Privacy Policy
DIGITAL STARTUP INDIA
PRIVACY POLICY
Website: https://digitalstartupindia.com
Last Updated: 30 August 2026
1. INTRODUCTION
Digital Startup India ("Digital Startup India", "DSI", "we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, receive, use, disclose, store, protect and otherwise process information when you visit https://digitalstartupindia.com, create an account, submit content, contact us, purchase a service, subscribe to communications, interact with our advertisements, or otherwise use our websites, digital publications, community features and related services (collectively, the "Platform").
This Policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions, Cookie Policy, Community Guidelines / Content Policy, Advertiser / Sponsored Content Policy, Refund & Cancellation Policy and Grievance / Copyright Contact Page.
2. IMPORTANT LEGAL CONTEXT
Digital Startup India is intended to operate in accordance with applicable Indian privacy and data-protection law.
India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 ("DPDP Act") establishes a framework for processing digital personal data and defines concepts including Data Principal, Data Fiduciary, Data Processor, consent and certain legitimate uses. ?cite?turn0search27?turn0search29?
The Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025 were notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on 14 November 2025, together with an enforcement timeline. ?cite?turn0search0?turn0search5?
Because statutory provisions and rules may have different commencement dates and applicability, this Policy is intended to operate subject to the provisions that are legally in force and applicable to DSI and the relevant processing activity.
3. WHO THIS POLICY APPLIES TO
This Policy applies to visitors, registered users, founders, startup representatives, business owners, contributors, advertisers, subscribers, event participants, applicants and other individuals who interact with DSI.
It also explains how we may handle personal information contained in business profiles, startup submissions, communications, enquiries and other content supplied by users.
4. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
Depending on how you use the Platform, we may collect the following categories of information:• Identity and contact information: name, email address, phone number, designation, organisation and profile details.
• Account information: username, login-related information, preferences and account status.
• Business information: company/startup name, website, industry, location, founder details, business description, social profiles and other information you choose to publish.
• Transaction information: service purchased, billing details, payment status, invoice information and limited transaction references. Payment-card processing may be handled by third-party payment providers.
• Communication information: enquiries, emails, support requests, grievance submissions and other correspondence.
• User Content: articles, photos, videos, logos, interviews, comments, reviews, profiles, listings and other materials you submit.
• Technical information: IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, approximate location derived from technical data, referring URLs and log information.
• Usage information: pages viewed, clicks, session information, search activity and interactions with Platform features.
• Cookie and tracking information: identifiers and preferences collected through cookies, pixels, analytics and similar technologies, subject to applicable law and your choices.
• Marketing information: subscription preferences, campaign interactions and responses to communications.
• Verification information: information reasonably necessary to verify identity, authority, ownership or rights when handling certain complaints, business listings or legal requests.
5. INFORMATION YOU VOLUNTARILY PUBLISH
Some Platform features are designed for public or semi-public business and community participation. If you submit a startup profile, founder profile, business listing, article, interview, success story, review, photograph, logo, social-media handle or other content for publication, some of the information may become publicly accessible.
Do not submit personal information, confidential business information, trade secrets, passwords, financial credentials or other sensitive information that you do not want published.
Where a submission includes personal information about another individual, you should have an appropriate lawful basis or authority to provide that information.
6. HOW WE COLLECT INFORMATION
We may collect information directly from you, automatically from your device/browser, through cookies and analytics technologies, from service providers, from business partners, from public or lawful sources, and from other users where they submit information about you in connection with a legitimate Platform activity.
We may also receive information when you interact with advertisements, newsletters, forms, event registrations or third-party services connected with the Platform.
7. PURPOSES FOR WHICH WE USE PERSONAL DATA
We may process personal data for purposes including:• Providing, operating and improving the Platform;
• Creating and administering accounts;
• Publishing user-requested profiles, listings and content;
• Responding to enquiries and providing customer support;
• Processing purchases, invoices and refunds;
• Delivering newsletters and requested communications;
• Sending promotional communications where permitted and according to your choices;
• Personalising content and improving user experience;
• Measuring traffic, engagement and Platform performance;
• Preventing fraud, spam, abuse and security incidents;
• Moderating content and enforcing Platform policies;
• Handling copyright, grievance, privacy and legal complaints;
• Verifying identity, authority, ownership or business information where reasonably necessary;
• Complying with applicable law, court orders and lawful government requests;
• Protecting DSI's rights, property, users and services;
• Conducting analytics, research and business planning;
• Managing events, subscriptions and community programmes;
• Sending service-related notices;
• Detecting and addressing technical problems and security threats.
