For decades, access to high-quality deal flow and sophisticated M&A infrastructure has been largely designed for well-connected investors and industry giants. Small businesses and independent founders, particularly those operating outside English-speaking markets, may often find the barriers even higher. Language, geography, and limited access to networks could mean that opportunity stops at the border.
Amidst this trend, Flippa, a platform for buying and selling digital businesses, is rewriting the script and dismantling those barriers. Under the leadership of CEO Blake Hutchison, the company has connected buyers and sellers across continents, linguistic differences, and price points, closing deals from $100,000 up to $10 million. Now, with the launch of its AI-powered multi-language Deal Room, Flippa is addressing what it sees as one of the last major points of disadvantage in global business deals and M&A, calling it the “Language Tax.”
Founded in 2009, Flippa has grown into a global marketplace where entrepreneurs can buy and sell digital assets ranging from e-commerce stores and SaaS businesses to YouTube channels, online communities, and mobile applications. According to Hutchison, the platform supports users from 189 countries, attracting over 450,000 new buyers in the last two years alone. “Our internal data shows that cross-border transactions now account for approximately 85% of all deals completed on the platform,” Hutchison says. “That growth has been especially pronounced in Europe. As a highly fragmented market with high cross-border trade volume but multiple operating languages, I believe Europe often faces structural friction in cross-border dealmaking.”
He notes that European businesses are increasingly being acquired by international buyers, with US-based acquirers representing a significant share of demand. Yet, as deal volumes continue to decline, Hutchison believes that language barriers have historically slowed or derailed otherwise viable transactions.
The 💜 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol’ founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
The company’s new multi-language Deal Room is designed to remove that friction entirely. Within the Deal Room, Hutchison notes that buyers and sellers can now negotiate and transact in their preferred languages. “For example, a French seller can communicate in French with an Italian or English-speaking buyer, who receives the message instantly translated into their own language,” he says, exp