Privacy Policy

We take the protection of your personal data very seriously and treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this Privacy Policy.

1. Privacy at a Glance

General Information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data is any data with which you could be personally identified.

Chatbot CIRA

Our AI-powered chatbot CIRA processes your inputs solely to answer your questions. No personal data is stored. The conversation is only kept in memory for the duration of the session and is automatically deleted when the session ends. Processing is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in efficient communication).

Data Collection on This Website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?
Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. Their contact details can be found in the Legal Notice of this website.

How do we collect your data?
Your data is collected in part by you providing it to us. This may include, for example, data you enter in a contact form.

2. Hosting

This website is hosted by Strato. The provider is Strato AG, Pascalstraße 10, 10587 Berlin, Germany (hereinafter "Strato").

For details, please refer to Strato's Privacy Policy:
https://www.strato.de/datenschutz/

Server Log Files

The hosting provider Strato AG automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits. These are:

  • IP address (anonymized)
  • Browser type and version
  • Operating system used
  • Referrer URL (the previously visited page)
  • Pages accessed
  • Date and time of the server request

This data is not merged with other data sources. The data cannot be attributed to a specific person.

Legal Basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in ensuring error-free operation and optimization of the website). Log files are automatically deleted after 7 days.

3. General Information and Mandatory Disclosures

Data Protection

The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this Privacy Policy.

Notice Regarding the Responsible Party

The responsible party for data processing on this website is:

CITECH AI GmbH
Marcel Batur / Dr. Ingo Poschmann
Katernberger Str. 107
45327 Essen

Email: m.batur@citech-ai.de

Storage Duration

Unless a more specific storage period has been stated within this Privacy Policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for data processing no longer applies.

4. Data Collection on This Website

Cookies

Our website uses so-called cookies. Cookies are small text files that do not cause any damage to your device. They are stored on your device either temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (persistent cookies).

Contact Form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your details from the inquiry form, including the contact data you provide there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in case of follow-up questions. We do not share this data without your consent.

Legal Basis: Processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (pre-contractual measures) or Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in processing your inquiry).

Inquiry by Email or Phone

If you contact us by email or phone, your inquiry including all resulting personal data (name, inquiry) will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of handling your request.

Legal Basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (pre-contractual measures) or Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in efficient communication).

localStorage (Local Browser Storage)

This website uses your browser's localStorage feature to store the following settings locally on your device:

  • Your theme preference (dark/light mode)
  • The status of your cookie consent

No personal data is collected or stored in the process. The data remains exclusively in your browser and is not transmitted to our servers or any third-party servers. You can delete this data at any time via your browser settings.

Legal Basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in a user-friendly website design).

Interactive Checks (Funding Check, AI-Act Check, Competence Check)

The interactive self-assessment checks on this website (Funding Check, AI-Act Check, Competence Check) run entirely in your browser. Your inputs and the calculated results are processed locally on your device only. There is no transmission to our servers or any third party, no input is stored, and there is no evaluation, profiling, or sharing. Reloading or closing the page permanently deletes all entries.

Legal Basis: No legal basis under Art. 6 GDPR is required, as no personal data is collected or processed.

5. Google Maps (2-Click Solution)

On our Contact page, we use Google Maps to display our location. We employ a so-called 2-click solution: the map is only loaded after you actively click on the corresponding notice and give your consent. Before your consent, no data is transmitted to Google.

After your consent, the following data is transmitted to Google:

  • Your IP address
  • Browser data (type, version, language)
  • Location data (if enabled by you)

Legal Basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent). You can refuse consent by not clicking on the activation notice.

Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. For more information on how user data is handled, please refer to Google's Privacy Policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy

6. Measurement and Advertising

We measure the use of this website in two stages. The first runs at all times and is deliberately built so that it does not require consent. The second requires your explicit consent and does not take place without it.

Stage 1: Reach measurement with Matomo, without cookies

We run Matomo on our own webspace at www.citech-ai.de/matomo/. The software runs on our server, not at a provider: no data whatsoever is transmitted to third parties, and there is no transfer to countries outside the EU.

This measurement runs regardless of your decision, because it sets no cookies and neither stores nor reads anything on your device. Consent under § 25 TDDDG is therefore not required. We collect: your IP address truncated by two bytes (91.12.34.56 becomes 91.12.0.0), the pages you open, the referring source, an approximate location derived from the truncated address, device type, browser and screen size, as well as time on page and click path. The visitor identifier is additionally anonymised.

In addition we record individual events that tell us whether this website is doing its job: a submitted contact form, a check completed through to its result together with the result category (for example "eligible for funding under the Qualifizierungschancengesetz"), a submitted newsletter registration, a click on a telephone number, an opened PDF, and your decision on the consent dialogue. The answers you select inside our checks are not transmitted – the checks run entirely in your browser, and only the result in one of the categories named above is sent.

Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest is to assess whether our pages are clearly structured and where our visitors come from. Retention: 12 months, then automatic deletion. You may object using the opt-out at the end of this section; Matomo also respects your browser's Do Not Track setting.

Objecting to measurement with Matomo

Using the control below you can object to measurement with Matomo entirely. A cookie is set to record your objection; this single cookie is technically necessary to honour it. If you delete your cookies, you will need to object again.

Stage 2: Only with your consent

If you consent, two things are added. First, Matomo sets a cookie that lets us recognise you on a later visit; only then can we see whether someone returns after a few days. Second, we load the Meta pixel of Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd., which lets us measure whether our advertisements work and allows ads to be shown to people who have already visited our site.