8. LEGAL BASIS / AUTHORITY FOR PROCESSING
Where the DPDP Act or other applicable law applies, DSI will process personal data on an applicable lawful basis, which may include consent or certain legitimate uses recognised by law.
Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw consent in the manner made available by DSI, subject to the consequences and legal limitations associated with withdrawal.
Withdrawal of consent does not necessarily affect processing already lawfully carried out before withdrawal.
9. NOTICE AND CONSENT
Where consent is required, DSI will seek consent through an appropriate notice or consent mechanism and will provide information about the purpose of processing as required by applicable law.
Consent requests will not ordinarily be bundled unnecessarily with unrelated purposes where separate consent is required.
Where a service is optional, refusal to provide optional information should not prevent access to unrelated features unless the information is reasonably necessary for that feature.
10. CHILDREN'S DATA
The DPDP Act defines a child as an individual who has not completed 18 years of age. ?cite?turn0search27?
DSI is primarily intended for founders, entrepreneurs, professionals, businesses and other adult users. We do not knowingly seek to create marketing profiles of children.
Where applicable law requires verifiable parental or lawful guardian consent for processing a child's personal data, DSI will implement the required process to the extent applicable.
If you believe that a child has provided personal data to DSI in circumstances where this was not appropriate, contact us so that we can review the matter.
11. BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL PROFILES
DSI may publish information supplied by businesses, founders or representatives for business networking and discovery purposes.
Business contact information intentionally supplied for publication may be publicly displayed. Users should avoid publishing private residential addresses, personal identity documents, passwords or unnecessary personal information.
DSI may retain a record of profile submissions and changes to maintain platform integrity and respond to disputes.
12. USER-GENERATED CONTENT AND PERSONAL DATA
When users submit articles, profiles, reviews, interviews, photographs, videos or other content, DSI may process personal data contained in that content for publication and Platform operations.
Users are responsible for ensuring that they have appropriate rights or authority to submit personal information about third parties.
DSI may moderate, edit, restrict or remove content under its Terms & Conditions and Community Guidelines.
13. COMMUNICATIONS
We may send transactional and service communications such as account notices, purchase confirmations, security alerts, policy updates and responses to enquiries.
Where permitted by law, we may also send newsletters, promotional emails, event invitations or marketing messages. You may opt out of promotional communications using the unsubscribe mechanism or by contacting us.
Even after opting out of marketing communications, you may continue to receive essential service, legal or transactional messages.
14. COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES
DSI may use cookies, pixels, tags, local storage and similar technologies to operate the Platform, remember preferences, measure performance, analyse usage, improve services and support advertising.
Types may include strictly necessary technologies, preference technologies, analytics technologies and advertising/measurement technologies.
Please read the separate Cookie Policy for details about categories, purposes and available controls.
15. ANALYTICS
DSI may use analytics providers to understand how visitors use the Platform, including traffic sources, page views, device information, engagement and performance.
Analytics providers may process technical identifiers according to their own terms and privacy policies. DSI will seek to configure such services appropriately for the intended purpose and applicable law.
16. ADVERTISING AND SPONSORED CONTENT
DSI may display advertisements, sponsored content, featured listings and promotional material.
Advertising partners or service providers may use cookies, pixels or similar technologies for measurement or delivery subject to applicable law and your available choices.
Advertisers may receive aggregate or campaign-related information, but DSI will not disclose personal information to an advertiser merely because you viewed an advertisement unless there is a lawful basis for doing so.
Please read the Advertiser / Sponsored Content Policy for advertising-specific rules.
17. LEAD GENERATION AND ENQUIRIES
If you submit an enquiry through a business listing, lead form, event form or promotional campaign, the information may be shared with the relevant business or service provider where this is part of the requested service and legally permitted.
