vic · 10d Is it possible to sell a pre-revenue startup?
I work as a broker, and I frequently encounter the misconception that unless an MVP has crossed the 1-cent revenue threshold, no one will buy it.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In my practice, I have seen cases where founders sold a bare "idea" - literally just a plan on paper.
I’m sharing this because founders often lose faith in their own projects after a series of minor setbacks.
Just remember the initial value of your project, when you were building it, you saw its value clearly - don't lose sight of that!
Now, for some practical advice:
1. Content on X/Reddit
Use these platforms as a public manual for your project. I want every thought in your head to be reflected on your project's social media pages. This isn't even necessarily to make a sale directly through Reddit, but to allow a potential buyer to "immerse" themselves in information about your project before you even start a conversation. Pre-prepared information eliminates the risk of "forgetting" to mention something and saves time for everyone involved.
2. TrustMRR, even if you are pre-rev
Having a portfolio on TrustMRR has a ton of non-obvious advantages. Even from a broker’s perspective, I see more and more clients coming specifically from TrustMRR every day. It’s a great free tool - use it in tandem with your X account.
3. The most important tip: use auctions!
Auctions are exactly what move the needle for pre-revenue projects. An auction facilitates "price discovery," which guarantees two outcomes:
a) The project might sell at a very low price, but it will sell.
From a buyer’s perspective, a "bid" is perceived psychologically in a fundamentally different way than a fixed low price. (If the price is low from the start, the buyer thinks the project is trash; when the buyer sets a low price themselves, they justify their own actions and invent their own rationale for the deal.
b) Bidding implies a competitive element where bids can run parallel to each other, often driving the price much higher than the seller originally anticipated.
Additionally, auctions often have clearly defined timeframes. If your auction closes without bids a few times, it’s easier to leave the project behind and stop wasting energy on another attempt.
It’s strange that there is so little discussion about this.