# Closed Startup Paid $1.3M for Its Company Data: Case Study

> A closed startup was paid $1.3 million to license its company records. What a shut-down startup holds, what buyers publish and what to check.

Canonical: https://origindatapartners.com/case-studies/closed-startup-data-license-1-3-million
By: Origin Data Partners
Status: Published
Published: 2026-11-12
Updated: 2026-11-12
Sources checked: 2026-11-12

## Quick answer

A closed startup was paid $1.3 million for licensing its company records in a deal Origin helped place. It is one outcome, not a forecast: price depends on the records, the rights held, demand and the agreed scope. Origin does not publish the record types in this deal, and names stay private.

## Key points

- Payment: $1.3 million, for licensing a closed startup’s company records.
- Buyers of shut-down startups’ data include foundation AI labs, simulated-workspace vendors and tech companies, MIT Technology Review reported in October 2026.
- micro1 runs a separate program for companies that are no longer operating, listing $100K-$3M+ for approved data packages.
- Personal information is the main check: California treats transfers in a bankruptcy or similar transaction under specific conditions.

## Deal facts

These are deals Origin helped place. Company and buyer names stay private, and each is an individual outcome, not a forecast for another company: what a buyer pays depends on the records, rights, demand and agreed scope. See [all case studies](https://origindatapartners.com/case-studies).

- Company type: Closed startup
- Records licensed: Company operating records (record types not published)
- Amount paid: $1.3 million


## What records did the closed startup license?

The deal covered the company’s operating records. Origin does not publish which record types were included, so this page does not list them. What follows is general context about what a software startup keeps.

A startup that shuts down usually leaves behind its code repositories, issue trackers, design files, product documents, and years of workspace messages and email. [MIT Technology Review](https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/10/13/1145755/ai-labs-buying-data-from-dead-startups-to-train-models/) reported in October 2026 that one wind-down service’s platform “helps founders sell their code and workspace data.”

| Record type a startup may hold | What it shows an AI model | What must be removed or cleared first |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Code repositories with commit history | How software is built, reviewed and fixed over time | Secrets and keys, third-party code you do not own, customer data in fixtures |
| Issue trackers and pull request threads | How a team diagnoses and resolves problems | Customer names, personal information in bug reports |
| Workspace chat and email | How decisions are made and handed off | Employee and customer personal information, private messages your policies did not cover |
| Product specs, design files and docs | How a product goes from idea to release | Customer and partner confidential information |
| Support tickets and CRM records | How problems are reported and resolved | Customer identities and contact details |


## What do AI companies do with a closed startup’s data?

[MIT Technology Review](https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/10/13/1145755/ai-labs-buying-data-from-dead-startups-to-train-models/) reported that “Buyers include foundation AI labs, vendors that construct simulated workspaces for AI training, and mature tech companies building their own models.” [Mercor](https://www.mercor.com/data/) explains the demand: “Frontier AI models are increasingly being trained to work inside companies, navigating real tools, workflows, and decisions.”

A startup’s records are useful because they are linked: a message leads to a ticket, the ticket to a code change, the change to a release. That chain shows how work moves through a real company. See [selling Slack and email archives for AI training](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/sell-slack-email-archives-ai-training) and [selling source code to AI companies](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/sell-source-code-ai-training).


## How much is a closed startup’s data worth?

In this deal, a closed startup was paid $1.3 million. That is one outcome; Origin does not publish the scope or terms behind it.

Programs that publish ranges are below. [micro1](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/sell-defunct-company-data#micro1-defunct-company-data-partnership) also runs a Defunct Company Data Partnership and says “We are acquiring data from companies that are no longer operating,” listing “Company compensation: $100K-$3M+ for approved data packages.”

| Published program | What it says it pays companies | Who it says it is looking for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| micro1 Enterprise Data Partnerships | $100K-500K for qualified partnerships; $500K-3M for large-scale operational datasets; $3M+ for highly unique proprietary data | Established companies with 30+ full-time employees and substantial historical operational data, primarily in English |
| Handshake AI company data licensing | $100K to $4M+ payouts; its estimate is "indicative" and "not an offer" | Companies with 20+ full-time employees and 3+ years in operation |
| Mercor data program | No dollar range published; compensation is based on data volume, the tools connected and the depth of the data | No startup-specific figure; lists industries it targets and says connecting more tools generally raises the payout |

Figures as published on 12 November 2026 by [micro1](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/micro1-company-data-partnerships), [Handshake AI](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/license/) and [Mercor](https://www.mercor.com/data/). They are program ranges, not quotes for any company.

Origin Data Partners works with companies that own data and helps get it bought. We are independent of the services on this page, and a buyer may pay us when a deal closes ([how Origin is paid](https://origindatapartners.com/referral-disclosure)). [See what your data is worth](https://origindatapartners.com/check-fit).


## Can a small or closed startup sell its data?

A company does not have to be operating to take part in every program. [micro1](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/sell-defunct-company-data#micro1-defunct-company-data-partnership) has a program for companies that are no longer operating. Published size floors still apply: [Handshake AI](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/license/) looks for “20+ full time employees & 3+ years in operation,” and micro1 lists 30+ employees for its company programs. Origin does not publish this startup’s headcount.

