, we'll notify you via email or a notice on the Site. Your continued use of the Site after changes means you accept the updated policy.
12. Contact Us
Questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data? Email hello@retrocause.com.
You can also reach us by reviewing the contact details in our Terms of Use.