The Meta pixel sets cookies and transmits data to Meta, including your IP address, the page you opened and technical details about your device. This involves a transfer of data to the USA. Meta Platforms Inc. is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework; even so, a level of protection equivalent to European law cannot be guaranteed in every case.

Besides the page view (PageView), the same events listed above are transmitted, using Meta's standard names: Lead (contact form submitted), CompleteRegistration (check completed, stating which check and which result category), Subscribe (newsletter registration submitted), Contact (click on a telephone number) and ViewContent (opened PDF). Your decision on the consent dialogue itself is not reported to Meta; that figure stays within our own measurement.

Legal basis: your consent under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. Without your consent the pixel is not loaded and no connection to Meta is established. If you decline, the website works in full; you are at no disadvantage.

Withdrawal: you may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future, using the Cookie settings link in the footer of every page. The page then reloads, the pixel is no longer loaded and Matomo returns to cookieless operation. Data already transmitted to Meta is not affected; please contact Meta regarding its deletion.

Separate campaign subdomain

For advertising campaigns we additionally operate a technically separate subdomain (check.citech-ai.de) on its own server. The same principles apply there, but the measurement is set up differently. That subdomain has its own privacy policy, available there.

What changed in October 2026

Until October 2026 no measurement whatsoever took place on this domain, and this section said exactly that. Since then we measure in the two stages described above. We record this here explicitly so that it remains traceable what changed and when. Agreement previously given to the old cookie notice does not count as consent to this measurement: every visitor is asked again.

7. Newsletter (AI Radar)

We offer the free "AI Radar" newsletter, which provides weekly updates on current developments in the field of Artificial Intelligence.

Registration and Double Opt-In

Registration is done via a form on our website. After entering your email address, you will receive a confirmation email (double opt-in). Only after clicking the confirmation link will you be added to the mailing list.

Data Collected

  • Email address (required)
  • Name (optional)
  • IP address and user agent at the time of consent (proof of GDPR-compliant consent)
  • Time of registration and confirmation

Email Service Provider

The newsletter is sent via Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), Brevo SAS, 106 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris, France. Brevo is a GDPR-compliant service provider with servers in the EU. Brevo Privacy Policy: https://www.brevo.com/de/legal/privacypolicy/

AI-Generated Content

The newsletter content is partially created with the support of AI systems (Claude AI, Anthropic) and subsequently editorially reviewed and approved. Further details can be found in our AI Transparency Statement.

Legal Basis

Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent). You may revoke your consent at any time. Each newsletter issue contains an unsubscribe link, which allows you to unsubscribe with a single click.

Unsubscribing

You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time via the unsubscribe link in each email or by sending a message to m.batur@citech-ai.de. After unsubscribing, your data will be immediately deleted from the mailing list.

8. Your Rights

You have the right at any time to:

  • Obtain information about your data stored by us (Art. 15 GDPR)
  • Request correction of inaccurate personal data (Art. 16 GDPR)
  • Request deletion of your data stored by us (Art. 17 GDPR)
  • Request restriction of data processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
  • Object to the processing of your data (Art. 21 GDPR)
  • Request data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)

Right to Lodge a Complaint with the Supervisory Authority

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority regarding our processing of your personal data. The supervisory authority responsible for us is:

State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information North Rhine-Westphalia
(Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit Nordrhein-Westfalen)
Kavalleriestraße 2-4
40213 Düsseldorf, Germany
Phone: +49 211 38424-0
Email: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de
Website: www.ldi.nrw.de

9. Objection to Promotional Emails

The use of contact data published as part of the Legal Notice obligation for the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising and information materials is hereby objected to.

Document History

04.10.2026 – Version 1.6: Addition to section 6: the events we measure are now named individually – submitted contact form, completed check together with its result category, newsletter registration, click on a telephone number, opened PDF – both for Matomo and under the standard names used to transmit them to Meta. Stated expressly: the answers inside the checks are not transmitted, only the result category
04.10.2026 – Version 1.5: Material change: reach measurement now takes place on this domain, where previously there was none. Section 6 rewritten in full and split into two stages: Matomo on our own webspace, cookieless and without data transfer, therefore not requiring consent under § 25 TDDDG; and Matomo with a cookie plus the Meta pixel, exclusively after consent. The former cookie notice with a single button ("Understood") has been replaced by a genuine consent dialogue with equally weighted buttons; prior acknowledgement expressly does not count as consent, and every visitor is asked again. Also new: opt-out for Matomo, withdrawal link in the footer of every page, IP truncation by two bytes, deletion of raw data after twelve months
31.07.2026 – Version 1.4: Clarification: cookie notice ("sets itself"), section 6 limited to this domain, new section on the separate campaign subdomain check.citech-ai.de incl. note on the _fbp cookie
11.06.2026 – Version 1.3: Addition: Note on interactive checks (client-side processing without data transmission)
16.03.2026 – Version 1.2: Addition: Server Log Files (Section 2), localStorage (Section 4), Google Maps 2-Click Solution (Section 5)
17.02.2026 – Version 1.1: Addition: Newsletter "AI Radar" (Section 7) incl. email service provider Brevo and AI-generated content
07.12.2025 – Version 1.0: Initial publication pursuant to GDPR and BDSG (German Federal Data Protection Act)

This Privacy Policy is updated when changes to data processing occur.
Last Review: October 2026