BidStar Privacy Policy
Last updated: Sep 26, 2026
BidStar is run by Tech Stars University in Duluth, Minnesota. This policy explains what we collect when you use bidstar.us, app.bidstar.us and our emails, and what we do with it. The short version: we collect only what we need to find bids for your shop. We don't sell it, we don't show ads, and we don't track you around the internet.
What we collect
When you use the BidStar app:
- Your email address, so we can send your sign-in link and your bid emails.
- Your shop profile: your company name, trade, town, the kinds of work you do (in your own words), how far you'll travel, and a map point for your town that we look up from its name.
- Your settings: how you want bids sorted, which bids you save to watch, and whether you want our morning email. We record when you turned it on or off, and how you told us.
- Sign-in records: your one-time sign-in link and your sign-in session. We store them in scrambled (hashed) form, so the stored copy can't be used to sign in. A sign-in link works once and expires after 7 days. A session lasts up to 90 days, or until you sign out.
- Messages you send us, by email or phone, and our replies.
When you visit bidstar.us: we don't ask for anything, and the page has no forms, analytics or ads.
What we don't collect: no payment details, no Social Security or tax numbers, no contacts from your phone, no precise location from your device, and no browsing history from other sites.
Cookies
The app sets one cookie, which keeps you signed in. It's not used for ads or tracking. bidstar.us sets no cookies.
How we use it
- To run BidStar for you: find and sort bids for your shop, and show your saved bids.
- To send the emails you asked for: new bids that fit, and changes to bids you're watching.
- To answer your questions and fix problems.
- To keep BidStar secure and working, and to improve it.
- To follow the law.
Who else handles it
We don't sell your information, and we don't share it for advertising. A few service providers handle it for us, only to run BidStar:
| Provider | What it does for BidStar | What it sees |
|---|---|---|
| Google Cloud (servers in Iowa, USA) | Runs the BidStar app | Everything stored in the app |
| Google Workspace | Our email (help@techstarsuniversity.com) | Emails between us, and your email address |
| Netlify | Hosts bidstar.us | Visitors' IP addresses and browser details, in its server logs |
| U.S. Census Bureau map service | Finds the map point for your town | Only the town name you type, not who you are |
We may also share information:
- if the law requires it, or to protect someone's safety or our legal rights;
- with a company that takes over BidStar. It would have to follow this policy, and we'd tell you first.
Where it's kept, and for how long
- Where: in the United States, on our app server in Iowa. Backup copies from the last two days sit on our office computer in Duluth, Minnesota, and are replaced every day.
- How long: we keep your information while you use BidStar. If you ask us to delete it, or leave the pilot and ask, we delete it within 30 days. That includes the backups, which are replaced daily. We may keep a record that you asked us to stop emailing you, so we don't email you again.
How we protect it
- Connections to BidStar are encrypted (HTTPS).
- Sign-in links and sessions are stored in scrambled form.
- Only the people who run BidStar, and the tools they use to maintain it, can reach the data.
No system is perfectly secure. If a breach ever puts your information at risk, we'll tell you promptly.
Your choices
- See and change your profile any time in the app.
- Ask for a copy of your information, or ask us to correct or delete it: email help@techstarsuniversity.com. We'll answer within 30 days, usually much sooner.
- Stop our emails: reply "stop" to any BidStar email. We stop within 10 business days, usually the same day. You can also turn off the morning email yourself: untick it under "Your shop" in the app.
Do Not Track
We don't track you across other websites, so there's nothing for a browser's "Do Not Track" signal to turn off. We treat every visitor the same way. No one else tracks you across sites through BidStar.
Children
BidStar is for businesses and for people 18 and older. We don't knowingly collect information from children.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy in a way that matters, we'll email BidStar users, or post a notice in the app, before the change takes effect. The date at the top shows the current version.
Contact
BidStar, 28 West Austin Street, Upper, Duluth, MN 55803 · help@techstarsuniversity.com · 715-290-0606