Stage by stage
Where the weeks go
First contact to a rough quote takes days, and some buyers call back within one business day. A written offer usually follows in a few days to two weeks, once the buyer has looked at a sample. Offer to signed agreement depends mostly on you and whoever reviews the contract.7,8,6,4,2
Signed to handed over takes as long as the cleaning does, which is often a few weeks. Signed to paid varies, but it's usually around 3-6 weeks, sometimes longer, and some buyers pay only once they accept the data in writing.2,3,5,4,6,9
These are the buyers' own estimates, and none of them counts the time you spend deciding whether to do this at all, which for most owners is the longest step. Our quiz shortens it: a few questions about your size and years, then an introduction to the buyers we work with that take a company like yours.1
| Fact | Value and source |
|---|---|
| Your Data Value terms | "Sell a copy. Keep your data."; "$200K to $2M"; "30 to 60 days"; "No upfront fees" |
| Mode timeline | A 14-day nonbinding letter of intent holds the estimate while Mode reviews the data; after acceptance it collects and scrubs the data over 15 to 30 days; payment expected within about 60 days |
| Time to offer and payment | Offer 1-2 weeks after intake; paid Net 30-60 |
| Ventra range and timing | $100K-$2M as potential deals, not a guaranteed payout; offers in 3 to 7 days; payment usually net 30 or net 60 |
How fast buyers move
Buyers are moving fast right now
micro1 said it completed 50+ data transactions in 45 days, and its $1B commitment runs over 12 months from October 2026, which gives it a reason to close deals quickly. Nyne's ads say the price changes as labs fill gaps, so buyers want to move while they still need what you have.10,11,12
Speed suits the buyer more than you, so do not let a deadline push you past the sample review or the written offer. Good buyers give a written offer before anything leaves and show a before-and-after sample before you sign, so insist on both from anyone.13,14
What slows it
What turns weeks into months
Sensitive records slow it most, because health or financial details take longer to clean and raise more questions, which is why buyers ask about them up front. So do several companies' records in one archive (buyers ask how many business entities you have), old files nobody can open until someone finds the software, and a slow contract review on either side.15
To save time, count your staff and years, list your systems, pick the folders you will leave out, and decide who on your side signs. Frankfurt Kurnit's checklist puts legal, privacy, HR and comms at the start for this reason.16
FAQ
Questions, answered with sources
Buyers are busy right now. micro1, for one, said it completed 50+ data transactions in 45 days.10
Sensitive records, several business entities in one archive, and old files nobody can open. Sorting those out before your first call saves the most time.15
Every business is different, so this one is best talked through with the buyer you're working with. Their team goes over it with you before anything is signed.
Before you sign
Questions to talk through with your buyer
Every business is different, so these are best talked through with the buyer you're working with. Their team goes over them with you before anything is signed.
Questions for this kind of business
- Do customer, vendor or platform contracts, NDAs or API terms restrict this?
Questions for any buyer
- Is the license exclusive, and for how long?
- Can you sublicense the data, and to whom?
- Which AI labs will receive it, and will you tell us?
- How long do you keep it, and how is it deleted?
- What is your liability cap, and who indemnifies whom?
- Will the contract ban re-identification of people in the data?
- Who removes personal data, by what method, and do we approve it first?