Akterial (Pty) Ltd, registration number 2025/510662/07 ("Akterial", "we", "us" or "our"), respects the privacy of the professionals, suppliers and other persons who use our Platform.
This Privacy & POPIA Notice explains how we collect, use, share, retain and protect personal information when you use Akterial.
It is intended to support compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA") and other applicable South African law.
1. Responsible Party
For personal information processed for Akterial's own purposes, the responsible party is:
2. Information We May Collect
Depending on how you use Akterial, we may collect:
Account and identity information
- name and surname;
- professional role or occupation;
- business or studio name;
- email address;
- telephone number;
- account credentials; and
- professional or business information.
Location and delivery information
- city and province;
- company or professional location;
- delivery address;
- supplier dispatch location; and
- regions serviced.
Project and specification information
Where relevant to Platform functionality, this may include:
- project name;
- project type;
- project location;
- project lifecycle or specification stage;
- materials being considered;
- estimated material requirements;
- saved or shortlisted materials;
- sample requests;
- quotation or enquiry information; and
- other information voluntarily provided about a professional project.
Supplier information
We may collect:
- company details;
- registration or business information;
- supplier contacts;
- material categories;
- product information;
- sample inventory information;
- service regions;
- fulfilment information; and
- subscription or billing information where applicable.
Platform activity
We may collect information about how the Platform is used, including:
- searches;
- product and material views;
- saves or other engagement;
- sample requests;
- enquiries;
- interactions with Platform features;
- device and browser information;
- timestamps; and
- technical logs reasonably necessary for security and operation.
Communications
We may retain communications you send to Akterial, including support requests, feedback and supplier or user enquiries.
3. Why We Process Personal Information
We may process personal information for purposes including:
- creating and managing accounts;
- authenticating users;
- providing material discovery and specification functionality;
- processing sample requests;
- delivering and consolidating physical samples;
- connecting professional users with relevant suppliers;
- responding to enquiries;
- providing supplier services;
- administering subscriptions;
- improving Platform functionality;
- maintaining security and preventing abuse;
- measuring product and supplier engagement;
- generating analytics and market insights;
- complying with legal obligations;
- communicating important service information; and
- conducting lawful marketing where permitted.
We will not intentionally collect personal information without a defined and lawful purpose.
4. Project and Specification Data
A core purpose of Akterial is to improve the flow of information between professional specifiers and material suppliers.
When you associate activity with a professional project, Akterial may process that information to provide the requested service, understand specification intent and improve material discovery and supplier intelligence.
We recognise that project information can be commercially sensitive.
Akterial will seek to limit disclosure of identifiable project information to circumstances where disclosure is appropriate, lawful and reasonably connected to the relevant service, enquiry or professional relationship.
Where possible and appropriate, broader market analytics will use aggregated or de-identified information rather than unnecessarily identifying individual users or projects.
5. Information Shared With Suppliers
When a professional user requests a sample, submits an enquiry, requests supplier engagement or uses another feature that reasonably requires supplier involvement, Akterial may share relevant information with the supplier concerned.
Depending on the interaction, this may include:
- the user's name;
- professional organisation or studio;
- professional contact information;
- requested material or product;
- quantity or sample information; and
- relevant project context where appropriate.
We do not treat unrestricted access to personal information as a commodity sold to Suppliers.
The information made available will depend on the nature of the user's interaction, the purpose for which the information was collected, applicable law and the Akterial service involved.
Suppliers receiving personal information are expected to use it lawfully and appropriately.
6. Aggregated and De-identified Information
Akterial may analyse Platform activity to produce statistical, aggregated or appropriately de-identified insights.
These may include information concerning:
- material demand;
- product engagement;
- sample activity;
- specification trends;
- geographic demand patterns;
- project categories;
- market behaviour; and
- other industry trends.
Where information has been appropriately de-identified so that it is no longer reasonably linked to an identifiable person, Akterial may use those insights for product development, research, reporting and commercial market-intelligence services, subject to applicable law.
7. Service Providers
Akterial uses third-party technology and service providers to operate the Platform.
These may include providers supporting:
- database infrastructure;
- authentication;
- cloud hosting;
- email or communications;
- analytics;
- security;
- courier and fulfilment services; and
- other technical operations.
Known/current providers include:
- Supabase — [CONFIRM PURPOSE AND DATA HOSTING DETAILS]
- [OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS TO BE CONFIRMED]
Where service providers process personal information on our behalf, we will take reasonable steps appropriate to the relationship and applicable law to ensure that personal information is handled securely and consistently with applicable data-protection requirements.
8. Cross-Border Processing
Some technology providers used by Akterial may process or store information outside South Africa.
Where personal information is transferred outside the Republic, Akterial will take appropriate steps to ensure that the transfer complies with applicable requirements under POPIA.
Further information about relevant service-provider locations will be added once Akterial's technical infrastructure review is complete.
9. Marketing Communications
Akterial may communicate with users regarding Platform services, relevant materials, product developments, industry information and other Akterial-related offerings.
Electronic direct marketing will be conducted in accordance with applicable law.
Where consent is required, Akterial will seek appropriate consent.
Marketing communications will provide an appropriate mechanism to opt out or unsubscribe where required.
Service-related communications necessary to operate an account or fulfil a request may still be sent where appropriate even if a user opts out of marketing communications.
10. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Akterial may use cookies or similar technologies necessary for authentication, security, preferences, Platform functionality and analytics.
Before public/commercial implementation of non-essential tracking technologies, Akterial will review the specific technologies in use and implement any additional notices or consent mechanisms required by applicable law.
[COOKIE/ANALYTICS TECHNOLOGIES TO BE CONFIRMED]
11. Security
Akterial will take appropriate and reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, interference, alteration, disclosure or destruction.
No internet-based service can guarantee absolute security.
Users are responsible for protecting their account credentials and should notify Akterial promptly if they suspect unauthorised account activity.
12. Data Retention
Akterial will retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as otherwise permitted or required by applicable law.
Retention periods may differ depending on the type of information, contractual requirements, legitimate operational needs, security requirements and legal obligations.
Akterial will develop and maintain appropriate internal retention practices as the Platform develops.
13. Your Rights
Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:
- ask whether Akterial holds personal information about you;
- request access to your personal information;
- request correction or updating of inaccurate information;
- request deletion or destruction where legally applicable;
- object to certain processing;
- withdraw consent where processing depends on consent;
- object to direct marketing; and
- lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.
Requests may be submitted to: [PRIVACY EMAIL / INFORMATION OFFICER CONTACT]
Akterial may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.
14. Information About Children
Akterial is intended for professional and business users aged 18 or older.
The Platform is not directed at children and Akterial does not intentionally seek to collect children's personal information through ordinary Platform use.
15. Information Regulator
Users may contact or lodge complaints with the South African Information Regulator.
Current official contact information and procedures are available from the Information Regulator.
Akterial will include the applicable Information Regulator details and prescribed processes in its PAIA Manual and compliance materials.
16. Changes to This Notice
Akterial may update this Notice as its Platform, technology, data practices or legal obligations evolve.
Where a material change affects how we process personal information, we will take reasonable steps to communicate the change where appropriate.
The current version will be made available on the Platform.
17. Contact Us
For privacy questions, requests or concerns: