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exit story · 2018 · creators & writers

How Bram Kanstein Sold StartupWatching to Andrew Askins (2018)

StartupWatching was built by Bram Kanstein and sold to Andrew Askins in 2018. At the time of the sale it made ~$12K/year estimated revenue (per buyer).

acquired by Andrew AskinsMarketplace✍️ Creators & Writersstartupwatching.com

Key facts

Buyer
Andrew Askins
Year
2018
Price
Undisclosed
Revenue at sale
~$12K/year estimated revenue (per buyer)
Years operated
—
Channel
Marketplace

Why they sold: Bram Kanstein wanted to clear his head space to focus fully on new projects and wanted cash up front to fund them, while making sure the newsletter ended up in good hands.

The story of StartupWatching

StartupWatching was a curated newsletter of startup advice, founder stories and background reading, which Bram Kanstein built to more than 11,000 subscribers over 120-plus issues.

In spring 2018 Kanstein tweeted that he was looking for a buyer and listed the newsletter on the Transferslot marketplace with a $17,500 asking price. Andrew Askins, a longtime reader who ran the Charleston consultancy Krit, contacted him right away. Askins suggested a revenue share, but Kanstein preferred a clean cash sale and offered what Askins called a fair price; the final amount was not disclosed.

The deal used a one-page term sheet and was paid in Ether at a rate locked when the contract was signed. Kanstein also kept four promo spots in the newsletter for his next project, No Code MVP. The handover of the domain, website and accounts was finished in May 2018, and Askins took over as curator.

The maker

Bram Kanstein avatar

Bram Kanstein

@bramk Netherlands52K followers

Dutch no-code maker of Startup Stash who built and sold five curation products

Startup Stash, StartupWatching, Road to Scale +2

See the StartupWatching product page or Bram Kanstein's full profile for everything they have built since.

Other exits by Bram Kanstein

Startup Stash logo

Startup Stash

buyer undisclosed · 2017

5 figures

Kanstein says he mostly loves the part of taking an idea to a finished product, and treats what comes after as a bonus, which is why he has sold most of his projects.

by Bram Kanstein

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Sources

Facts are taken from the maker's and buyer's public statements and press coverage. Prices and revenue are shown only when publicly stated; self-reported figures are not independently verified.

Keep exploring

StartupWatching acquisition FAQ

Who bought StartupWatching?

StartupWatching was acquired by Andrew Askins in 2018 from Bram Kanstein.

How much did StartupWatching sell for?

The price was not publicly disclosed. At the time of the sale StartupWatching made ~$12K/year estimated revenue (per buyer).

Why did Bram Kanstein sell StartupWatching?

Bram Kanstein wanted to clear his head space to focus fully on new projects and wanted cash up front to fund them, while making sure the newsletter ended up in good hands.

How was StartupWatching sold?

StartupWatching was a marketplace: listed on a startup marketplace such as Acquire.com, Flippa or Microns.