Privacy

This policy explains what information we collect when you use the Innovation SuperNetwork’s sites, services, mobile applications or access our events, projects or programmes (“Services”). It also has information about how we use, store and transfer that data.

The data controlled for the personal information you provide is Innovate NE Ltd.  In instances where ERDF require our data for auditing purposes, MHCLG are the data controller.

Please read this policy carefully.

Any changes we may make to our privacy policy in the future will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, notified to you by email.

What information do we collect?

In order to give you the best possible experience with the Innovation SuperNetwork, we collect information from your interactions with our network.

Some of this information is actively provided, such as when you register for one of our events, subscribe to our newsletter,  contact us via the website, email or telephone, respond to a survey or fill out a form relating to our events and projects. This can include sensitive business financial information in relation to funding, grants, investment or our Access to Finance programme.

Sometimes we ask for voluntary information, which is used to help us improve our services and create a more personalised experience, however this information is not essential to our project/business and therefore is not a requirement to provide. This will be clearly indicated in all instances.

You are able to visit our site anonymously, however we do collect information based on actions you take whilst using the website, such as what pages you access. This does not include any personal information about you but does include records of those interactions, your Internet Protocol address, general location, information about your device (such as device or browser type), and referral information (how you found our website).

What do we use your information for?
Any of the information we collect from you may be used in one of the following ways:

To deliver our business services to you and manage contracts, which can include:

• To provide business support. This can include using your information to check eligibility.
• To deliver services to you that you have registered your information for.
• To process your information for funding, including grants, investment meetings, funding applications or in relation to our Access to Finance programme.
• Your information can be used in audit and management information purposes, to report to our Funders and to produce statistics.
• To process job applications and manage any subsequent contracts of employment.
• To notify you about changes to your services.

Your information can also be used to help improve our business services such as:

• Your data may be evaluated to measure the quality of the events and projects we deliver and used to improve them.
• To personalise your experience. Your information helps us to test, improve and personalise our services to better respond to your individual needs.
• To improve our website – we continually strive to improve our website offerings based on the information and feedback we receive from you
• To improve our customer service – your information helps us to more effectively respond to your customer service requests and support needs.
• If you decide to opt-in to our mailing list, you will receive emails no more than once a week that may include company news, relevant events, partner news, updates, industry updates and related product or service information.
• To grow our business and contact new prospects about relevant business services we offer.
• To better understand the local business market and analyse our impact on the wider economy.
• To ensure we meet our targets and other contractual commitments.

Who else will receive this information?

Our Funders
The Innovation SuperNetwork is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is therefore contractually obliged to share various types of information with the National Evaluators and MHCLG.

This information is used for their own purposes such as:

• Audit and monitoring;
• Detection and prevention of fraud and irregularity;
• Documentary evidence of funding;
• Production of case studies and demonstration of best practice; and
• Sending you further information which may be of interest to you

It is used by ERDF to monitor growth within the region and it may be shared with auditors (CLG, the European Court of Auditors, the European Commission auditors the National Audit Office or Government Office and their respective auditors) to scrutinise the performance of ERDF.  Please note that as part of this you may be contacted to confirm that you have received advice and help from this project.

You can find more information on the ERDF privacy policy here. 

Partners and other business support organisations
If you use the Innovation SuperNetwork’s services to seek business support, we may refer you to one of our partners or a business support organisation we work with. We will not share any personal information without first receiving consent from you.

When we run an event in partnership with another organisation we will specify on the registration page that the details you provide may be shared with the partnered organisation, who will be clearly named and who will have their own privacy policy on how they use, process and store your data. This data will not be used unless relating directly to the event that you have signed up for.

Funders, as part of our Access to Finance programme
By submitting an application and if successful, you are giving the Innovation SuperNetwork your consent to process your personal information only for the purposes of administering Access to Finance support. This could include contacting you to:

• receive further information and/or clarification about your application;
• obtain updates on the progress of your project;
• obtain updated information about the performance of the business;
• assess the impact of the programme on behalf of the funder;

If your business is referred into a Newcastle Angel Hub pitching event, we will also provide your information to the relevant funder and auditors for reporting, monitoring, auditing and evaluation purposes.  We will only store your personal information for as long as we are contractually required to do so by the funders.

Our Data Security Measures

Your details will be stored securely and retained in compliance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

We store information securely both electronically and in paper files.

We will keep your information secure by taking appropriate technical and organisational measures against the unauthorised or unlawful processing of that information and against its accidental loss, destruction or damage.

We take steps to protect your personal information from unauthorised access and against unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction and damage.

Unfortunately, no method of data transmission via the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Although we take steps to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information transmitted online.

How long will be hold your information?

We will only keep your information for as long as we reasonably require and, in any event, only for as long as the European Regional Development Fund (who is our data controller) allows.

What are your rights?

Subject to certain conditions, you have the following rights in relation to the personal data that we hold about you:

• to obtain a copy of your personal data;
• to restrict or object to our use of your personal data;
• to ask us to delete or correct your personal data;
• where you have provided consent, to withdraw it;
• to transfer your personal data to another data controller; and
• to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you think we are not handling your personal data fairly or in accordance with the law.

Company Contact Information:

If you would like to receive further information about this privacy policy, please contact the Innovation SuperNetwork using the contact information below:

Innovate NE Ltd
Unit 4
North East BIC
Wearfield
Sunderland
SR5 2TA

hello@supernetwork.org.uk
+44 (0)191 5166988

You can also contact us if you wish to be added to, or removed from, our mailing lists.

Our company registration number is 09814022.
Registered in England & Wales.