Until you’ve agreed terms and know who you’re dealing with, don’t send customer lists, raw datasets, personal information, confidential records, or system access.
1. Identify the record of how your business works
AI data buyers may be interested in operational history: records that show how a team handled work, made decisions, and reached an outcome. Examples can include service histories, work orders, support cases, project records, finance workflows, or specialist documentation.
A customer list by itself is not the same as a connected work history. The useful signal is often the context linking a task or decision to what happened next.
2. Take stock at a high level
Note which systems hold the records, roughly how many years they cover, which teams created them, and whether the records show actions and outcomes. You do not need to export, clean, or upload anything at this stage.
3. Check who can approve a discussion
Before exploring a licence, identify the person who can bring in the right operational, legal, privacy, or IT colleagues. Your company will need to determine what rights and obligations apply to its own records. If records include third-party or regulated information, flag that for your advisers and the buyer before sharing anything detailed.
4. Have an initial conversation with a buyer
Share a high-level overview of your business: what it does, the systems it uses, and the broad kinds of records and history it holds. The buyer uses that to judge whether your records may be relevant. Keep raw data out of this stage.
5. Review the buyer’s process
The buyer explains its evaluation and technical process. Ask which records and dates are in scope, who will access them, how sensitive information is handled, what preparation is required, and what safeguards apply. Confirm who will handle any data review or preparation directly with the buyer.
6. Agree the licence and commercial terms
You and the buyer discuss pricing, scope, permitted uses, duration, payment schedule, and any other terms directly. Review privacy, security, retention, and deletion provisions with the appropriate people at your company. Proceed only if the written terms work for your business.
7. Sign and receive payment
If both sides agree and sign the licence, the buyer pays your business directly according to the payment schedule in the agreement. A partnership or payment is not guaranteed; it depends on a suitable opportunity and the terms you and the buyer agree.
Your company name and role, a short description of the business, broad record types and systems, and an approximate history. No files or customer-level information.
What kind of company may be a fit?
Buyers tend to look for actively trading businesses with a track record, operational records built up through day-to-day work, and the right to license them. Requirements vary by buyer.
Start with the basics
Talk through your company’s profile.
No raw data or customer lists needed.