Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

The Ericsson Sustainability Challenge (the "Hackathon") is organized by Hack for Earth AB, a Swedish company ("we", "us"). Hack for Earth AB is the data controller for personal data processed in connection with the Hackathon and this website. Personal data is shared within our organization with the Hack for Earth Foundation, which supports the delivery of our programs.

For any privacy question or request, contact us at info@hackforearth.com.

Ericsson is the Hackathon's partner but does not receive participants' registration data. Event photos, video and livestream content featuring participants is, however, shared with Ericsson for use in its own channels (see sections 3 and 7).

2. Personal data we collect

• Registration data: team name, team captain's name and email address, university or school, country, chosen challenge track and team size — and, as the Hackathon proceeds, the names and contact details of all team members, phone numbers, and confirmation that they are at least 18 and of legal adult age in their home country.
• Submission materials: information about your solution, pitch decks, presentation videos and other material you submit.
• Photos and recordings: photos and video of teams and participants, including from the live-streamed finale and the award ceremony.
• Website analytics: aggregated usage statistics collected via our hosting platform's built-in analytics (see section 9).

3. Why we process your data

• Running the Hackathon — registration, team administration, communication, mentoring, jury evaluation and prizes (performance of a contract: the Hackathon's Terms & Conditions).
• Publicity — publishing teams and their solutions on our website and channels to give their ideas visibility, and using event photos and recordings in our and our partners' communications, including Ericsson's channels (legitimate interest and, where required, consent).
• Future events — telling you about future Hack for Earth initiatives and opportunities (consent given at registration; you can opt out at any time).
• Operating the website — hosting, security and aggregate analytics (legitimate interest).

4. Age requirement

The Hackathon is open only to persons who are at least 18 years old and considered adults with full legal capacity under the law of their home jurisdiction. We do not knowingly process personal data of minors; if we learn that a registrant does not meet this requirement, we will remove their registration and data.

5. Your team members' data

If you register a team and provide personal data about your team members, you must have their permission to do so and make sure they have read and approved this Privacy Policy and the Terms & Conditions.

6. How long we keep your data

We retain Hackathon-related personal data for up to 10 years after the Hackathon, after which it is deleted or anonymized. We may keep data longer where the law requires it (for example bookkeeping) or delete it earlier where there is no reason to keep it.

7. Who we share your data with

• Hack for Earth Foundation, as part of our organization.
• Service providers that host and operate our website and registration database (our website platform and its cloud infrastructure), bound by data processing agreements.
• Juries and mentors, who see team and submission information needed to evaluate and support teams.
• Ericsson — event photos, video and livestream content featuring participants, which Ericsson may repost and use in its own channels to spread the word about the Hackathon. Ericsson does not receive registration data.
• The public — participants' names, universities and solution descriptions may be published on this website and our channels.

We never sell your personal data.

8. International transfers

Hack for Earth is a global organization and the Hackathon takes place across the Gulf region, so your data may be processed outside the EU/EEA. Where that happens, we protect it with appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses. We aim for this processing to comply with the GDPR as well as applicable data protection laws in the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.

9. Cookies & analytics

This website uses only the built-in, privacy-respecting analytics of our hosting platform (Lovable) to understand aggregate traffic. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party trackers.

10. Your rights

Under the GDPR (and corresponding Gulf data protection laws) you can:

• request access to the personal data we hold about you;
• have inaccurate data corrected and, in many cases, have data deleted;
• object to or restrict certain processing;
• withdraw consent at any time (e.g. for future-event communications);
• receive your data in a portable format.

If you have given consent to the publication of photos, video or audio featuring you, you can withdraw that consent for future use at any time by emailing info@hackforearth.com; withdrawal does not affect material already published.

To exercise any right, email info@hackforearth.com.

11. Security

We use appropriate technical and organizational measures — encrypted connections, access controls and reputable cloud infrastructure — to protect your data against unauthorized access, loss or misuse.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time; the latest version is always published on this page with its date above. Material changes will be communicated to registered participants. See also our Terms & Conditions.