Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Bridgeline Advance ("Company," "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 and services. By using the Platform, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, and password when you create an account
Business Information: Business name, type, address, EIN/tax ID, years in operation, and industry (for Borrowers)
Financial Information: Revenue figures, bank account details, and routing numbers submitted during the application process
Identity Information: Government-issued identification when required for verification
Communications: Messages sent through the Platform, including interactions with our Brooklyn AI assistant

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on the Platform, and navigation patterns
Device Information: Browser type, operating system, IP address, and device identifiers
Cookies: Session cookies for authentication and preferences. We do not use third-party advertising cookies

2.3 Information from Third Parties

Plaid: When you connect your bank account through Plaid, we receive account balance information, transaction history, and account holder details. This data is used solely for underwriting and verification purposes. Plaid's use of your data is governed by Plaid's Privacy Policy
Payment Processors: Transaction status and payment confirmation data from our payment processing partners

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

Process and evaluate revenue advance applications
Verify your identity and business information
Manage your account and provide customer support
Process payments and track repayment schedules
Provide investment opportunities and portfolio management tools to Investors
Send transactional communications (application updates, payment confirmations, account alerts)
Improve the Platform and develop new features
Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service
Detect and prevent fraud or unauthorized access

4. Information Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with:

Service Providers: Third-party vendors who assist us in operating the Platform, including Plaid (bank verification), payment processors, email service providers, and cloud hosting (Vercel, Supabase)
Investors: Anonymized and aggregated business information (industry, revenue range, advance terms) is shared with Investors to evaluate funding opportunities. Your personal identity is not disclosed to Investors without your consent
Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights or the safety of others
Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:

Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest
Row-level security policies in our database ensuring users can only access their own data
Secure authentication with encrypted password storage
Regular security reviews of our codebase and infrastructure

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Financial records and transaction data are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years to comply with regulatory requirements. You may request deletion of your account data by contacting us, subject to our legal retention obligations.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
Portability: Request your data in a portable, machine-readable format
Opt-Out: Opt out of non-essential communications at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@bridgelineadvance.com.

8. Brooklyn AI Assistant

Our Platform includes Brooklyn, an AI-powered assistant. When you interact with Brooklyn, your messages are processed by our AI service provider (Anthropic) to generate responses. Conversations may include context about your account, application, or portfolio to provide relevant assistance. We do not use your conversations with Brooklyn to train AI models. Conversation data is subject to the same security and retention policies as other Platform data.

9. Children's Privacy

The Platform is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn we have collected information from a child under 18, we will delete that information promptly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or through a notice on the Platform. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was last revised.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at:

Bridgeline Advance
Email: support@bridgelineadvance.com
Buffalo, New York