FAQ: Navigating the Deep Waters of Gulp Data

Data Vaulting is the secure process we use to monitor and safeguard a backup copy of your dataset on a regular basis. Gulp provides each borrower with a client side application that verifies the “freshness” of data daily. To ensure privacy and security, data is encrypted using industry best practices prior to each daily update sent to Gulp’s cloud.The underlying infrastructure where the locked vaults are stored is only accessible by authorized staff for administrative purposes. Unlocking a vault requires a foreclosure event and multiple layers of approval in order to release keys for that specific client. This process is regularly audited in order to ensure complete compliance with our internal policies.

Once your dataset is analyzed via our secure client side valuation app, a loan offer is proposed using a copy of this asset as security. Gulp takes encrypted backups of your data lake into escrow without interrupting or impacting your data operations. This monitoring ensures integrity and contract fulfillment during the life of the loan. Once your loan is retired data monitoring ceases and all copies are permanently destroyed.

Data is considered an intangible asset and is not recognized under GAAP accounting standards. It is challenging for traditional lenders to understand and value data, let alone lend on it, but there is absolutely no doubt to a founder that their data has financial worth. Gulp specializes in data as an asset and offers lending tailored to today’s IP and data-obsessed companies.Our terms are founder-friendly: we don’t ask for a personal guarantee, we are industry agnostic, and as your business grows our loans can increase. Plus, we are cheaper on average and close much faster than other lending products.

Other sources of funding don’t impact our valuation decision, but may require some additional documentation from your current investors before a loan can be issued. Take the survey to begin the review process.

Your company’s location doesn't influence our decision. However, we must abide by certain restrictions in specific regions. The best way to find out is to take the qualification survey.

The market type of your data generally doesn't impact our decision. All data has value. Take the survey to qualify now!

We ask that the data sample is representative of the entire dataset – i.e. not cherry picked – and including all attributes, fields, and tables. It should be as comprehensive as possible and contain at least 15% of the full database you are pledging.

To perform a fair evaluation of your data assets and provide an accurate loan offer, we need to evaluate the quality and quantity of data that is being pledged. Remember that we are only analyzing your data’s metadata - we never look at the specific information contained within your data fields.

A data sample is a comprehensive sample of your company’s data assets. Since we use this sample for valuation, it should be as representative as possible of your complete dataset to get the right loan offer for you. If it is easier to just send the complete dataset for valuation that is an option as well.

This survey asks basic information about your business, including geography, past funding, company traction, and product/data infrastructure to quickly decide if we’re a good fit for each other. It only takes a few minutes.

No. Your data is always completely segregated, safeguarded, and encrypted on its own.

During the loan term, we keep a fresh copy of your fully encrypted data on our cloud services in a secure data vault, inaccessible to anyone.  Our primary data center, where data is stored and encrypted at rest, is located in a Tier III+ data center. We also utilize a global points-of-presence network to deliver fast and reliable experience to users anywhere in the world. Our data center provider complies with top certifications, including ISO 27001, AICPA SOC 2 and 3, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and more.

‍

We treat your data security seriously and comply with all security best practices and safeguards. Gulp Data is committed to the security of your company’s data. As part of this commitment, we use industry-leading security technologies and procedures to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. We adhere to a variety of compliance standards and meet industry best practices where applicable. Our data center provider complies with top certifications, including ISO 27001, AICPA SOC 2 and 3, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and more.

‍

Data privacy is at the core of Gulp Data. Our collateralization and vaulting process is discrete, safe, and transparent. We comply with all security best practices and maintain your data integrity policies for the length of our relationship. We use technical, contractual, administrative and physical measures in an effort to protect against unauthorized access. These include secure servers, SSL and encryption.

‍

During the valuation period, datasets are programmatically analyzed with scripts and models. In 95%+ of our reviews we do not need to inspect raw data. In some cases where the dataset is complex or unusual, one of our data valuation experts may manually examine specific components of a data sample. Once your data is secured by the Gulp Data vaulting system it will be remotely monitored solely by our software, making the raw data inaccessible for the duration of the loan. Unlocking a vault requires a foreclosure event and multiple layers of approval.

Data Vaulting is the secure process we use to monitor and safeguard a backup copy of your dataset on a regular basis. Gulp provides each borrower with a client side application that verifies the “freshness” of data daily. To ensure privacy and security, data is encrypted using industry best practices prior to each daily update sent to Gulp’s cloud.The underlying infrastructure where the locked vaults are stored is only accessible by authorized staff for administrative purposes. Unlocking a vault requires a foreclosure event and multiple layers of approval in order to release keys for that specific client. This process is regularly audited in order to ensure complete compliance with our internal policies.

No. Your data is not monetized during the vaulting period. We do not share your data with third parties.

During the loan period, our vaulting system runs checks for data freshness, quality, and day-over-day changes. If your report is flagged, we will notify you immediately so we can work together to fix the issue. In the rare event a solution can’t be reached you will be given the opportunity to pay off the loan early to avoid default. 

We all were (and still are!) founders and know unexpected things can happen. We’ll work with you to get back on track. Our ultimate goal is to make sure your loan is satisfied. And remember, no matter what happens, our loans are designed in a way that a default does not impact your operations. The specific details regarding breach of contract will be listed in our agreement.

No. Gulp Data irreversibly destroys vaulted data and immediately removes the monitoring mechanisms once your loan has been retired.

Yes, during the loan period, our client side application checks for data freshness, quality, and day-over-day changes. We provide your team with system requirements, installation instructions, support and updates throughout the term of the loan.

Gulp Data’s app does two things: 

1. It is a lightweight monitoring agent to capture statistics for data freshness and integrity;  

2. It packages and encrypts data locally before shipping it securely to our vaults. Running these processes on the client side limits risk for both Gulp and our clients.

Nothing! You can continue to operate as usual. We simply monitor dataset changes in a non-disruptive way to keep the vault up to date. Remember, we are storing a copy of your data, not the original or only dataset. 

Yes, and we would love to continue to finance you as you grow! We have a process to re-value your dataset at the end of your borrowing term and offer a new loan. Gulp Data can also provide additional funding for new data at any point. Just reach out to us and we’ll do our best to meet your specific needs. 

Gulp Data never wants to see a borrower in default. We work with each individual client to assist in the event of loan repayment difficulty, including exploring restructuring and/or forbearance options. As a last resort, licensing use rights to the data copy in escrow will be enabled in order to pay off the debt and interest accrued by the borrower. Gulp Data will take steps to responsibly and anonymously sell the formerly vaulted data set. The borrower will be completely off the hook for any further responsibility once this process is complete and will continue to retain 100% control over their original data set.

On the contrary! The Gulp Data agreement is structured as a SaaS and the loan is typically non-dilutive, subordinate financing. It pairs well with both venture capital and traditional non-dilutive funding structures, and is a great way to supplement your current fundraising efforts. 

We don’t charge an application or underwriting fee. Gulp Data charges a SaaS fee for the vaulting of the data as well as an implementation fee at the closing of the loan. The lender funds these fees from loan proceeds so Borrowers have zero up-front expenses with Gulp Data. 

The size, health, market and other factors of your dataset will be compared against our internal models to offer an estimate. We aim to provide the most competitive product possible, and terms may periodically improve over time as your dataset grows.