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2025 Privacy Policy for Review

 

WISER Privacy & Cookies Notice

Last updated: May 2025

 

WISER (The Washington Institute for STEM, Entrepreneurship and Research) is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This notice explains what personal data we collect, how and why we use it when we share it, and the rights you may have regarding your information.

 

We may update this notice periodically to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. If we make a significant update, we will notify users via our website or platforms.

 

How to Contact Us

If you have questions about this notice or your data, you may contact us at: hello@thewiser.org


 

When This Notice Applies

This notice applies to personal data collected through our websites, applications, forms, surveys, portals, learning platforms, event registration systems, and other digital tools (collectively, “our platforms”).

 

Data We Collect

1. Information You Provide

 

You may voluntarily share data with us when you:

  • Sign up for newsletters or programs.

  • Register for events, webinars, or courses.

  • Submit applications, forms, proposals, or surveys.

  • Communicate with us via email, social media, or messaging tools.

  • This may include name, email, country, affiliation, field of interest, resume/CV, photos, comments, and similar content.

 

Please only provide the data necessary for participation, and do not include sensitive personal information unless explicitly requested.

 

2. Information About Others

If you provide personal data about others (e.g., team members in a program application), you must have their permission and ensure they are aware of this privacy notice.


 

3. Third-Party Data

We may receive information about you from:

  • Partner organizations (e.g., universities, accelerators)

  • Public sources (e.g., LinkedIn profiles)

 

How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to:

  • Operate and improve our platforms

  • Communicate with you (e.g., event & course details, newsletters)

  • Review program applications and eligibility

  • Provide support and respond to inquiries

  • Promote our events, initiatives, and research (with your consent)

  • Maintain security and prevent misuse

  • Comply with legal obligations

 

Legal Basis for Processing

Depending on your location, we rely on the following legal bases:

  • Your consent (e.g., to receive emails)

  • Contractual necessity (e.g., program participation)

  • Legitimate interest (e.g., platform security)

  • Legal compliance

 

When We Share Your Data

We may share your data with:

  • WISER staff, contractors, and affiliates with a business need

  • Service providers (e.g., email, CRM, payment processors)

  • Partners (e.g., co-hosts of an event or program)

  • Public (if you post in public areas of our platforms)

 

We do not sell your data or share it for advertising. We may also share your data if required by law, subpoena, or legal process.

 

Cookies & Similar Technologies

We do not currently use cookies on our website. Should this change, we will update our policy and share this information with you. 

 

Minors

Our platforms are not intended for children under 13 (or applicable local age). We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we become aware of such data, we will promptly delete it.

 

Data Retention

We retain your data only as long as necessary for the purposes described or as required by law. When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

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Security

 

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your personal data. While no system is 100% secure, we take reasonable steps to safeguard your information.

 

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

  • Access your data

  • Correct or delete your data

  • Withdraw your consent

  • Object to or restrict processing

  • Request a copy of your data

 

To make a request, contact us at privacy@wiser.org (placeholder email).

 

If you are in the EU/EEA, UK, South Africa, or other regions with data protection authorities, you may also file a complaint with your local authority.

 

Changes to This Notice

We may update this Privacy & Cookies Notice to reflect legal, technical, or business developments. We encourage you tocheck this page regularly.

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