Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

The Entrepreneurship Leadership Network (ELN) is a non-partisan, non-profit institutional body representing vetted idea-to-growth stage founders in Kenya and across Africa. ELN operates through structured membership, governance, programmes, founder accountability mechanisms, ecosystem engagement, and related institutional activities.

This Privacy Policy explains how ELN collects, uses, stores, protects, and shares personal data when you use our website, create an account, apply for membership, register for programmes or events, submit information to ELN, or otherwise interact with us.

2. Personal Data We Collect

Depending on how you interact with ELN, we may collect personal data such as:

• Your full name, email address, phone number, country, and profile information.
• Founder, investor, or business details, including startup or organization name, sector, role, and summary information.
• Photos, profile images, logos, uploaded files, and supporting materials you submit.
• Account credentials such as login details and security-related records.
• Event, programme, application, and membership-related information.
• Communications you send to ELN, including form submissions and inquiries.
• Website usage information, cookies, browser data, device information, and analytics data.
• Where relevant to ELN’s accountability processes, confidential member disclosures such as revenue, cash runway, headcount, capital raised, KPIs, and related founder performance information.

3. How We Collect Data

ELN may collect personal data directly from you when you fill in forms, register on the website, apply for membership, attend events, submit disclosures, subscribe to communications, upload files, or contact ELN. We may also receive limited information from authorized third parties, public sources, referees, or service providers where lawful and necessary.

4. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for legitimate institutional purposes, including to:

• Create and manage user accounts.
• Review applications and administer membership.
• Facilitate events, programmes, founder support, and community engagement.
• Communicate updates, notices, opportunities, and service messages.
• Support ELN governance, review, accountability, and institutional administration.
• Protect the security and integrity of ELN systems and operations.
• Respond to questions, complaints, or support requests.
• Meet legal, regulatory, audit, and compliance obligations.
• Produce aggregated or anonymized insights for research, reporting, and policy engagement where appropriate.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

ELN processes personal data only where there is a lawful basis to do so. Depending on the situation, this may include your consent, the need to take steps before entering into an agreement with you, performance of an agreement, compliance with legal obligations, or ELN’s legitimate institutional interests where those interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

6. Confidentiality of Founder and Member Data

ELN understands that some information submitted by members, applicants, founders, investors, and business representatives may be commercially sensitive or confidential. ELN therefore limits access to such information to authorized persons who need it for lawful institutional purposes such as membership administration, review, governance, programme support, and accountability processes.

7. Sharing of Personal Data

ELN does not sell personal data. We may share data with trusted service providers and partners who support our website, hosting, communications, event administration, analytics, legal, audit, or operational services, but only where this is necessary and lawful. We may also disclose data where required by law, lawful request, court order, or regulatory obligation.

8. Cross-Border Processing

Some of the tools or platforms used by ELN may store or process data outside Kenya. Where this occurs, ELN takes reasonable steps to ensure that such transfers are lawful and that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect personal data.

9. Data Retention

ELN keeps personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required for legitimate governance, audit, legal, security, or institutional continuity purposes. When data is no longer needed, it may be securely deleted, destroyed, anonymized, or pseudonymized.

10. Data Security

ELN takes reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, misuse, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, authentication controls, secure systems, confidentiality obligations, and internal handling procedures.

11. Your Rights

Subject to applicable Kenyan law, you may have the right to be informed about the use of your personal data, access your personal data, object to certain processing, request correction of inaccurate or misleading data, request deletion in certain circumstances, withdraw consent where consent is relied on, and request restriction or portability where applicable.

12. Cookies and Analytics

ELN’s website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve website performance, remember user preferences, support analytics, and help us understand how the site is used. Where legally required, ELN will request consent for non-essential cookies.

13. Children’s Privacy

ELN’s services are primarily intended for founders, professionals, partners, and adult stakeholders. ELN does not knowingly collect personal data from children unless this is specifically necessary, lawful, and supported by appropriate safeguards.

14. Changes to this Policy

ELN may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, regulation, governance, technology, or ELN operations. Any updated version will be posted on this page with a revised date.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your privacy rights, please contact ELN using the details above.