Where a form clearly states that submitting it will share your details with a named third party, you should review that party's privacy policy before submitting.
DSI does not guarantee the conduct, privacy practices or services of third-party recipients.
18. PAYMENT INFORMATION
Payments may be processed through third-party payment gateways or payment service providers.
DSI may receive transaction identifiers, payment status, invoice details and limited billing information. Complete payment-card numbers, CVV values or banking passwords should not be submitted directly to DSI through ordinary forms or email.
Payment providers may process data under their own privacy policies and applicable law.
19. INFORMATION FROM THIRD PARTIES
We may receive information from service providers, analytics providers, payment processors, advertising partners, business partners, event organisers, publicly available sources and other lawful sources.
We may combine third-party information with information you provide where reasonably necessary for Platform operations, verification, security, support or other disclosed purposes.
20. SHARING AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL DATA
DSI may disclose personal data, where lawful and reasonably necessary, to:• Service providers and data processors supporting hosting, email, analytics, payments, security, customer support and technology;
• Advertising and measurement partners, where applicable and lawfully permitted;
• Businesses or service providers when you intentionally request an enquiry, lead or connection;
• Event organisers where necessary for event registration or participation;
• Professional advisers such as lawyers, accountants, auditors and consultants;
• Courts, regulators, government authorities or law-enforcement agencies where legally required or permitted;
• Successors or transaction counterparties in connection with a merger, acquisition, restructuring or transfer of business/assets;
• Other parties where you have requested or authorised the disclosure;
• Other parties where necessary to protect rights, safety, security or the integrity of the Platform.
21. DATA PROCESSORS
DSI may use third-party processors for hosting, cloud storage, content delivery, communications, analytics, payment processing, security, customer support and other services.
Processors may process personal data only for relevant services and under contractual, technical or legal safeguards appropriate to the processing.
22. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
Some service providers may process data outside India.
Where personal data is transferred or processed outside India, DSI will take steps required by applicable law and contractual arrangements, including any restrictions or safeguards that become applicable under the DPDP framework or other law.
Users should understand that international processing may involve jurisdictions with different privacy laws.
23. DATA RETENTION
DSI will retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, for providing the service, maintaining business and legal records, resolving disputes, preventing fraud, complying with legal obligations or protecting legitimate interests, subject to applicable law.
Retention periods may vary by data type. For example, transaction records may need to be retained longer than an ordinary marketing preference.
When personal data is no longer required, DSI may delete, anonymise or otherwise securely dispose of it, subject to legal and operational requirements.
24. SECURITY MEASURES
DSI uses reasonable technical and organisational measures intended to protect personal data against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, loss or destruction.
Depending on the service, measures may include access controls, authentication, encryption in transit, secure hosting, logging, backups, monitoring and restricted administrative access.
No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
25. PERSONAL DATA BREACHES
If DSI becomes aware of a personal data breach requiring action under applicable law, it will assess, contain, investigate and respond to the incident and make notifications or disclosures required by applicable law and the applicable enforcement framework.
Users should promptly notify DSI if they suspect an account compromise or security incident.
26. YOUR RIGHTS AND REQUESTS
Subject to applicable law, individuals may have rights concerning their personal data, including rights to access information about processing, request correction or updating of inaccurate information, withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, request erasure where legally available, and raise a grievance.
Rights may be subject to statutory exceptions, verification requirements, legal retention obligations and other applicable limitations.
To make a privacy request, email privacy@digitalstartupindia.com or use contact@digitalstartupindia.com if the dedicated address is not yet active.
27. IDENTITY VERIFICATION FOR PRIVACY REQUESTS
DSI may request reasonable information to verify that a privacy request is being made by the relevant individual or an authorised representative.
Do not send complete identity documents unless specifically requested through a secure and appropriate channel. Redact unnecessary information wherever possible.
28. GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL
For privacy-related grievances, please provide your name, contact information, relevant account or URL, description of the issue, date(s), and supporting evidence where appropriate.
General grievance contact: contact@digitalstartupindia.com
Head Office: New Delhi, India
DSI will handle grievances according to applicable law and its published Grievance / Copyright Contact procedure.
