Overview
StokeForge, LLC ("StokeForge," "we," "us," or "our") operates a cloud-based software platform for small and mid-size manufacturers. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information about you when you access our website at stokeforge.com and our SaaS products (collectively, the "Services").
By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy. If you are using our Services on behalf of your company, you represent that you have authority to bind your company to this policy.
Information We Collect
Account & Contact Information
When you register or subscribe, we collect your name, business email address, job title, company name, billing address, and payment details (processed by our payment provider, who does not give us full card numbers).
Usage Data
We collect information about how you interact with our Services, including pages visited, features used, timestamps, session duration, browser and device type, IP address, and referring URLs. This data is used to improve the platform and diagnose technical issues.
Content You Provide
Our Services allow you to upload, enter, and generate business data: strategic plans, SWOT analyses, quote line items, production metrics, supplier records, and similar operational content. We treat this as your confidential business data (see our Terms of Service).
Communications
If you contact us by email, submit a support ticket, or engage with our team, we retain those communications and any information you provide in them.
Website FAQ assistant
On marketing pages we offer an optional FAQ assistant. It appears as an Ask panel in the corner of the page, and on some pages also as a row in the FAQ section. It answers questions using text from our public website (pricing, product descriptions, and similar page copy). When you submit a question, we store that question, the answer shown to you, and the time of the request in our database. We do not store a named transcript, and we do not ask for your name or email to use this feature. If you ask a follow-up in the corner panel, a short recent thread from that browser tab is sent with the new question so the follow-up can be understood. That thread stays in your browser for the tab only. It is not written to our database as a conversation. Requests may include a coarse client IP address in our server logs for abuse prevention and rate limiting.
Answers are generated with a third-party language model (currently via OpenRouter). We send your question, any short recent thread from that browser tab, and the relevant site copy to that provider to produce the reply. We do not authorize those providers to use your questions to train their models for this feature. See Information Sharing for sub-processors.
Cookies & Tracking
We use cookies and similar technologies to maintain sessions, remember preferences, and gather analytics. See our Cookie Policy for details.
How We Use Information
- Provide, operate, and maintain the Services you have subscribed to
- Process payments and manage your subscription and billing
- Send transactional communications (receipts, account alerts, security notices)
- Send product updates, new feature announcements, and, where you have opted in, marketing communications
- Respond to support requests and troubleshoot issues
- Operate the optional website FAQ assistant, improve FAQ answers, and review logged questions to update site copy
- Detect, prevent, and investigate fraud, abuse, or security incidents
- Conduct aggregate analytics to understand how the platform is used and improve its features
- Comply with applicable legal obligations
We do not sell your personal information to third parties, nor do we use your content to train AI or machine learning models without your explicit consent.
Data Retention
We retain account and usage data for as long as your subscription is active, plus an additional period of up to two (2) years to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Business content you create within the platform is retained for 90 days after account termination, after which it is deleted from our systems.
Questions submitted through the website FAQ assistant are retained until we delete them as part of routine database maintenance or in response to a valid privacy request. They are used internally to improve site copy and are not displayed publicly. The short thread in the corner panel is kept in the browser for that tab and is cleared when the tab closes. It is not a separate database record.
You may request earlier deletion of your personal data (subject to legal exceptions) by contacting us at privacy@stokeforge.com.
Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including TLS encryption in transit, AES-256 encryption at rest, role-based access controls, and regular security reviews. For a full description of our security practices, see our Security page.
No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong, unique passwords and to contact us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.
Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have rights under applicable privacy laws, including:
- Access: Request a copy of personal data we hold about you
- Correction: Request that inaccurate data be corrected
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal exceptions
- Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Objection / Restriction: Object to or restrict certain processing activities
- Opt-out of marketing: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time via the link in those emails or by contacting us
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@stokeforge.com. We will respond within 30 days. Note that some requests may be limited where we have a legal basis for continued processing.
California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)
California residents have additional rights under the CCPA/CPRA, including the right to know, the right to delete, and the right to opt out of sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To submit a California privacy request, contact privacy@stokeforge.com.
EEA / UK Residents (GDPR / UK GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area or United Kingdom, our legal basis for processing your personal data is typically contract performance, legitimate interests, or your consent. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
Children's Privacy
Our Services are intended for business professionals and are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email (to the address on your account) and by posting a notice on our website at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Services after that date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
For privacy-related questions, requests, or concerns:
StokeForge, LLC
Privacy inquiries: privacy@stokeforge.com
General legal: legal@stokeforge.com