Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

ResearchArk ("we", "our", or "us"), operated by Mycel UG (haftungsbeschränkt), is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and services (collectively, the "Service"). It also describes your choices regarding use, access, and correction of your personal information.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

Lawful Bases (GDPR)

We process personal data under the following lawful bases, as applicable:

• Contract performance (e.g., providing the Service you requested)
• Legitimate interests (e.g., service security, usage analytics with safeguards)
• Consent (e.g., marketing communications via double opt‑in)

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These measures include encryption, access controls, firewalls, and regular security audits. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

6. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@researchark.eu. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.

Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described above or as required by law. Typical retention periods:

• Account data and profile: retained while your account is active; deleted upon erasure request subject to a short safety window
• Activity logs and security events: retained for up to 12 months unless longer is required for security or legal compliance
• Marketing preferences and consent logs: retained to honor your choices and demonstrate compliance (up to 5 years)

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use a limited number of cookies that are essential for the operation of our Service:

• Locale preference cookie (NEXT_LOCALE): Stores your language preference so the platform displays content in your chosen language. This is a functional cookie that does not track your behavior.
• Authentication cookies: Session cookies used to keep you signed in after login. These are necessary for the Service to function and are managed by our authentication provider.

We do not use advertising cookies, analytics cookies, or third-party tracking cookies. You can manage cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling essential cookies may prevent the Service from functioning properly.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to, and processed in, countries other than the country in which you are resident. These countries may have data protection laws that are different from the laws of your country. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your personal information remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy, including relying on standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission.

Service Providers and Sub‑processors

We use third-party service providers to operate the Service. These providers process data under their own terms of service with data protection provisions. Our core service providers include:

Infrastructure and Authentication:

• Firebase (Google LLC, USA): User authentication and session management
• Stripe (Stripe Inc., USA): Payment processing via hosted checkout (card details are never processed by ResearchArk directly)

Research Identity:

• ORCID (ORCID Inc., USA): Researcher identity verification via OAuth. With your authorization, we retrieve your public ORCID profile data (name, affiliations, publications) to enrich your ResearchArk profile. No data is sent from ResearchArk to ORCID.

AI Service Providers (for AI-assisted features):

• Google (Gemini API, Paid Tier 1): Prompts and responses are retained for up to 55 days for abuse monitoring only and are not used for model training. Zero Data Retention is available upon request.
• OpenAI (API): Prompts and responses are retained for up to 30 days for abuse monitoring only and are not used for model training. We have opted out of data sharing for model improvement.

For transfers to the United States, these providers operate under their respective data protection terms, which include commitments consistent with GDPR requirements. We select providers that offer API terms with no-training guarantees and minimal data retention. A complete list of service providers is available on request at info@researchark.eu.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Service is designed for use by researchers, academics, and professionals, and is not intended for individuals under the age of 16. While we do not implement age verification at the point of registration, we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that a user is under 16, we will take steps to delete their information and close their account. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has created an account, please contact us at info@researchark.eu.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at info@researchark.eu.

For more information on how we comply with data protection regulations, please see our GDPR Compliance Statement.

Data Protection Officer (DPO)

If you have questions or concerns regarding our data protection practices, you can contact our Data Protection Officer at: dpo@researchark.eu

12. Automated Decision-Making and Profiling

We may use automated decision-making and profiling to:

• Provide personalized funding recommendations
• Suggest research collaborators and partners
• Optimize search results based on your research profile

You have the right to object to automated decision-making and request human review of any automated decisions that significantly affect you. Contact us at info@researchark.eu to exercise this right.

13. Third-Party Integrations

Our Service may integrate with third-party platforms and services. When you connect your account to third-party services, we may access and process data from those services in accordance with their terms and your authorization. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party services.

14. Business Transfers and Corporate Changes

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will provide notice of any such transfer and any choices you may have regarding your personal information.

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ResearchArk is a product of Mycel UG (haftungsbeschränkt), Kollwitzstraße 76, 10435 Berlin, Germany.
Company Website: https://mycel-ai.de