Privacy Policy for the B2Match-App

Event apps “All About Process Management” (AaPm) and EFX App by Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG

Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter “Messe Stuttgart”) warmly welcomes you and is delighted that you are interested in our digital services and events.

This privacy policy applies to the “All About Process Management” (AaPm) and EFX event apps (hereinafter collectively referred to as “the app”). It describes what personal data is collected, processed and used when you use the app, the purposes for which this is done, and the rights you are entitled to.

We process your personal data in accordance with the legal provisions of the Federal Republic of Germany and the European General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter “GDPR”).

Use of the app is voluntary and is not a prerequisite for attending an event organised by Messe Stuttgart.

1. Data controller and data protection officer 

The entity responsible for the data collection and processing described here is:

Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG

Messepiazza 1, 70629 Stuttgart

Telephone: +49 711 18560-0

Email: info@messe-stuttgart.de

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding data protection, please contact the Data Protection Officer at Messe Stuttgart at:

Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG

Data Protection Officer

Messepiazza 1, 70629 Stuttgart

Email: datenschutz@messe-stuttgart.de

2. Data collected, purposes and legal bases for processing

The app provides you with information made publicly available by Messe Stuttgart to help you plan your visit to the trade fair, details about the exhibition grounds and advice on planning your stay. You can access information on upcoming events (“in-app data”) and use the following basic functions: search for exhibiting companies, products, brands and the supporting programme. Hall plans and in-app notifications are also available.

2.1 Categories of data subjects

When it comes to using the app, we distinguish between the following groups of people:

• Matchmaking participants: Individuals who register for a Messe Stuttgart event and use the app to take part in the event or to network.
• Exhibiting companies and partners: Companies and individuals who take part in events as exhibiting companies or as partners and are managed via the platform.
• App visitors: Individuals who use the app solely to obtain information about events.

2.2 Categories of personal data

The following personal data may be collected during registration and use of the app:

• Academic degree/title, gender/title of address, surname, first name, details of professional activity, company/employer, address(es), email address(es), languages, interests, booked sessions, workshops, image data, chat data, optional: details of social media profiles. 

2.3 Technical usage data

The following technical data is collected automatically during the operation of the platform:

• IP address, browser type, operating system, device type
• Access times, pages/functions accessed, duration of visit

2.4 Method of collection

The data is collected:

• directly from you, when you provide it during registration or whilst using the app,
• automatically by technical systems whilst using the platform 

2.5 Purposes and legal bases for processing

We process your personal data for the following purposes on the legal bases set out below:

2.6 Retention periods

We will only retain your personal data for as long as is necessary for the purposes stated or as required by statutory retention periods.

• Server log data: automatically deleted after 14 days.
• Data of participants in the networking events: stored until 31 December 2026
• Profile and registration data: deletion by 31 December 2026 at the latest following the end of the event, provided that no statutory retention periods preclude this.

3. Public forums and communication features

The app offers features such as message boards, profile pages and chats. Please note that information you post in publicly accessible areas may be visible to other users. We therefore recommend that you only share information in these areas that you specifically wish to make public. At your request, content you have posted will be corrected or deleted.

4. Networking features, purposes and legal bases

In order to use the app beyond its basic functions, users must consent to the processing of their personal data as part of the registration process for the networking features. Once you have registered and accepted the Terms of Use, we will process your data for the provision of the networking features beyond the purposes mentioned above as follows.

Via the app, you can invite other networking participants to a meeting and add a private message to the invitation. You can choose whether the invited person sets the venue and time of the meeting, or you can make a suggestion yourself. Meetings organised by you can be cancelled at your request.

4.1. Profile data for the public directory of participants

Once you have registered for the networking features, a personal profile will be created for you automatically. You can add further details to this, such as ‘Company’, ‘Job title’, ‘Telephone number’, ‘Areas of interest’, ‘Further information’ and a profile picture (optional).

The data is used to present yourself to other users, to describe your interests, and to facilitate establishing and maintaining contacts. You can disable the display of your profile details to other participants in the app at any time.

4.2. Image data

If, as a participant in the network, you wish to add a photo to your profile, the app requires access to your device’s camera functions. Access is granted only if you have given your prior consent. The legal basis is your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. 
You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect via your operating system’s settings; the lawfulness of any processing carried out prior to withdrawal remains unaffected. In the event of withdrawal, certain functions may not be available.

4.3. Exchange of contact details between participants

You can use the QR code scanning function to share your own contact details with other participants in the networking event or to obtain the contact details of other users via the same function. When other users scan your QR code, your contact details stored in the app are shared with them. The same applies to the exchange of digital business cards. These details include, for example, your first name and surname, email address, company, job title, telephone/mobile number and any other information you have provided in your profile.

4.4. Chat function

You can view and manage messages via the ‘Message Centre’ within the ‘Networking’ tab. The chat function allows you to communicate with other users in private chat rooms without this being visible to third parties.

Setting up a chat room requires both parties to confirm their interest in contacting each other within the app. You can send a request to any person on the public list of participants; the chat option becomes available as soon as the person you have requested confirms your request. To provide the chat function, we process the data from your personal profile as well as the content of the respective chat conversation.

 

4.5. Networking suggestions (matchmaking feature)

To make it easier for you to get in touch with other participants, the app suggests suitable people at appropriate times. To do this, we process the data from your personal profile, in particular the details regarding your areas of interest. You can deactivate the matchmaking function at any time in your profile settings with future effect; your profile will then no longer be visible to others.

