Ballast Ventures LLC
Privacy Policy
Effective Date: October 9, 2026
1. Introduction
Ballast Ventures LLC (“Ballast Ventures,” “Ballast,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a Michigan limited liability company engaged in business activities that include entering into independently negotiated co-investment arrangements with content creators and other commercial partners.
This Privacy Policy describes how Ballast Ventures may collect, use, disclose, retain, and otherwise process personal, business, financial, and technical information in connection with its operations, business relationships, websites, services, and transactions.
By interacting with Ballast Ventures, providing information, or using our services, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy is provided for informational and transparency purposes. It does not create contractual rights, guarantees, fiduciary duties, or obligations beyond those imposed by applicable law or expressly established in separate written agreements.
2. Information We Collect
Ballast Ventures may collect information directly from individuals and businesses, through authorized third-party services, or through ordinary business activities.
Information we may collect includes:
Personal and Business Information
Names, business names, and contact information.
Email addresses, telephone numbers, and mailing addresses.
Business affiliations and professional information.
Information provided during onboarding, negotiations, or communications.
Information associated with executed agreements.
Financial and Payment Information
Tokenized bank account and routing information.
Financial institution names and account identifiers.
Bank account ownership and verification information.
Payment authorizations, transaction records, and settlement details.
Other financial information voluntarily provided or authorized by the individual or business.
Business and Performance Information
Advertising expenditures and performance metrics.
Affiliate sales, commissions, and incentive bonuses.
Investment amounts and financial arrangements.
Business reports and records related to commercial agreements.
Information obtained through authorized access to third-party platforms.
Technical and Usage Information
We may collect technical information associated with our websites, communications, and technology services, including device information, IP addresses, browser information, access logs, and related usage information.
We determine the information reasonably necessary for our business purposes, subject to applicable law.
3. How We Use Information
Ballast Ventures may use collected information for legitimate business purposes, including:
Evaluating and managing business relationships and potential investments.
Negotiating, administering, and enforcing commercial agreements.
Conducting business analyses and financial evaluations.
Verifying identities, businesses, and financial accounts.
Calculating and collecting amounts owed under applicable agreements.
Processing authorized financial transactions.
Maintaining financial, accounting, tax, and business records.
Detecting, investigating, and preventing fraud or unauthorized activity.
Protecting Ballast Ventures' financial, legal, and commercial interests.
Improving business processes, systems, and services.
Meeting legal, regulatory, contractual, and compliance requirements.
Ballast Ventures may also use information for other compatible and lawful business purposes, subject to applicable notice and consent requirements.
4. Financial Connections and ACH Payments
Ballast Ventures may use Stripe, Inc. and its affiliated services to facilitate secure bank account connections, verification, and electronic payments.
When a creator or commercial partner voluntarily connects a financial account through Stripe Financial Connections:
Stripe facilitates authentication and verification.
The account holder authorizes the relevant information sharing.
Ballast Ventures may receive authorized account identifiers, ownership information, and related payment information.
Stripe and participating financial institutions may independently process information according to their applicable terms and privacy policies.
Ballast Ventures generally does not require individuals to provide online banking passwords directly to Ballast.
ACH Debit Authorization
Creators and commercial partners may separately authorize Ballast Ventures to initiate ACH debits for amounts owed under applicable agreements.
Such authorization may cover payments arising from independently executed agreements, provided those transactions fall within the scope of the authorization and applicable law.
Connecting a bank account does not independently establish a payment obligation.
Actual payment obligations are determined by applicable agreements and authorizations.
Ballast Ventures may rely on valid payment authorizations when initiating permitted transactions.
The revocation of an ACH authorization does not, by itself, discharge an underlying contractual financial obligation. Payment authorization may be revoked in accordance with applicable law and the relevant authorization terms.
5. Information Disclosure and Third Parties
Ballast Ventures does not sell personal banking information to data brokers.
We may disclose personal, financial, and business information when reasonably necessary or appropriate for legitimate business purposes, including to:
Payment processors and financial institutions.
Accounting, bookkeeping, and financial administration providers.
Attorneys, accountants, tax advisers, and other professional advisers.
Technology, hosting, security, and administrative service providers.
Contractors and commercial partners assisting with authorized business operations.
Government authorities, regulators, or other parties when required or permitted by law.
Parties involved in an actual or proposed merger, acquisition, financing, restructuring, or transfer of business assets.
We may disclose information to establish, exercise, defend, or enforce legal rights or contractual obligations.
Third-party providers may maintain independent privacy and security practices.
