VERBUND X Accelerator. (the “Program”), was developed and is organised by VERBUND AG, Am Hof 6a, 1010 Vienna (“VERBUND”, “we”). Start-ups, SMEs and other entrepreneurs (“applicants”, “you”) can apply to the Program and “pitch” innovative ideas. Applicants can then profit from the Program’s numerous benefits and the broad VERBUND network. The applicant’s personal data will be collected during this process. Therefore, in what follows, we inform you how to contact the controller, where we obtain your personal data and how we handle it.
1. Name and Contact Information for the Controller and the Data Protection Officer
The
controller for processing your data for the Program’s purposes is VERBUND
AG, Am Hof 6a, 1010 Vienna. The following contact information can be used
to reach us: team-innovation@verbund.com.
You can contact
our Data Protection Officer at: datenschutz@verbund.com.
2. The Program – Processing Activities, Purpose of Processing, Legal Basis and Recipients
2.1. Applying for and implementing the Program
a) Data source and Data categories
We process the personal data you provide on the application form (“platform”), such as company name, e-mail address, telephone number, first and last name, further information about your company (such as website URL, country of origin, founding date, team composition, information about your product or service, company stage), any additional information you voluntarily provide and logfiles (e.g. IP address, time of login).
b) Legal basis and purpose of data processing
We process the
personal data for the purpose of evaluating and selecting your application and organising
and executing the Program. Depending on the batch we distinguish among different
search fields or use cases, which are stated in detail on the Program-website www.verbundx.com.
The legal basis for processing
your data within the context of applying for and implementing the Program is Art.
6(1) (b) GDPR (Taking steps prior to entering into a contract or performing a
contract).
Concerning the use of the
platform we justify the processing on the basis of our legitimate interest in
accordance Art. 6(1) (f) GDPR for the purposes of making the platform and its
functions available to you and to be able to identify, prevent and
investigate attacks on the platform.
The provision of data by you
is voluntary; however, if you do not provide these data, VERBUND will not be
able to process your application accordingly.
c) Recipients
In order to process the personal data, we use service providers (e.g. IT service providers) which, in accordance with our orders and instructions, may under certain circumstances also have access to personal data in order to be able to render the commissioned services.
Moreover, other third parties, who are selectively involved with the Program, may have an interest in observing your pitch, implementing project work, and entering into a separate contract with you after the completion of the Program. Therefore, the application data that we have collected from you may be sent to third parties to the extent stated below on the legal basis stated below:
VERBUND Group companies:
Certain VERBUND companies receive your personal data for the purposes of the use case(s) they participate in. These uses cases are stated on the Program-website www.verbundx.com. Following VERBUND Group companies receive your personal data:
- VERBUND Ventures GmbH (Am Hof 6a, 1010 Vienna) for the purpose of the use cases “EV infrastructure & e-mobility - new business models around EV charging” and “Solutions and technologies for energy efficiency in buildings and energy management systems”,
- VERBUND Energy4Business GmbH (Am Hof 6a, 1010 Vienna) for the purpose of the use cases “Cross industry applications for generative artificial intelligence” and “Solutions for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications”
The data are processed for aforementioned purposes on the basis of the Group companies’ overriding legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR in the evaluation and selection of your application for possible contact and a potential contractual relationship after the completion of the Program. These interests override your interest in data secrecy because you have already stated your willingness to participate in a program open to the public, for which you have applied.
Further your data is sent to and processed by VERBUND Ventures GmbH, a 100% affiliated company of VERBUND AG, for the purpose of evaluating a possible investment after the completion of the Program and getting in contact with you for that purpose. We justify the processing of your personal data for the above mentioned purpose on the basis of the Group companies’ overriding legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1) (f) GDPR.
VERBUND’s cooperation partners:
In addition, various
cooperation partners of VERBUND receive your data in connection with the Program
in regard to different use cases. These cooperation partners can be identified on
the Program-website www.verbundx.com. They process your data in
the selection process and the team-building processes as well as for preparatory
meetings, project work and scouting, so that they can better evaluate potential
subsequent cooperation with you in their own interests and contact you. They
therefore act in a forward-looking manner within the context of implementing
the Program, taking their own interests into account. The basis for this is
their overriding legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1) (f) GDPR.
These interests override your interest in data secrecy because you have already
stated your willingness to participate in a program open to the public, for which
you have applied.
2.2. Recorded images/videos
a) Data source and data categories
In the course of implementing the Program, we may record images/videos of you and publish them in print or electronic form on our websites, other relevant websites in regard to start–up programs and on social-media channels, such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.
b) Legal basis and purposes of data processing
The data is processed for the purpose of documenting and presenting the Program as well as your innovative ideas, pitches and other contributions to the Program. This is to make the Program – and your company – known.
The data processing activities are primarily based on our legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1) (f) GDPR in continuing a sustainable business. This interest overrides any interest you may have in data secrecy. Processing activities are not only expected but rather desirable and common in start-up programs. If, in an individual case, data processing cannot be justified by our legitimate interests, we will obtain your consent within the meaning of Art. 6(1) (a) GDPR.
c) Recipients
In the course of recording images/videos of you, processors and other third parties may receive access to your data and process the data for their own purposes. We also send your images/videos to the third parties identified in Subsection 2.1 c), which may also publish your data on their websites and social-media channels. They do this to support and advertise your company and strengthen the potential future cooperative relationship with you. Therefore, these data processing activities are also based on legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1) (f) GDPR. If, in an individual case, data processing cannot be justified by their legitimate interests, these third parties will obtain your consent within the meaning of Art. 6(1) (a) GDPR.
3. Storage period
Your data will be processed for the purposes of executing and implementing the Program and then for a period of seven years based on corporate law and tax law retention periods.
If specific claims are threatened, we will process your personal data for an additional 3 to 30 years in individual cases. In case of the platform data are stored to the extent this is required to investigate identified attacks and beyond that only until the end of the relevant limitation periods, statutory retention periods or any legal disputes. We process recorded images/videos as long as we have a legitimate interest in doing so. That is generally for the duration of the Program and as long thereafter as the images/videos are connected with the Program or profit from the benefits of VERBUND, and we have an interest in advertising with older contributions to animate future applications. We take the principles of data minimisation and purpose limitation into account in all such cases.
Our Group companies and cooperation partners, which receive your personal data for their own purposes, may also process this data for the aforementioned periods.