Idea Locator

The startup graveyard

76 companies that died in categories on the board, $3.4B of disclosed capital, each with the constraint that killed its category and a source. Sorted by capital raised.

A big graveyard is evidence of demand: investors do not put hundreds of millions into something nobody wants. It is only half of the rule; the other half is whether the killer has moved. Download CSV.

CompanyCategoryYearsCapitalHow it diedSource
QuibiQuibi Not a timing failure2018–2020$1.8BShut down, December 2020source M
WebvanOnline grocery delivery Formed1996–2001$800MFiled for bankruptcy in July 2001 and laid off 2,000 staffsource M
Kozmo.comOn-demand local delivery Formed1998–2001$250MShut down, April 2001source M
Digital:Convergence (CueCat)Scan-to-web codes Formed2001$185MDefunct by the end of 2001source M
Boo.comBoo.com Not a timing failure1998–2000$135MCollapsed in May 2000source M
Copia GlobalRural last-mile retail distribution in Africa No-go2024$123MEntered administration, May 2024, after failing to raise new fundingsource M
JuiceroJuicero Not a timing failure2013–2017$120MShut down, September 2017source M
ArivaleConsumer genomics and health testing I don't know2019$50MClosed abruptly in April 2019, saying its service cost more than customers would paysource M
Transatomic PowerSmall modular nuclear reactors Trigger pending2011–2018—Shut down, September 2018source M
UAMPS Carbon Free Power Project (NuScale)Small modular nuclear reactors Trigger pending2023—Cancelled, November 2023, after cost estimates rosesource M
PointCastPersonalised news feeds Formed1992–1999—Sold in 1999 after rejecting a reported $450M offersource M
Aquion EnergyAquion Energy Not a timing failure2008–2017—Chapter 11, March 2017source M
Better PlaceBetter Place Not a timing failure2007–2013—Bankruptcy, May 2013source M
Google Glass (consumer)Camera glasses Formed2013–2015—Consumer sales ended January 2015; enterprise edition ended 2023source M
North (Focals)Camera glasses Formed2012–2020—Acquired by Google in June 2020; Focals discontinuedsource M
InvitaeBroad clinical genetic testing Blocked on a check2010–2024—Chapter 11, February 2024; assets bought by Labcorpsource M
LoudcloudCloud infrastructure (utility computing) Formed1999–2002—Sold its managed-hosting business to EDS in 2002; renamed Opswaresource M
23andMeConsumer genomics and health testing I don't know2006–2025—Chapter 11, March 2025source M
AnkiConsumer home robots No-go2010–2019—Bankrupt in April 2019 after losing a critical funding roundsource M
VPL ResearchConsumer virtual reality Formed1984–1990—Bankruptcy, 1990; patents later sold to Sun Microsystemssource M
CruiseCruise (robotaxis) Not a timing failure2013–2024—GM ended robotaxi funding, December 2024source M
DigiCashDigital cash Formed1989–1998—Bankruptcy, 1998source M
North (Focals)Apps for AI camera glasses Blocked on a check2012–2020—Acquired by Google in June 2020; Focals discontinuedsource M
Starsky RoboticsDriverless trucking Trigger pending2016–2020—Ceased operations in 2020 after failing to raise moneysource M
Embark TrucksDriverless trucking Trigger pending2023—Wound down in March 2023, laying off 70% of staff, about 16 months after going public via SPACsource M
TuSimple (US trucking)Driverless trucking Trigger pending2015–2024—Closed its US business, then pivoted to AI gaming as CreateAI (December 2024)source M
eToyseToys Not a timing failure1997–2001—Chapter 11, March 2001source M
LiliumElectric air taxis (eVTOL) I don't know2015–2025—Insolvency proceedings, late 2024 and again in 2025source M
VolocopterElectric air taxis (eVTOL) I don't know2011–2025—Filed for insolvency, December 2024; assets sold in 2025source M
Kitty HawkElectric air taxis (eVTOL) I don't know2010–2022—Shut down, September 2022source M
Excite@HomeExcite@Home Not a timing failure1996–2001—Chapter 11, 2001source M
FastFast (one-click checkout) Not a timing failure2022—Shut down in April 2022 after raising over $120M; reported 2021 revenue was about $600Ksource M
FriendsterFriendster Not a timing failure2002–2015—Lost US users to MySpace by 2005; shut in 2015source M
Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology SystemsImplantable brain-computer interfaces Trigger pending2009—Sold its BrainGate business and other assets in 2008-2009source M
AeroFarmsIndoor vertical farming No-go2004–2023—Chapter 11, June 2023; emerged smaller in September 2023source M
AppHarvestIndoor vertical farming No-go2017–2023—Chapter 11, July 2023; greenhouses sold offsource M
Bowery FarmingIndoor vertical farming No-go2015–2024—Shut down, November 2024source M
