This policy explains what personal data PitchStudio collects, why, who we share it with, and the rights you have under Rwanda’s Law N° 058/2021 of 13/10/2021 relating to the protection of personal data and privacy.
1. Who is responsible for your data
PitchStudio is produced by Arthur Nation Ltd in partnership with the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA). Arthur Nation Ltd is responsible for the personal data collected through this website and the PitchStudio WhatsApp line. To reach us about your data, email us at info@pitchstudio.rw.
2. What we collect
When you apply (on this website or on WhatsApp), we collect what you give us, such as:
- Your full names, age, gender, province and district.
- Your WhatsApp number and email address.
- Your idea or business details, sector and the amount of funding you are requesting.
- Your consent choices, and the date and time you applied.
When you use the website, we collect basic technical data: your IP address, browser type, pages visited and when. We use this to keep the site secure (for example, to stop spam and abuse) and to understand how the site is used.
When you vote on vote.pitchstudio.rw, we collect your email address (and any other verification details the voting page asks for) to confirm that each person votes once per episode or voting round.
When you message us on WhatsApp, we receive your WhatsApp number, profile name and the messages you send.
3. Why we use it
- To review your application and decide who to shortlist and invite to pitch — based on your consent.
- To contact you about your application, by WhatsApp, phone or email.
- To produce and broadcast the show, if you are selected and agree to take part — based on your consent.
- To verify votes and keep voting fair. Data collected for voting verification is not used for unrelated marketing.
- To run and protect the website, prevent fraud and fix problems — based on our legitimate interest.
- To measure and improve the programme, using statistics that do not identify you.
4. AI-assisted screening
We receive many applications. To help our team review them, we may use an AI tool to read an application and suggest a score against the programme’s criteria. The AI does not make the final decision: people on the PitchStudio team review applications and decide who is selected. You can ask us for a human review of your application at any time.
5. Who we share it with
We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with:
- Our production and broadcast partners (including RBA), when needed to run the programme — and publicly on air only if you are selected and agree.
- Service providers that work for us under contract: our website host, Meta (WhatsApp Business messaging), Google (Google Analytics), and Anthropic (the AI tool used for screening).
- Authorities, when the law requires it.
Some of these providers store or process data outside Rwanda. When that happens, we rely on the safeguards allowed by Rwandan law and choose providers with strong security and privacy commitments.
6. Cookies
We use a small number of cookies and similar storage:
- Essential: to keep your session working and secure, and to protect forms against misuse.
- Preferences: to remember your language (Kinyarwanda or English).
- Analytics: Google Analytics, to count visits and see which pages are useful.
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The site will still work, but your language choice will not be remembered.
7. How long we keep it
We keep application data for as long as needed to run the current season and prepare the next one, and for any longer period required by law. After that, we delete it or anonymise it so it no longer identifies you. Content from episodes that have been broadcast may be kept as part of the show’s archive.
8. How we protect it
Your data is stored on secured servers. Access is limited to authorised members of the PitchStudio team, who must sign in to see it. No system is completely secure, but we work to protect your data and will act quickly if something goes wrong.
9. Your rights
Under Rwandan law you have the right to:
- Know what data we hold about you and get a copy of it.
- Correct data that is wrong or incomplete.
- Ask us to delete your data, or to withdraw your application.
- Withdraw your consent at any time (this does not affect what we did before you withdrew).
- Object to how we use your data, and ask for a human review of any automated screening.
To use these rights, email us at info@pitchstudio.rw. We may need to confirm your identity first. If you are not happy with our answer, you can complain to the National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA), which supervises data protection in Rwanda.
10. Children
PitchStudio is for people aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has applied, contact us and we will delete their data.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy. The date at the top of this page shows when it last changed. Important changes will be announced on this website.