Buyer comparison
micro1 vs SimpleClosure: which should license your data?
If your company is closing, these two are the most likely routes. micro1 buys from operating companies and runs a separate track for defunct ones; SimpleClosure sells data as part of a startup wind-down.
In this guide
| micro1 | SimpleClosure | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 7.9 / 10 | 5.9 / 10 |
| Type | Direct buyer | Wind-down service |
| Referral program | Yes: $50K per deal up to $700K, then 7.5% | Small referral reported |
| Pays companies | $100K to $2M+ | $10K to $100K typical |
| Minimum size | 30+ full-time staff | No minimum; built for startups, now open to operating companies |
| Regions | US first, then other Western markets; English data | US venture-backed startups |
| Time to payment | Up to 30 days to review the data, then paid within 30 days of your invoice | Not published |
| Exclusivity | Non-exclusive, perpetual license | License if operating; outright sale if closing |
01
Where they really differ
Price. micro1 quotes $100K to $2M+ for operating companies. SimpleClosure's deals typically run $10K to $100K (Forbes).
Who. micro1 wants 30+ staff with years of records. SimpleClosure serves venture-backed startups shutting down.
Process. micro1 is a data deal on its own. SimpleClosure bundles the data sale into legal, tax and operational wind-down work.
02
When micro1 is the better call
Your company had 30+ staff and years of records, and you want to license before or as you close.
03
When SimpleClosure is the better call
You are a startup already winding down and want the data sale handled with everything else.
04
How to use two offers
You do not have to choose between micro1 and SimpleClosure up front. The cleanest approach is to qualify with both, get each offer in writing for the same scope of data, and only then decide.
- 1
Fix the scope first
Decide which systems and years are in, and what stays out (client files, HR records, anything under NDA). Give both buyers the same scope so the offers are comparable.
- 2
Compare net, not headline
Subtract any seller fee or agent commission, and note whether the money arrives in one payment or several.
- 3
Read the license term
An exclusive license, even for a year or two, stops you licensing the same records elsewhere. A non-exclusive one leaves that door open.
- 4
Sign one before you send anything
No export until a contract is signed and you have approved how personal data is removed.
05
Ask both of them the same questions
Put the same five questions to each buyer in writing and compare the answers side by side. Vague answers are an answer too.
- 1What is your written offer for our data, and what exactly does it cover?
- 2Can we license these records to anyone else, and if not, until when?
- 3Who does the de-identification, using which method, and do we sign off on a sample before anything leaves?
- 4When are we paid, and in how many payments?
- 5Will you name the AI companies that end up with our data?
FAQ
Questions, answered
Why does a closed company get less?
Fewer people to explain the records and a history that stops. Selling before you close usually gets more.
Get offers from buyers that fit
Tell us about your company once. We introduce you to the buyers most likely to pay, and you choose who to talk to.
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Sources
Every number on this page links back to one of these.
- 1micro1: data partnerships pagemicro1.ai
- 2MIT Technology Review: AI labs buy data from dead startupstechnologyreview.com
- 3Forbes: AI's new training data is your old Slacks and emailsforbes.com
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