- SimpleClosure's Asset Hub has handled more than 150 deals, per MIT Technology Review.
- Other routes include rival wind-down services such as Sunset, selling directly to a buyer such as Surge AI, a bankruptcy sale, or a broker.
- Reporting found founders often cannot see who buys their data, so ask.
The routes
| Route | Example | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Wind-down platform with asset sales | SimpleClosure, Sunset | Bundled with the shutdown process; Sunset values assets by headcount, years operating, data volume and tool use |
| Direct sale to a buyer | Surge AI and AI labs | Fewer intermediaries, but you negotiate alone |
| Bankruptcy or court-supervised sale | Spirit Airlines' data sold to Alphabet for $10 million | Privacy rules under section 363 may apply |
| Broker | AI Data For Sale (us) | Multiple qualified buyers, negotiated license terms, no fee unless a deal completes |
Sources: MIT Technology Review, TravelPulse.
What to ask any route
- Who is the buyer, and what will they use the data for?
- Is it a license or an outright sale?
- Who removes personal information, and how is it checked?
- What happens to customer data?
- What does the intermediary charge?
Read selling data from a closed company and bankruptcy and insolvency.
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Questions
How much is a closed startup's data worth?
MIT Technology Review reported about $25,000 for one startup's codebase and about $15,000 pending for its workspace data. Try our value estimator.