Failures and Lessons
99 out of 100 startups fail. Learn from the failures and mistakes of others to forge your own path to success
8villages to refocus business, shelve B2C agri-ecommerce ops as Covid boost proves short-lived
Despite a spike in B2C demand during Indonesia’s initial lockdowns, 8villages customers returned to shopping offline once restrictions eased
Luo Yonghao: Maverick founder who gave Smartisan its allure, but couldn't build a winner
The Smartisan founder and internet celebrity is making a comeback with live commerce, after failing to sell enough smartphones at his own company
Xuebacoming: Promising edtech had compliance issues from day one
Other hefty mistakes also contributed to Xuebacoming's demise – proof that investor and media support, and a booming market, won't guarantee success
From Tekapedia to HayoKerja: How failure led to a less exciting business model – and success
Borrowing the e-commerce marketplace model, Tekapedia tried to match businesses with blue-collar hires, but it soon realized the sector had simpler needs
CoolFarm: Why did Microsoft Portugal's Startup of the Year go bust?
The indoor-gardening tech startup went from winning awards to closing down with debts of close to €1m four years after its founding
Chic by Choice: From Forbes' 30 Under 30 to insolvency
Lack of cashflow was the main reason for the demise of Chic by Choice, Europe's leading luxury dress rental e-store
Roadstar.ai: A promising autonomous driving startup wrecked by infighting
No side benefits from the disputes, whether it is the founding team, investors or the employees
HeyGo's shattered dreams: Promising P2P classified services platform failed to scale
With 96,000 monthly active users, classified services app HeyGo grew in user numbers, but not revenue. It soon declared bankruptcy
eShop Ventures: A costly spending spree to create the Spanish Amazon
Behind the downfall of one of Spain's most promising startups
The death of Wazypark: A tale of too much money, and no business model
It was an investors’ and media darling. But the story of Wazypark got bitter in 2017, when management disputes and ballooning losses culminated in the startup’s final days
Startup shutdown: Some takeaways from BlackGarlic’s demise
Meal subscription service BlackGarlic shut down in July, blaming the high costs of customer acquisition and retention. Here’s a look at why the Blue Apron copy couldn't satisfy the Indonesian market’s palate
