Cookie Policy

1. What are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device by websites that you visit. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

2. Our Use of Cookies

StartupShield.uk utilizes a "privacy-first" approach to data. We do not use third-party tracking, advertising, or profiling cookies. We use only **Essential/Strictly Necessary** cookies which are required for the operation of our platform.

These cookies are used for:

• Session Integrity: Maintaining your progress through diagnostic tools and forms.
• Security: Protecting against cross-site request forgery and ensuring secure data serialization.
• Load Balancing: Ensuring the platform remains responsive and performant across different technical environments.

3. Third-Party Cookies

We do not utilize third-party cookies for marketing or analytical tracking (such as Google Analytics or social media pixels). Any data collected during your session is used solely to facilitate your immediate request and is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

4. How to Manage Cookies

Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set, visit aboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org.

Please note that if you choose to disable all cookies via your browser, certain features of the StartupShield diagnostic tools may not function as intended.