Confidentiality

The FIT takes questions of confidentiality very serious. Every member of the FIT’s organs, its secretariat, as well as the members of the coaching and selection committee must abide by the strict rules of confidentiality, amongst others by the rules of the Foundation, which article 33 stipulates:

Is the data provided to FIT kept confidential?

Article 33 of the Foundation's rules states: "The members of the Council of Foundation are bound by a strict obligation of professional secrecy towards third parties concerning their knowledge of their exercised functions. Any person implied within the selection, the research or the monitoring of a project , commits to not disclose the information about the project, nor for using it in his/her own interest, nor in the interest of a third party without prior, formal, written consent of the candidate or the recipient".

What happens to the data at the end of the process?

Your information – documents, conversations and presentation – are treated confidentially. If you receive a fund (a loan or a grant), a press release will be published, including your names, a brief description of your project and your contact information. Any other publication will require your consent.

Does the FIT sign confidentiality clauses?Given the great number of projects the FIT receives, it is virtually impossible to set up agreements for every business plan the FIT evaluates. In result, the FIT does not sign any confidentiality clauses and makes no exceptions.

Do not hesitate to contact us to find out more about the type of information at risk. The protection of your intellectual property is essential for the development of your project. In order to help you, you can contact the transfer office of your school, the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property or a lawyer’s office specialized in intellectual property to discuss about it.