Overview
Andrew Gazdecki is an American entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Acquire.com, the world's largest startup acquisition marketplace.[1] The platform has facilitated over $500 million in deals across more than 2,000 startup transactions since its launch in 2020.[8] Gazdecki previously founded and sold three companies, including Bizness Apps, a mobile app builder that scaled to $10 million in annual recurring revenue before its acquisition by ESW Capital in 2018.[2]
Born in Poland and immigrating to the United States at age three, Gazdecki began his entrepreneurial career while studying at California State University, Chico.[7] He founded his first company, Phone Freelancer, during college winter break in 2009, selling it within a year before launching Bizness Apps in 2010.[3] After a brief stint as Chief Revenue Officer at Spiff Inc, he founded Acquire.com in 2020 with the mission to democratize startup acquisitions for bootstrapped founders.[4]
Gazdecki was named to Inc. Magazine's 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs list in 2017 and has become a prominent voice in the startup acquisition space.[6] He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and serves as a contributing writer for Entrepreneur Media.[9]
Early life and education
Gazdecki was born in Poland in 1985 and immigrated to the United States with his family at age three, settling in Chicago.[7] His father worked as a car mechanic while his mother was a stay-at-home parent.[8] He began entrepreneurial activities as a child, selling World of Warcraft gold online and operating an eBay store by age 10.[8]
Gazdecki attended California State University, Chico, where he studied business marketing from 2006 to 2010.[7] During his college years, he started his first formal business venture, founding Phone Freelancer during winter break in 2009 by spending the entire vacation commenting on iPhone app development blogs to build a job board connecting mobile developers with businesses.[8]
Career
Phone Freelancer (2009–2010)
While still a college student, Gazdecki founded Phone Freelancer, a job board connecting mobile app developers with businesses during the early iPhone era.[8] He built the platform by manually commenting on iPhone development blogs throughout his winter break to attract users.[8] The company was sold within a year for an undisclosed amount in the $30,000 to $50,000 range.[8]
Bizness Apps (2010–2018)
In 2010, Gazdecki founded Bizness Apps, a do-it-yourself mobile app builder targeting small businesses.[3] The company offered businesses the ability to create mobile apps for $39 per month, capitalizing on the growing demand for mobile presence among small enterprises.[3] Under Gazdecki's leadership, Bizness Apps scaled to $10 million in annual recurring revenue and became profitable within its first three years.[2]
In 2016, Gazdecki relocated the company from San Francisco to San Diego, citing cost considerations and quality of life factors.[2] The company was acquired by ESW Capital in 2018, with Gazdecki restructuring the business from an LLC to a C-Corporation in four days prior to the sale to optimize tax benefits.[8]
Altcoin.io and Spiff Inc (2018–2020)
Following the Bizness Apps acquisition, Gazdecki founded Altcoin.io, a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange, in 2018.[9] The platform was acquired by BnkToTheFuture in 2019.[9] He subsequently joined Spiff Inc as Chief Revenue Officer in 2019, helping the sales commission software company achieve over 1,000% growth and raise a $10 million Series A round.[9]
Acquire.com (2020–present)
In 2020, Gazdecki founded Acquire.com (originally named MicroAcquire), a startup acquisition marketplace designed to connect sellers with potential buyers.[1] The platform initially focused on profitable SaaS companies valued under $5 million but has since expanded to facilitate larger transactions.[1] The company raised $5 million in funding in December 2021 at an $80 million valuation.[1]
As of 2021, Acquire.com had facilitated over $500 million in deals across more than 2,000 startup transactions and registered over 500,000 potential buyers on its platform.[8] The company reported $750,000 in annual recurring revenue with 20% month-over-month growth as of late 2021.[8]
Recognition and public engagement
Gazdecki was named to Inc. Magazine's 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs list in 2017, recognizing him as one of the most promising young business leaders.[6] He serves as a contributing writer for Entrepreneur Media and is a member of the Forbes Technology Council.[9]
He has become a prominent voice in discussions about startup acquisitions and entrepreneurship, frequently speaking about the challenges facing bootstrapped founders in the traditional M&A market.[4] Gazdecki has appeared on various podcasts and industry publications to discuss his experience building and selling multiple companies.[5]
Public statements
You're a statistical anomaly if you can sell a business for over a hundred million dollars
On startup acquisition realities — OpenView Partners, 2023[4]
I can't say how truly humbled I am to be selected for this award. However, business is a team sport
On Inc. 30 Under 30 recognition — Bizness Apps Blog, 2017[6]
References
- MicroAcquire raises $5 million for its startup sale marketplace — Axios, December 2021
- Why I moved my startup from San Francisco to San Diego — TechCrunch, March 2016
- An iPhone App For Your Business For Just $39 A Month? Bizness Apps Raises Funding — TechCrunch, November 2010
- Andrew Gazdecki (MicroAcquire): Busting the Myths of Selling Startups — OpenView Partners, January 2023
- Exclusive: MicroAquire CEO Andrew Gazdecki talks about how he helps bootstrapped founders get their due — The Business of Business, January 2022
- 30 Under 30: Meet Our CEO, Andrew Gazdecki — Bizness Apps, January 2017
- Andrew Gazdecki | CSU — California State University, January 2020
- Building the Zillow of startup acquisitions — Mixergy, January 2021
- Andrew Gazdecki - Startup executive, investor & advisor — Personal Website, January 2024