Today, ex/ante—an early-stage venture fund focused on investing in technology that supports human agency and user control over privacy, data, assets, and algorithms—announced the launch of Builder Blueprints. This free, first-of-its-kind resource empowers start-up founders to go beyond the status quo to protect their users while building best-in-class companies and was launched with support of the Ford Foundation Mission Investments initiative.
Start-up founders focused on building great companies rarely have the bandwidth and legal expertise to parse every phrase of a legal document. Instead, they often turn to off-the-shelf legal documents that frequently fall short in protecting their users or serving the best interest of the start-up. Builder Blueprints makes high-integrity, best-in-class resources free and accessible to all founders. Customizable documents within the library enable start-ups to adopt bedrock policies that allow them to protect users without sacrificing growth or innovation.
The documents were drafted by preeminent law firm Morrison Foerster, with feedback and input from a panel of leading experts in data privacy and digital rights, including experts from the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
“ex/ante is committed to helping start-ups do right by those they serve without sacrificing their pace of execution or growth trajectory,” said Zoe Weinberg, Founder and Managing Partner at ex/ante. “Builder Blueprints raises the floor by giving founders the resources they need so they can focus on building their companies and changing the world.”
Curated documents include:
- U.S. Privacy Policy: Builder Blueprints kicks jargon to the curb to give users more clarity about how their data will be collected, used, stored, shared, or sold. The offering includes functions that provide higher protection for both the start-up and users, such as including clauses specifying that user information will not be released unless under a court order, and more.
- Website Terms of Use: Users have been expected to give up common sense rights in order to access and/or use a website. A number of standardized clauses in existing Terms of Use agreements are outdated and do not meaningfully protect users. The Builder Blueprints version helps start-up founders safeguard website users’ rights, but not at the expense of product experience or at legal risk to the company.
- U.S. Data Privacy & Security Checklist: In today’s wild west of data privacy, start-ups need more than just good intentions to protect users. Think of this checklist as a start-up’s privacy bodyguard to make sure a company only collects what it actually needs and that the data is under lock and key. This isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about building trust between start-ups and their users. The Builder Blueprints checklist helps founders to keep an eye on the horizon in a rapidly evolving landscape.
“Builder Blueprints fills a critical void in the start-up ecosystem,” said Roy Swan, Head of Mission Investments at the Ford Foundation. “We’re proud to support ex/ante’s mission of providing innovative solutions that help start-up founders build trust and scale responsibly from the beginning. Getting this balance right isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business. We’re grateful to our colleague Rei Tran, Tech Fellow at the Ford Foundation, for her expertise and work on this initiative.”
Learn more about Builder Blueprints and unlock the benefits here: www.builder-blueprints.com
About ex/ante
ex/ante backs technology that advances human agency, writing the playbook for investing in the next generation of privacy, security, and information tools. With individual freedom at its core, ex/ante is pioneering a new category that will define the next generation of technology. For more information, visit https://www.buildexante.com/.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250204743490/en/