Privacy Policy
Last updated: 24 August 2026
ScaleNL (“ScaleNL,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data.
ScaleNL is a public-private initiative helping Dutch companies expand into the United States market. The initiative was initiated by the Dutch Government together with the Startup Liaison Network in the United States and operates under the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the United States, ScaleNL operates with and through the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in San Francisco.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and protect personal data when you visit the ScaleNL website, contact us, apply for or participate in a ScaleNL program or event, or otherwise interact with us.
1. Who is responsible for your personal data?
ScaleNL operates under the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For ScaleNL activities in the United States, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in San Francisco serves as the relevant Dutch government representation.
Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in San Francisco
120 Kearny St
San Francisco, CA 94108
United States
For questions about privacy or the processing of your personal data in connection with ScaleNL, please contact:
The processing of personal data by Dutch government organizations is subject to applicable privacy legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), where applicable.
For more information about how the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs processes personal data and about your privacy rights, please see the Privacy Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2. What information do we collect?
Depending on how you interact with ScaleNL, we may collect and process:
- Your name and contact details
- Your job title, organization and professional information
- Information you provide when you contact us
- Information you provide when applying for or participating in a ScaleNL program or event
- Registration and attendance information
- Your communication preferences
- Information relating to your interactions with our website and communications
- Technical information about your visit to our website, such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited and date and time of your visit
- Information collected through cookies and similar technologies
We aim to collect and process only the information necessary for the relevant purpose.
3. How do we use your information?
We may use personal data to:
- Provide information about ScaleNL, its programs, activities and opportunities
- Process applications and manage participation in ScaleNL programs and events
- Organize and administer programs, events and other activities
- Respond to enquiries and requests
- Communicate with participants, applicants, partners and other stakeholders
- Improve our website, programs and activities
- Understand how visitors use our website
- Measure the effectiveness of our communications and marketing
- Measure conversions and interactions resulting from digital advertising
- Build relevant audiences for ScaleNL advertising, where applicable and permitted
- Carry out public-sector and policy-related activities associated with ScaleNL
- Comply with applicable legal, administrative and public-sector requirements
We process personal data only where there is a valid legal basis to do so under applicable privacy legislation. Depending on the circumstances, this may include the performance of a public task, compliance with a legal obligation, the performance of an agreement, consent, or another lawful basis recognized under applicable law.
4. Cookies, analytics and advertising
ScaleNL uses cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, understand how visitors use it and, where enabled, measure and improve the effectiveness of our communications and advertising.
We use Google Analytics to understand website traffic and usage and to help us improve the ScaleNL website.
ScaleNL may also use LinkedIn Insight Tag and related LinkedIn advertising technologies to measure the effectiveness of LinkedIn advertising campaigns, track conversions and, where applicable, create audiences based on interactions with the ScaleNL website.
These technologies may collect information such as IP address, browser and device information, pages visited, referring URLs and information about interactions with the website. LinkedIn may use cookies and pseudonymous identifiers for these purposes.
Where required by applicable law, non-essential cookies and tracking technologies will only be activated after the required consent has been obtained.
5. Communications
If you provide us with your contact details, we may use them to respond to your enquiries, administer your participation in ScaleNL activities or provide information relating to ScaleNL programs and activities.
Where you have subscribed to communications from us, you may unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe option included in our communications or by contacting us at hello@scalenl.com.
6. Applications and participation in ScaleNL programs
If you apply for or participate in a ScaleNL program, event or other activity, we may process information necessary to assess your application, manage your participation, communicate with you and organize the relevant activity.
Where necessary, relevant information may be shared with organizations and partners involved in delivering the relevant ScaleNL program or event.
We only share personal data where there is a lawful basis and where the sharing is necessary for the relevant purpose.
7. How do we share your information?
We do not sell your personal data.
We may share personal data with:
- Relevant Dutch government organizations or public-sector partners
- Organizations and partners involved in delivering ScaleNL programs and events
- Service providers supporting the operation of our website, programs, communications and activities
- Analytics, advertising and technology providers, where applicable
- Other parties where disclosure is required by law or otherwise permitted under applicable privacy legislation
Where third parties process personal data on our behalf, we take appropriate measures to ensure that the information is handled securely and in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
8. International transfers
ScaleNL operates between the Netherlands and the United States. As a result, personal data may in some circumstances be processed or accessed outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
Where personal data is transferred outside the EEA, we take appropriate measures to ensure that the transfer complies with applicable data-protection requirements.
9. How long do we keep your information?
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information, the purpose for which it was collected and applicable legal, administrative or public-records requirements.
When personal data is no longer required, it will be deleted, anonymized or otherwise handled in accordance with applicable retention requirements.
10. How do we protect your information?
We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
Access to personal data is limited to people and organizations that need it for legitimate purposes and are authorized to access it.
11. Your rights
Depending on applicable law and the circumstances of the processing, you may have the right to:
- Request access to personal data we process about you
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data
- Request deletion of your personal data
- Request restriction of processing
- Object to certain processing activities
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
- Request data portability where applicable
To exercise your rights or ask a question about how ScaleNL processes your personal data, please contact:
12. Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal data is processed, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can address your concern.
You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority, such as the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) where applicable.
13. Third-party websites
The ScaleNL website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms or services.
ScaleNL is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. When you follow a link to another website, we recommend reviewing that website’s privacy policy before providing any personal data.
14. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our activities, technology or applicable legal requirements.
The latest version will always be published on this page together with the date on which it was last updated.
15. Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or about how ScaleNL processes your personal data, please contact:
ScaleNL
Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in San Francisco
120 Kearny St
San Francisco, CA 94108
United States
Email: hello@scalenl.com