Privacy policy
Updated 9 October 2026 · Version 1.4 · Google Analytics 4: 2026-10-09
How data is used when you visit this website, send a request or contact Mars Challenge.
1. Scope and contact
The website operator and data controller is Asociación Virtual Educa, NIF G83519769. Address: Calle Princesa 31, planta 2, pta 2, Madrid 28008 - España. Contact office: Virtual Educa - Secretaría General. Contact and exercise of rights: info@virtualeduca.org. Virtual Educa’s institutional policy is at https://virtualeduca.org/protecciondedatos.php. Virtual Educa does not currently have a formally appointed Data Protection Officer. All privacy and rights requests may be sent to info@virtualeduca.org.
2. Data you may provide
Depending on the form, you may provide your name, email, institution, profile, interest, mission and message. A request may include language, source page and event-specific fields. Email is required in the general form so the team can reply; other fields follow the instructions on each form. Do not send identity documents, health information, diagnoses or other sensitive data through these general channels. Providers may process technical data such as IP address, browser information and security logs.
3. Purposes
General form data is used to respond to the request and manage the relationship with the interested person or institution. Within the programme it may be used for management, evaluation, communication, traceability and improvement, with the appropriate legal basis for each purpose. The Grand Jam channels allow access requests or expressions of interest as an evaluator, volunteer or ecosystem member. Necessary registration, phase, evaluation, documentation and logistics communications are distinguished from commercial promotion. Receipt of a request does not confirm registration, selection or accreditation. Contacting the team does not itself authorise advertising or publication of data.
4. Legal bases
Depending on its purpose, processing is based on precontractual steps requested by the individual, performance of the participation relationship, legitimate interests in responding to enquiries and managing institutional relationships, specific consent for optional purposes, or compliance with applicable legal obligations. Promotional consent is requested separately and can be withdrawn at any time.
5. Services and recipients
Data may be processed by Virtual Educa, Mars Challenge / Space Talent Lab and, where necessary to manage the programme, participating institutions, National Partners, Local Organisers and technology providers for hosting, forms, email and communications. Access is limited to data necessary for each role. Databases are not sold and personal data is not shared for third parties’ own commercial purposes. Forms use Formspree and the website uses Sites and its technical infrastructure. The general channel and four event channels retain different recipient configurations. Institutional email is managed through Google Workspace. Formspree and Google Workspace services are used under their applicable terms and data processing agreements. Provider information: https://formspree.io/legal/privacy-policy/ and https://workspace.google.com/terms/dpa_terms.html.
6. International transfers
Technology services may involve processing outside the European Economic Area. The providers’ applicable terms and agreements govern transfers and their safeguards. Information: https://formspree.io/legal/privacy-policy/ and https://workspace.google.com/terms/dpa_terms.html.
7. Retention and security
Contact forms and emails will be retained for a maximum of 24 months from the last interaction, unless particular information must be kept longer for legal, contractual, tax or accounting obligations, or possible liabilities or claims. In an institutional relationship or participation in Mars Challenge, necessary data is retained while the relationship remains active and afterwards only for legally necessary periods; information no longer needed remains subject to the general limit. Commercial communications data will be reviewed and cleaned and will no longer be used for that purpose when consent is withdrawn or unsubscribe is requested. This criterion applies to forms and mailboxes; retention and deletion within technology services are managed under their applicable terms and this policy. The website connection uses HTTPS without an absolute security guarantee. If a form fails, the alternative link opens your email application with a prepared request: you must review and send it; there is no automatic forwarding.
8. Preferences, search and external links
Current code stores the language preference in browser local storage. General search runs in the browser. No advertising analytics provider has been connected in the reviewed code; this does not guarantee that hosting providers do not create technical logs or use their own technologies. Links to Instagram, calendars and other websites are subject to those services’ policies when you visit them. Any future analytics or non-essential technology requires a review of information and consent where applicable. On The Grand Jam pages, Google Fonts loads only after this optional service is accepted in the privacy and cookie notice. You can reject it or change the decision through Cookie settings in the footer. The choice is stored locally in mars-cookie-consent for 180 days. Without acceptance, system fonts are used.
9. Your rights
Where applicable, you may request access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection and portability; where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it without affecting earlier lawfulness. Write to info@virtualeduca.org describing your request. Only the minimum information needed to verify identity may be requested. You may complain to the competent data protection authority; in Spain, the AEPD: https://www.aepd.es/. The scope and response periods depend on applicable law.
10. Minors, projects and stories
Recording and using image, voice, name and participation through photographs, audio, video or other programme materials requires freely given, explicit and informed authorisation. The authorisation must specify educational, institutional, outreach, communication or programme promotion purposes and authorised entities: Mars Challenge, Space Talent Lab, Virtual Educa and authorised partners. To publish materials involving minors, the programme requires prior explicit authorisation from their mother, father or legal guardian; Local Organisers and National Partners must check permissions and applicable child-protection rules. Where an activity requires a legally necessary authorisation under its Official Rules, the absence of valid authorisation prevents that participation; this text does not automatically make optional promotional consent a condition of access to every activity. Official Rules for the specific edition must be identified before applying restrictions. Personal testimonials require prior informed authorisation. Project authorship and intellectual property are distinct from permission to display or share a project: publication does not itself transfer intellectual property. Anonymised cases must avoid identifying details and respect the evidence level.
11. Decisions and updates
These website forms do not themselves make automated admission or accreditation decisions. This policy does not describe organisers’ internal selection systems, which must be documented separately where applicable. Changes will be reflected in the page date and version, with equivalent content in Spanish, Portuguese and English.
12. Necessary and promotional communications
Communications needed to manage participation —registration, phases, evaluations, documentation, operational calls or logistics— form part of programme management. General newsletters, campaigns, promotional updates and information about other initiatives are separate purposes and require the appropriate legal basis. Where consent is required, it will be requested specifically and separately through a checkbox or equivalent mechanism that is not enabled by default. Individuals can withdraw consent or unsubscribe at any time by writing to info@virtualeduca.org or using the available unsubscribe mechanism. Current forms do not include a commercial subscription: sending an enquiry does not activate a promotional mailing list.
13. Payment data and contracting
The public website is not an online store and does not directly process electronic payments. It does not request or store bank-card or other payment-method data. Institutional participation models may involve fees, but contracting, formalisation, invoicing and payment take place through separate administrative or contractual processes. Tax, contractual or billing information collected in those processes requires its own privacy information where applicable.
Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4 measures visits and use of pages only after you accept optional services. Google receives the technical data required for measurement under its privacy terms. We do not enable advertising personalization or send names, emails or form content through this integration. You can withdraw consent through Cookie settings. Further details are in the Cookie policy.
Google Tag Manager
Google Tag Manager (GTM-TCNCSJ5G) loads when pages open, including its no-JavaScript iframe alternative. This connection shares technical data, such as IP and browser information, with Google before the cookie choice. Loading the container is distinct from activating Google Analytics: this website’s GA4 measurement remains blocked until optional services are accepted. Future container tags must respect the choice and have their purposes covered by this policy.