Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 2026
Overview
Koli SA ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform, including our hackathon management and software marketplace services. We comply with applicable data protection laws, including the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa.
By using Koli SA, you consent to the practices described in this policy.
Information We Collect
Personal Information
When you register, we collect your name, email address, and profile information (such as avatar, bio, and company details for sponsors). This data is stored securely in our Supabase database.
Google User Data (OAuth)
If you choose to sign in using Google OAuth, we access and store only the following data from your Google account:
- Email address: Used to identify and authenticate your account
- Full name: Used to personalize your profile
- Profile picture: Displayed as your avatar on the platform
Usage Data
We automatically collect information about your interactions with the platform, including hackathon submissions, marketplace activity, team participation, and communications. This helps us improve our services and provide relevant features.
How We Use Your Data
We use your information for the following purposes:
- Account Creation & Authentication: To create and manage your account, verify your identity, and maintain your session
- Service Delivery: To provide hackathon management, team collaboration, submission handling, and marketplace features
- Communication: To send notifications about hackathons, deadlines, submissions, and platform updates via email and in-app notifications
- User Experience: To personalize your dashboard, display your profile, and customize content
- Analytics & Improvement: To understand platform usage patterns and improve our services
- Security: To detect and prevent fraudulent activity, enforce our terms of service, and protect the integrity of the platform
- Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from authorities
Data Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:
- Service Providers: With third-party vendors who provide services on our behalf (e.g., Supabase for database hosting, email delivery services). These vendors are contractually obligated to protect your data and may only use it as instructed.
- Hackathon Organizers & Sponsors: When you participate in a hackathon, your profile information (name, email, avatar, bio) and submission details may be visible to organizers, sponsors, and mentors for evaluation, mentorship, and networking purposes.
- Team Members: When you join or form a team, your name, email, and avatar are shared with your teammates to facilitate collaboration.
- Legal Requirements: If required by law, regulation, or valid governmental request, we may disclose your information to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others.
- Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or asset transfer, your data may be transferred to the new entity, who will be bound by this privacy policy.
Data Storage & Protection
We implement robust security measures to protect your personal information:
- Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest
- Secure Infrastructure: We use Supabase, a SOC 2 compliant platform with enterprise-grade security controls
- Access Controls: Strict access controls limit data access to authorized personnel only on a need-to-know basis
- Regular Security Audits: We regularly review our security practices to ensure they remain effective
- Google OAuth: When using Google sign-in, authentication is handled by Google's secure OAuth 2.0 flow. We never store your Google password or access tokens beyond the session
Data Retention & Deletion
Retention Period
We retain your personal information for as long as your account remains active or as needed to provide you with our services. Some data may be retained longer if required by law (e.g., tax or compliance records) or for legitimate business purposes.
Account Deletion
You have the right to request deletion of your account and personal data at any time. You can:
- Delete your account directly from your profile settings
- Contact us at support@kolikonnekt.co.za with a deletion request
Upon account deletion, we will permanently erase your personal data from our systems, except where retention is required by law or necessary for legitimate business purposes (e.g., tax records, hackathon submission archives for historical integrity).
Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
- Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (see above)
- Restriction: Request limitation of processing in certain cases
- Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
- Objection: Object to processing of your personal data
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@kolikonnekt.co.za.
Third-Party Services
Our platform uses the following third-party services that may collect user data:
- Supabase: Provides database and authentication infrastructure. Their privacy policy applies to data stored on their platform.
- Google OAuth: Provides authentication services. Google's privacy policy governs the data they collect during the OAuth flow.
- Email Services: Used to send transactional emails (hackathon notifications, password resets, etc.)
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: