Privacy and terms.

Who we are

Vertical Business Factory (referred to in this policy as "VBF," "we," or "us") is a platform that provisions and operates AI service businesses for operators. We are operated from Lisbon, Portugal. You can reach us at legal@vbfactory.onrender.com.

Who this policy applies to

This policy covers two groups of people:

• Operators. People who sign up to build and run a business on the VBF platform. If you are reading this because you are considering or have agreed to our Terms of Service, this policy applies to you directly.
• End-customers of verticals. People who interact with AI agents that operators build using our platform. For these individuals, the operator is the data controller and VBF acts as a data processor on the operator's behalf.

What we collect from operators

When you engage with us as an operator, we collect:

• Account information. Your name, email address, and business details, provided during intake conversations and account setup.
• Intake conversation content. The content of your conversations with Patrick (our intake agent) when you describe and configure your vertical. This is used to build and operate your vertical.
• Payment information. Billing is handled by Stripe. We do not store card numbers or bank details on our servers. We receive confirmation of successful payments and the subscription status from Stripe.
• Usage data. Dashboard activity, session counts, feature interactions, and platform telemetry. Used to operate the platform and to calculate usage-based charges.

What we process from end-customers of verticals

Specifically, conversation content from end-customer sessions is transmitted to Anthropic's API for AI processing. Anthropic does not train its models on API data by default. Conversation records are stored in our database, accessible to the operator via their dashboard.

Operators are responsible for informing their own customers about how their data is used, maintaining any required consents, and complying with applicable privacy laws in their jurisdiction.

Why we collect it

• Account information: to set up and operate your vertical, to communicate with you about your subscription, and to invoice you.
• Intake conversation content: to configure your AI agent and platform settings correctly.
• Payment data: to process your monthly subscription and revenue share invoice.
• Usage data: to operate the platform, calculate metered charges, and identify issues.

Where your data is stored

• Platform data (accounts, sessions, conversations) is stored on Render.com infrastructure. Render uses data centers in the US and EU.
• Payment data is held by Stripe. See Stripe's privacy policy for details of how they handle it.
• AI processing happens via Anthropic's API. Anthropic does not retain API data for model training by default.

Who we share data with

We share data only with the parties needed to run the platform:

• Stripe. For payment processing and billing.
• Render.com. Our hosting infrastructure provider.
• Anthropic. For AI response generation via their API.
• Legal authorities. Where required by applicable law or a valid legal order.

We do not sell personal data. We do not share data with advertising networks. We do not use operator or end-customer data to train AI models.

Cookies

We use the following types of cookies:

• Session cookies. Required for authentication and to keep you logged in to your dashboard or the platform intake. These are essential and cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies. Privacy-respecting, first-party analytics to understand platform usage. No third-party tracking or advertising cookies are used.

How long we keep data

• Operator account data is retained for the duration of your subscription and for 90 days after cancellation, to allow for account recovery or dispute resolution.
• End-customer conversation records are retained for up to 24 months unless the operator requests deletion.
• Payment records are retained as required by tax law, typically 7 years.

Your rights

If you are an operator based in the EU or UK, you have the following rights under GDPR and UK GDPR:

• Access. Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction. Ask us to correct inaccurate data.
• Deletion. Ask us to delete your data, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Portability. Request your data in a machine-readable format.
• Objection. Object to processing where we rely on legitimate interests as the legal basis.

We will respond to all requests within 30 days. To exercise these rights, contact us at the address below.

Agreement

By engaging with Vertical Business Factory, starting an intake conversation with Patrick, or paying a subscription invoice, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

These terms govern the relationship between you as an operator and Vertical Business Factory as the platform provider. "Operator" means any person or entity that builds and runs a vertical business on our platform.

What the platform provides

VBF provides the infrastructure, tooling, and operational support to launch and run an AI-powered service business (a "vertical"). This includes:

• A branded AI intake agent configured to your vertical
• Operator dashboard with session management, audit trail, and configuration
• Marketing website, investor deck, and QR code
• Authentication, payments, and document handling
• Hosting and platform infrastructure
• Support and updates to the shared platform

VBF does not provide legal, financial, medical, or professional advice. If your vertical involves regulated activity, you are responsible for ensuring your service complies with applicable regulations in the jurisdictions where you operate.

Subscription and billing

The platform subscription is EUR 395 per month per vertical, billed monthly in advance via Stripe. Your subscription begins when the vertical goes live or when you receive your first invoice, whichever comes first.

• Subscriptions renew automatically each month until cancelled.
• You may cancel at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. No refunds are issued for partial months.
• Usage above included quotas (additional agent conversations, SMS, and other metered services) is billed monthly in arrears at the rates shown on the pricing page.
• Pricing is in euros and is reviewed quarterly. We will give you 30 days notice before any price change takes effect.

Revenue share

In addition to the monthly subscription, you agree to pay VBF 20% of your vertical's gross revenue, invoiced monthly.

• Gross revenue means all amounts received from your end-customers in connection with the vertical, before deductions.
• You are responsible for accurately reporting gross revenue each month. VBF may request supporting documentation.
• The revenue share invoice is issued in the first week of each calendar month for the prior month's revenue.
• Persistent non-payment of revenue share is grounds for suspension under the termination clause below.

Your customers are yours

Your customers are your customers. Your brand is your brand. VBF provides the infrastructure underneath. We do not solicit, contact, or market to your end-customers directly. We do not share their data with other operators.

You own the relationship with your end-customers. You are responsible for your brand, your pricing, your service quality, your legal obligations to them, and your tax compliance in every jurisdiction where you take revenue.

Your responsibilities as an operator

• Operate your vertical honestly and in good faith toward your end-customers.
• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where you take customers, including consumer protection, data protection, and sector-specific rules.
• Maintain your own privacy policy and terms of service for your end-customers where required by law.
• Not use the platform to facilitate illegal activity, harm, deception, or material misrepresentation.
• Notify VBF promptly if you become aware of a legal claim or regulatory inquiry that affects the platform.
• Keep your payment details current so subscriptions and revenue share invoices can be collected.

Acceptable use

The platform may not be used to:

• Engage in or facilitate illegal activity of any kind
• Harm, deceive, defraud, or exploit end-customers
• Generate or distribute content that is defamatory, discriminatory, or incites violence
• Circumvent platform security controls or attempt to access data belonging to other operators
• Resell or sublicense access to the platform without written agreement from VBF

Platform uptime and support

We operate the platform on a best-efforts basis. We aim for high availability but do not guarantee any specific uptime percentage. Planned maintenance will be communicated in advance where possible. Unplanned outages will be communicated via your operator dashboard or email as soon as practicable.

Support is provided via email at legal@vbfactory.onrender.com. We do not offer 24/7 phone support.

Termination

By you. You may cancel your subscription at any time by notifying us in writing. Your vertical will remain live until the end of the paid period, after which it will be decommissioned.

By us. We may suspend your vertical with 14 days written notice for material breach of these Terms, including non-payment of subscription or revenue share, acceptable use violations, or persistent conduct that harms end-customers. For serious violations (fraud, illegal activity, imminent harm to users), we may suspend immediately and notify you afterwards.

On termination, your data is retained for 90 days and then deleted, unless we are required by law to retain it longer. You may request an export of your vertical's data within that 90-day window.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

• VBF provides the platform "as is." We make no warranties about fitness for a particular purpose, uninterrupted availability, or the accuracy of AI-generated outputs.
• VBF is not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the platform, including lost revenue or customer claims.
• Our total aggregate liability to you for any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms is capped at the amount you paid us in the three calendar months preceding the claim.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by applicable law.

Intellectual property

The platform, its code, agent frameworks, and shared infrastructure are owned by VBF. Your vertical's brand, content, customer relationships, and the knowledge base you provide are yours. We do not claim ownership over what you bring to the platform.

You grant VBF a non-exclusive licence to process your content solely to the extent necessary to operate your vertical and provide the service.

Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will give you 30 days notice of any material changes by email. Continued use of the platform after that notice period constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not accept the changes, you may cancel before they take effect.

Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of Portugal. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the platform will first be referred to good-faith negotiation between the parties. If negotiation fails, disputes will be resolved by the courts of Lisbon, Portugal, unless applicable consumer law in your country of residence requires otherwise.