What still has value
AI makes code cheap to recreate, so a buyer will not pay much for the code alone. They will pay for the things that took you time and money to earn.
- Paying customers and active users
- An email list of people who signed up for a problem you solved
- A domain name and pages that rank in search
- Data the product collected, where you can lawfully transfer it
- Integrations, partnerships and app store listings
- Brand recognition in a niche
Who buys startups disrupted by AI
The most common buyers are companies building the AI native replacement. Your users are their ideal customers, and buying them is cheaper than acquiring them one by one. Agencies and operators who run portfolios of small products also buy disrupted startups for their traffic and customer base.
Competitors are buyers too. A rival that is also feeling the pressure may want your customers to reach the size it needs to survive, which can turn into a merger rather than a sale.
How to price it
Price on what transfers, not on what you spent. Recurring revenue that will survive the handover is valued on a multiple. Without revenue, users, the domain and data carry most of the value, and the code adds a smaller amount based on what it would cost to rebuild today.
Use the startup value calculator for a starting figure, then adjust for anything unusual, such as a domain that is valuable on its own.
Position the sale honestly
Buyers will ask why you are selling. Say plainly that AI changed the market. A buyer who wants your users already knows that, and honesty about the product makes the rest of what you say more credible.
Lead your listing with what transfers. Users, traffic and customers first, technology last.
Common questions
Can I sell a startup that AI has made obsolete?
Yes. The product may be outdated, but users, customers, the domain, search traffic and data still have buyers, particularly companies building the AI version of what you did.
Is my startup's code worth anything if AI can rebuild it?
Less than it used to be, but still something, because a buyer saves time. Most of the value usually sits in users, revenue and the domain rather than in the code.
Who buys startups disrupted by AI?
AI native companies wanting your customers, operators who run portfolios of small products, and competitors looking to grow through acquisition.