PlentyIndoor vertical farming No-go2025—Chapter 11, March 2025source M
KaleraIndoor vertical farming No-go2023—Chapter 11, April 2023; assets later soldsource M
A123 SystemsLFP battery cells Formed2001–2012—Chapter 11, October 2012; assets bought by Wanxiangsource M
Blue ApronBlue Apron (meal kits) Not a timing failure2012–2023—Sold to Wonder for about $103M in 2023source M
MP3.comCloud music lockers Formed1997–2001—Lost UMG v. MP3.com (2000); acquired by Vivendi Universal in 2001source M
NapsterLicensed music streaming Formed1999–2001—Shut by court injunction, July 2001 (A&M Records v. Napster)source H
MySpaceMySpace Not a timing failure2003–2011—Sold by News Corp for about $35M in 2011, after a $580M purchase in 2005source M
Orexigen TherapeuticsObesity care on generic semaglutide (outside the US) Blocked on a check2002–2018—Chapter 11, March 2018 (Contrave)source M
VivusObesity care on generic semaglutide (outside the US) Blocked on a check2020—Filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020 (Qsymia)source M
UrbanfetchOn-demand local delivery Formed1999–2000—Shut its consumer delivery service in 2000source L
HomeGrocerOnline grocery delivery Formed1997–2000—Merged into Webvan in 2000, months before Webvan failedsource M
Shift TechnologiesShift and Vroom (online used cars) Not a timing failure2013–2023—Chapter 11, October 2023source M
Vroom (e-commerce)Shift and Vroom (online used cars) Not a timing failure2013–2024—Wound down its e-commerce operations, January 2024source M
Pseudo.comOnline video Formed1993–2001—Parent company went bankrupt after the dot-com crash; assets sold to INTV in 2001source M
Pets.comPets.com Not a timing failure1998–2000—Liquidated, November 2000source M
deCODE geneticsPopulation genomics Formed1996–2009—Chapter 11, November 2009; acquired by Amgen for $415M in 2012source M
Pear TherapeuticsPrescription digital therapeutics Ripe2023—Chapter 11, 7 April 2023, with a plan to sell its assetssource H
AkiliPrescription digital therapeutics Ripe2024—Sold to Virtual Therapeutics for about $34M in July 2024, after struggling to win insurance coveragesource M
Better TherapeuticsPrescription digital therapeutics Ripe2024—Shut down operations and terminated employees, March 2024source M
TeledesicLow-orbit satellite broadband Formed1990–2002—Suspended satellite construction in 2002source M
Iridium SSCSatellite phones Formed1999—Chapter 11, August 1999, nine months after service began; sold for $25M in 2001source M
BirdBird (scooter sharing) Not a timing failure2017–2023—Chapter 11, December 2023source M
Segway PTSegway Not a timing failure2001–2020—Its maker announced the end of Segway PT production in June 2020source M
General MagicSmartphones (pocket communicators) Formed1990–2002—Ceased operations in September 2002; liquidated in 2004source M
SixDegrees.comSocial networking Formed1997–2001—Sold to YouthStream Media for $125M in 1999; shut in 2001source M
ConvoySoftware freight brokerage Trigger pending2015–2023—Shut down in late 2023; assets and some staff acquired by Flexportsource M
SolyndraSolyndra Not a timing failure2005–2011—Chapter 11, September 2011source H
Aerion SupersonicSupersonic passenger flight Trigger pending2003–2021—Shut down in May 2021 after failing to secure production fundingsource M
Concorde (BAC/Aerospatiale)Supersonic passenger flight Trigger pending1976–2003—Retired in 2003source H
GO CorporationTablet computers Formed1987–1994—Sold to AT&T in 1994, then shut downsource M
TheranosTheranos Not a timing failure2003–2018—Dissolved in 2018; founder convicted of fraud in 2022source H
Apollo for RedditThird-party clients on someone else's platform No-go2023—Shut down 30 June 2023 after Reddit API pricing changessource M
TweetbotThird-party clients on someone else's platform No-go2011–2023—Shut down January 2023 after Twitter ended third-party client accesssource M
TiVoTiVo Not a timing failure1997–2016—Acquired by Rovi for about $1.1B in 2016source M
Buyk15-minute grocery delivery No-go2022—Ceased operations and filed Chapter 11, March 2022, after its founders' funding was cut off by sanctionssource M
Fridge No More15-minute grocery delivery No-go2022—Shut down, March 2022, after a sale of its assets fell throughsource M
Gorillas15-minute grocery delivery No-go2020–2024—Acquired by Getir in December 2022; brand ended in 2024source M
Getir (US, UK, Germany)15-minute grocery delivery No-go2015–2024—Announced in April 2024 it was leaving the US, UK and Germanysource M
Wildfire CommunicationsVoice assistants Formed1992–2005—Bought by Orange for $142M in 2000; Orange ended the product in 2005source M