29. COPYRIGHT, TRADEMARK AND LEGAL COMPLAINTS
Personal information supplied in a copyright, trademark, legal or grievance complaint may be used to investigate and respond to the complaint and may be disclosed where necessary to the relevant parties, advisers, regulators or legal authorities.
Please provide only information reasonably necessary for the complaint.
30. PUBLIC COMMENTS, REVIEWS AND COMMUNITY FEATURES
If you post a comment, review, profile, article or other public content, information associated with that submission may be visible to other users and search engines.
Consider carefully whether you wish to publish personal contact details, private information or information about other individuals.
31. SOCIAL MEDIA
DSI may operate social-media pages or integrate social-media functionality.
Interactions on third-party social platforms are governed by the privacy policies and terms of those platforms. DSI may receive information made available to it through those services according to your settings and the applicable platform rules.
32. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES
The Platform may contain links to external websites, government portals, advertisers, payment providers, business websites and other third-party services.
DSI is not responsible for the privacy practices or security of third-party websites. Review the relevant third party's privacy policy before providing personal data.
33. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES, INVESTMENT AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
DSI may publish information involving government schemes, grants, subsidies, funding, investment, business opportunities and regulatory matters.
Personal information contained in such content may be processed for publication, verification or editorial purposes. Users should not submit personal financial information, identity documents or other sensitive data for publication.
Please also review DSI's Disclaimer.
34. AI AND AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGIES
DSI may use AI or automated tools for content assistance, moderation, spam detection, search, categorisation, analytics, customer support or other Platform functions.
Where personal data is processed through automated tools, DSI will apply safeguards appropriate to the nature and purpose of the processing and applicable law.
Users should not submit confidential or sensitive personal information to AI-enabled features unless the relevant feature expressly requests and supports it.
35. EMAIL SECURITY AND PHISHING WARNING
DSI will not ordinarily ask you to disclose passwords, OTPs, complete payment-card credentials or banking passwords by email.
If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from DSI, do not click unknown links or provide credentials. Report suspected phishing to contact@digitalstartupindia.com.
36. BUSINESS TRANSFERS
If DSI is involved in a merger, acquisition, restructuring, financing, sale of assets or similar transaction, personal data may be transferred as part of the relevant business assets or operations, subject to applicable law and appropriate safeguards.
37. LEGAL DISCLOSURES
DSI may disclose information where required by law, court order, regulatory direction, lawful government request, or where reasonably necessary to prevent fraud, investigate unlawful conduct, protect safety, enforce our Terms, or defend legal rights.
38. DATA OF USERS OUTSIDE INDIA
DSI may receive visitors and users from outside India. If you access the Platform from another jurisdiction, additional privacy rights may apply under local law.
Where a mandatory local law applies to DSI's processing, DSI will seek to comply with applicable requirements to the extent required.
39. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
DSI may update this Privacy Policy when its processing activities, services, legal requirements or technology change.
Material changes may be highlighted where appropriate. The latest version will be posted on the Platform with the updated "Last Updated" date.
Your continued use of the Platform after an update may constitute acknowledgement of the updated Policy to the extent permitted by law.
40. CONTACT INFORMATION
Digital Startup India
Website: https://digitalstartupindia.com
General: contact@digitalstartupindia.com
Head Office: New Delhi, India
Working Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10:00 AM–7:00 PM IST
41. RELATED POLICIES
This Privacy Policy should be read with:
• Terms & Conditions
• Cookie Policy
• Disclaimer
• Refund & Cancellation Policy
• Community Guidelines / Content Policy
• Advertiser / Sponsored Content Policy
• Grievance / Copyright Contact Page
42. IMPORTANT NOTICE
This Privacy Policy is a website-ready policy framework and is intended to describe DSI's intended privacy practices. It should be reviewed and customised against the actual website technology stack, plugins, hosting provider, analytics tools, payment gateway, CRM, email provider, advertising systems, forms, database architecture and actual business entity operating digitalstartupindia.com.
Before publication, DSI should replace any generic descriptions with the actual vendors and processing activities used on the live Platform and have the final policy reviewed by qualified Indian privacy/technology counsel.
Disclaimer :“Digital Startup India is an independent private platform and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or operated by the Government of India, DPIIT or the official Startup India initiative.”