Timing matters for a closed company. Once accounts are deleted or subscriptions lapse, workspace history can be lost. If you are winding down, decide about your records before you cancel tools. See [what to do with company data when winding down](https://origindatapartners.com/who-we-help/companies-winding-down) and [how to shut down a startup](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/how-to-shut-down-a-startup).


## What had to be removed or checked first?

Origin does not publish the checks made in this deal. For any closed startup, three questions come first: who now holds the rights (the company, a liquidator, an assignee or a buyer of the assets), what your privacy policy and terms promised customers, and what your contracts say about customer data.

Personal information needs care when the company itself is ending. California’s [CCPA definitions](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1798.140) treat as a separate case a business that “transfers to a third party the personal information of a consumer as an asset that is part of a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other transaction,” provided the information is used consistently with the law. Removing personal information before anything is shared keeps most records out of that question. See [business bankruptcy and company data](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/business-bankruptcy-company-data).


## How does the process work?

A closed company can start the same way an operating one does: describe the records at category level and who now controls them. No files or system access are needed.

Start with a company overview. Origin helps organize the record categories, open questions, and a possible next step in a Company Licensing Brief. Your company separately approves any named introduction, evaluation access, and license. No files or system connections are required to begin.

| Step | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| 1. Describe the company | Start with your company name, website, and contact details. Add your industry, team size, country, and the types of records your business has. |
| 2. Talk through the opportunity | Origin follows up to understand the business, the records you describe, and the question you want to explore. Together we organize a Company Licensing Brief: categories, questions to resolve, unknowns, and a possible next step. |
| 3. Explore a relevant opportunity | If a relevant opportunity is identified, Origin explains the proposed recipient and the company information to be shared. Your authorized contact approves that named introduction before it is made. |
| 4. Assess the terms | Your company reviews the proposed license and decides whether to proceed. Confirm the records, permitted uses, delivery requirements, and payment conditions. |

The full steps are on [how it works](https://origindatapartners.com/how-it-works). The brief is a starting point for a discussion. It is not a valuation, rights clearance, or a receiving program’s acceptance.


## Is licensing the data the same as selling the startup?

No. An acquisition or acquihire transfers the company or its team. A data license grants a buyer defined rights to use a copy of certain records. For a closed startup, licensing the records can sit alongside selling other assets such as domains or IP. See [acquihire vs selling startup data](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/acquihire-vs-selling-startup-data) and [alternatives to SimpleClosure for selling startup data](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/simpleclosure-alternatives-selling-startup-data).

More deals are on the [case studies page](https://origindatapartners.com/case-studies).

Does your company hold records like these? [See what your data is worth](https://origindatapartners.com/check-fit).


## Questions and answers

### How much was the closed startup paid for its data?

$1.3 million, for licensing its company records in a deal Origin helped place. Names stay private, and this is one outcome, not a forecast.

### Who buys data from closed startups?

MIT Technology Review reported in October 2026 that buyers include foundation AI labs, vendors that build simulated workspaces for AI training, and tech companies building their own models.

### Can a company that has already shut down sell its data?

Yes, if someone still holds the rights and the records survive. micro1 runs a Defunct Company Data Partnership for companies no longer operating and lists $100K-$3M+ for approved data packages.

### What records does a startup have that AI companies want?

Origin does not publish the record types in this deal. Startups generally hold code with commit history, issue trackers, product documents, and workspace chat and email; linked records are the most useful.

### What about customer data in a closed startup’s records?

Check your privacy policy, terms and customer contracts. Most licenses remove personal information before delivery. California law treats transfers of personal information in a bankruptcy or similar transaction as a specific case with conditions.

## Sources

- [MIT Technology Review: AI labs are buying data from dead startups (October 2026)](https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/10/13/1145755/ai-labs-buying-data-from-dead-startups-to-train-models/)
- [California Civil Code 1798.140 (CCPA definitions)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1798.140)
- [Handshake AI: company data licensing, published payouts and eligibility](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/license/)
- [Mercor: published data program terms and target industries](https://www.mercor.com/data/)

## Related reading

- [/who-we-help/companies-winding-down](https://origindatapartners.com/who-we-help/companies-winding-down)
- [/who-we-help/software-companies](https://origindatapartners.com/who-we-help/software-companies)
- [SimpleClosure review and alternatives: selling a shut-down startup's code and data](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/simpleclosure-alternatives-selling-startup-data)
- [Can a company sell its Slack and email archives for AI training?](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/sell-slack-email-archives-ai-training)
- [Can a company sell its source code to AI companies for training?](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/sell-source-code-ai-training)
- [/case-studies](https://origindatapartners.com/case-studies)
- [/case-studies/law-firm-data-license-720000](https://origindatapartners.com/case-studies/law-firm-data-license-720000)
- [/case-studies/financial-services-firm-data-license-835000](https://origindatapartners.com/case-studies/financial-services-firm-data-license-835000)