Ballast Ventures is not responsible for the independent acts, omissions, privacy practices, or security procedures of third parties except to the extent responsibility is imposed by applicable law.
6. Confidential Business Information
Ballast Ventures recognizes that its business relationships may involve sensitive commercial information.
Where applicable, the treatment of confidential business information is governed by separately executed Non-Disclosure Agreements or other written agreements.
This Privacy Policy does not supersede, expand, or modify any confidentiality obligations established by those agreements.
Information that is publicly available, independently developed, lawfully obtained from other sources, or otherwise excluded from confidentiality protection under an applicable agreement may be handled accordingly.
Ballast Ventures reserves all rights and protections available under its commercial agreements and applicable law.
7. Data Security
Ballast Ventures uses administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards that it considers reasonable and appropriate for the nature of the information and its business operations, subject to applicable legal requirements.
We may rely on qualified third-party providers, including Stripe, for secure financial account connections, payment processing, authentication, and related services.
No electronic storage, communications, or payment system can be guaranteed completely secure.
Accordingly, Ballast Ventures does not warrant or guarantee that unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or loss of information will never occur.
Nothing in this Privacy Policy limits any non-waivable data security obligations, breach notification requirements, or other responsibilities imposed by applicable law.
8. Data Retention
Ballast Ventures may retain personal, financial, technical, and business information for as long as reasonably necessary or appropriate to:
Maintain and administer business relationships.
Perform or enforce contractual obligations.
Process and reconcile financial transactions.
Maintain accounting, tax, and regulatory records.
Investigate disputes, fraud, or suspected misconduct.
Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
Satisfy applicable legal requirements.
Protect legitimate business interests.
Retention periods may vary depending on the information involved, the business relationship, and applicable legal obligations.
Ballast Ventures may retain archived, backup, or historical records when reasonably necessary or legally permitted.
We may delete, anonymize, or otherwise dispose of information when we determine it is no longer required, subject to applicable law.
9. Privacy Requests and Choices
Individuals may contact Ballast Ventures regarding personal information maintained about them, including requests to access, correct, or delete information.
Requests should be directed to:
privacy-policy@ballastventuresllc.com
Ballast Ventures will evaluate requests in accordance with applicable law.
We may decline, limit, or defer requests when permitted by law, including when information must be retained for:
Contractual obligations.
Accounting or tax requirements.
Legal compliance.
Fraud prevention.
Dispute resolution.
Protection or enforcement of legal rights.
We may request reasonable identity verification before processing privacy-related requests.
This Privacy Policy does not establish rights to access, modify, or delete information beyond those provided under applicable law.
10. Third-Party Platforms and Services
Ballast Ventures may interact with third-party platforms, including Stripe, Intuit QuickBooks, advertising platforms, affiliate networks, analytics providers, and document management services.
These services may collect, process, store, or otherwise handle information under their own privacy policies and contractual terms.
Ballast Ventures does not control third-party systems and makes no representations or warranties regarding their continuous availability, security, performance, or independent data handling practices.
Information processed by Stripe is also subject to Stripe's applicable policies, available at:
11. Business Transfers
In connection with an actual or proposed merger, acquisition, financing, investment, restructuring, sale of assets, or other corporate transaction, Ballast Ventures may disclose or transfer relevant information to prospective or actual counterparties and their professional advisers, subject to applicable confidentiality obligations and law.
Such transactions may involve the transfer of business records, contractual information, financial information, and other information reasonably associated with the business.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
Ballast Ventures reserves the right to modify, amend, or replace this Privacy Policy at its discretion, subject to applicable law.
Updated versions may be published on our website with a revised effective date.
Unless applicable law requires otherwise, changes become effective upon publication.
We may provide additional notice or obtain consent when required by law.
13. Limitation of Policy Scope
This Privacy Policy describes Ballast Ventures' information practices and is not intended to serve as a comprehensive statement of all legal rights or obligations.
Nothing in this Privacy Policy:
Creates a fiduciary relationship.
Guarantees any particular business, financial, or security outcome.
Modifies an executed investment agreement or NDA.
Waives any legal rights or defenses available to Ballast Ventures.
Creates contractual obligations beyond those expressly agreed to in writing.
Limits rights or obligations that cannot lawfully be waived or restricted.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Ballast Ventures reserves all rights regarding the collection, processing, retention, disclosure, and protection of information reasonably necessary for its legitimate business operations.
14. Contact Information
For questions, privacy requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, contact:
Ballast Ventures LLC
Ann Arbor, Michigan
United States