4.6. Address book access 

In order to save contacts obtained via the contact and connectivity features, the app may access your address book. Provided you consent to this within the app, data from your device’s address book will be read locally and displayed in the app. This data is not transferred to Messe Stuttgart or any of our service providers. Processing takes place exclusively locally on your device.

The legal basis for address book access is your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR, which you may withdraw at any time with future effect via your device’s settings. In the event of withdrawal, certain functions may not be available.

4.7. Legal bases for the networking functions

The processing of data for the use of networking functions is based on your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Insofar as individual networking functions form an integral part of a booked event service, the processing may additionally be based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract). You may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect, without this affecting the lawfulness of the processing carried out prior to the withdrawal.

4.8. Retention periods

Data from your networking contacts will be available to you in the app until 31 December 2026. 

5. Cookies and similar technologies

The platform uses technically necessary cookies and similar technologies to enable and improve its use. 

The following types are used:

• Session cookies: temporary; they are deleted when you close your browser or the app.
• Persistent cookies: these remain on your device until they expire or are deleted, and enable the platform to recognise you when you visit again.

Specifically, the platform uses the following cookies: 

Technically necessary cookies (Section 25(2)(2) of the German Telemedia Act (TDDDG)) are used without consent (Section 25(2)(2) of the TDDDG). You can also disable cookies in the settings of your device or browser. If cookies are disabled, you may not be able to use certain functions of the platform to their full extent.

6. Recipients of your data and transfers to third countries

Messe Stuttgart uses the b2match platform for the planning, administration and organisation of trade fairs, congresses and events. The platform is provided by B2Match GmbH, Taborstraße 20/18, 1020 Vienna, Austria. B2Match GmbH processes your data as a data processor, strictly in accordance with our instructions, on the basis of a contract pursuant to Article 28 GDPR.

Hosting and email dispatch: 
The b2match platform is operated on Google Cloud servers within the European Union. The hosting service is provided by Google Ireland Limited or Google Cloud EMEA Limited. No personal data is transferred to third countries outside the EU in connection with the hosting service.

The Mailgun service provided by Sinch AB is used to send emails triggered via the platform (e.g. confirmation or notification emails). The data required for this purpose is processed exclusively on servers within the European Union (Germany and Belgium).

Should the use of the app result in the transfer of personal data to a third country outside the EU/EEA, we ensure an adequate level of data protection as follows:

• Data transfers to the USA take place, provided that the recipient is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, on the basis of the European Commission’s Adequacy Decision of 10 July 2023 (Article 45(3) GDPR).
• In all other cases, the transfer is carried out on the basis of the EU Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46(2)(c) GDPR) and – where necessary – supplementary technical and organisational measures.

Further information on the respective recipients and safeguards is available on request at datenschutz(at)messe-stuttgart.de .

Your data will not be disclosed to third parties for marketing purposes without your express consent. Furthermore, disclosure will only take place in the following cases:

• Legal requirements: where this is necessary to fulfil legal obligations or in response to an official order.
• Corporate transactions: In the event of a merger, acquisition or similar corporate transaction, data may be transferred to the legal successor.
• Social media integration: If you link your social media account to your app profile, certain data will be shared with the relevant provider.

This privacy policy applies exclusively to data processing carried out by Messe Stuttgart. We are not responsible for the data protection practices of third-party services (e.g. Google, Apple, social media platforms) that can be accessed via the app. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the respective privacy policies of these providers.

7. Your rights as a data subject

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights:

• Access to the personal data stored about you (Art. 15 GDPR).
• Rectification of inaccurate personal data and completion of incomplete personal data (Art. 16 GDPR).
• Erasure of your personal data, provided the conditions set out in Article 17 GDPR are met (‘right to be forgotten’).
• Restriction of processing under the conditions set out in Article 18 GDPR.
• Data portability: You have the right to receive the data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, or to have it transmitted to another controller (Article 20 GDPR).
• Withdrawal of consent given in accordance with Article 7(3) GDPR with effect for the future, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out on the basis of that consent prior to its withdrawal.
• Right to object (Article 21 GDPR): You have the right, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out on the basis of Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR. If your data is processed for the purposes of direct marketing, you have the right to object to such processing at any time; in this case, your data will no longer be processed for the purposes of direct marketing (Article 21(2) and (3) GDPR).
• The right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (Article 77 GDPR). In Baden-Württemberg, the competent supervisory authority is:

The State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information in Baden-Württemberg, PO Box 10 29 32, 70025 Stuttgart, or Heilbronner Str. 35, 70191 Stuttgart, Tel.: +49 711 615541-0, Email: poststelle@lfdi.bwl.de

Please address any enquiries regarding the exercise of your rights to: datenschutz@messe-stuttgart.de.

8. Changes to this Privacy Policy and its relationship to Messe Stuttgart’s general Privacy Policy

We update this privacy policy as necessary to bring it into line with changes in legal requirements or new processing activities. We will inform you of any significant changes in good time via the app. The current version is available to view in the app at any time.

This app privacy policy supplements Messe Stuttgart’s general privacy policy at https://www.messe-stuttgart.de/datenschutzerklaerung. In the event of any discrepancies, this app privacy policy shall take precedence.

Last updated: June 2026