NEST FEST

Privacy Notice

Last updated August 30, 2026

NEST FEST is the student startup showcase run by the EDGE Team and the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Academy at Austin Community College. This notice explains, in plain terms, what information we collect when you use this website and the participant portal, why we collect it, who can see it, and how you can have it removed.

What we collect

We only collect information you choose to give us, plus a small amount of technical data needed to keep the site working and secure.

• When you fill out a form (join the club, submit an idea, register a club, volunteer, judge, mentor, refer a student, RSVP, or contact us): your name, email, and the details you type into that specific form, such as your idea or pitch description, or a phone number if you give us one. Volunteer phone numbers are used only to reach you about your event-day shift.
• When you use the portal: your profile details, and depending on your role, a headshot, files you upload (such as a pitch deck), and, for judges, the scores you submit.
• Technical data: your sign-in session, and your IP address at the moment you submit a form. The IP address is used only to limit spam and abuse and is not used to profile you.
• Organizer activity: an internal audit log records administrative actions (for example, approving a judge or changing a setting) so organizers can keep the event accountable.

Why we collect it

• To run the event: review submissions, coordinate judges and volunteers, and communicate with participants.
• To send you the emails you would expect, such as your one-time sign-in link and event reminders.
• To keep the site secure and prevent abuse of public forms.

Who can see your information

• Event organizers can see submissions and portal profiles in order to run the event.
• Judges can see the participant submissions they are assigned to review.
• The public sees only what you explicitly agree to make public. A judge appears on the public "Meet the Judges" section only after being approved and after ticking the box to be listed publicly. Participant submissions are never made public without your consent.

We do not sell your information, and we do not use it for advertising.

Cookies

The portal uses a single sign-in cookie so you stay logged in. It is a security cookie, not a tracking cookie, and it expires after seven days. We do not use advertising or analytics tracking cookies.

Services we rely on

We use a few trusted providers to operate the site. They process data on our behalf and only as needed to provide their service:

• Cloudflare hosts the website, database, and uploaded files.
• Resend delivers our email (sign-in links, confirmations, and reminders).
• Notion receives entries from some public contact and interest forms so our team can follow up.

How long we keep it

We keep your information for as long as it is needed to run the current NEST FEST cycle and to follow up afterward, then we remove or archive it during our regular clean-up. If you ask us to remove your information sooner, we will, unless we are required to keep a limited record.

Your choices

• You can ask to see, correct, or delete the information we hold about you.
• You can withdraw consent to be listed publicly at any time by updating your portal profile or by emailing us.
• You can unsubscribe from reminder emails using the link in any of those emails.

A note for students

NEST FEST is a voluntary club and event activity. Taking part, and anything you choose to share here, is optional and separate from your academic record at ACC. If you have a question about how your participation relates to your student records, please contact us and we will point you to the right office.

Changes to this notice

If we make a meaningful change, we will update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of the site after a change means the updated notice applies.

Contact

Questions about your information, or a request to access or remove it, can go to entrepreneurshipacademy@austincc.edu.