Privacy Policy

Ignite Africa ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website ignite-africa.com or use our services, including the Ignite Africa Bootcamp application process.

Personal Information

When you apply to our bootcamp or contact us, we may collect:

• Name, email address, and phone number
• Country, city, and demographic information
• Professional information (current role, organization, industry)
• Educational background
• LinkedIn profile and personal website URLs
• Application responses (motivation, goals, expectations)

Automatically Collected Information

• IP address and browser type
• Device information and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on our website
• Referring website addresses

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and evaluate bootcamp applications
• Communicate with you about your application status
• Send transactional emails (confirmations, updates, reminders)
• Send newsletters and marketing communications (with your consent)
• Improve our website and services
• Comply with legal obligations

Email Verification

When you submit an application, we send a verification email to confirm your email address. This helps us ensure that communications reach the intended recipient and protects against unauthorized applications.

Email Service Providers

We use Amazon Web Services (AWS) Simple Email Service (SES) to send transactional emails. AWS maintains industry-standard security practices and complies with GDPR and other international data protection regulations.

Email Suppression

We maintain email suppression lists to respect bounce notifications and complaint feedback. If your email bounces or you report our emails as spam, we automatically suppress future sends to protect your inbox and our sender reputation. This data is stored securely and used solely for email delivery management.

Data Storage

Your data is stored securely using Google Firebase/Firestore, which provides enterprise-grade security including encryption at rest and in transit. Data is primarily stored in servers located in the European Union and United States.

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience:

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality
• Authentication Cookies: Used to maintain your session when logged in
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with:

• Service Providers: Companies that help us operate our website and services (e.g., cloud hosting, email delivery)
• Bootcamp Partners: Organizations involved in delivering bootcamp content (only with your consent)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data
• Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing where applicable

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@ignite-africa.com

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Bootcamp application data is typically retained for 3 years to support future program cohorts and alumni engagement. You may request deletion of your data at any time.

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes encryption, secure authentication, access controls, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.