Startup Failures 2024: The Complete Report
2024 saw massive collapses in EdTech, EV, and logistics. Byju's $22B implosion, Fisker's bankruptcy, and Bird's final flight defined the year.
82
Notable Failures
$155B
Total Funding Lost
31
Industries Affected
Failures by Industry
Failure Reasons
Key Highlights
Byju's became the largest EdTech failure in history at $22B peak valuation
EV sector saw Fisker and Canoo both file for bankruptcy
Bird scooters ended a turbulent 7-year journey
AI startups began showing first cracks despite record funding
Biggest Failures of 2024
WeWork
Valuation hype cannot mask fundamentally broken unit economics. Corporate governance failures amplify founder risk.
Byju's
Aggressive acquisition-driven growth funded by debt is fragile. Transparency with investors is non-negotiable.
Juul Labs
A $38B e-cigarette company that hooked teenagers on nicotine faced total regulatory destruction.
Northvolt
Manufacturing battery cells at scale is extraordinarily hard. Even $13.8B couldn't bridge the gap between lab results and factory output.
Rivian (Value Destruction)
Rivian IPO'd at $150B — briefly worth more than Ford and GM. The stock fell 90% as production couldn't match hype.
Convoy
Marketplace businesses in cyclical industries must have fortress balance sheets to survive downturns.
OYO Rooms
SoftBank poured $2B+ into a budget hotel chain that expanded to 80 countries before ensuring quality in one.
Genesis Global
Crypto prime brokerage with $3B in outstanding loans collapses when multiple borrowers default in sequence.
Predictions for 2025
AI startup failures will accelerate as hype meets reality in 2025
Climate tech will see consolidation as subsidies shift
Remote work tools face saturation and churn challenges
Learn from Startup Failures
93% of startups fail. Study these cases to avoid the same mistakes.
Terra/Luna
Algorithmic stablecoins are inherently fragile. When confidence breaks, the death spiral is unstoppable.
WeWork
Valuation hype cannot mask fundamentally broken unit economics. Corporate governance failures amplify founder risk.
FTX
Due diligence on founder character is as important as business metrics. Lack of corporate governance enabled massive fraud.
Byju's
Aggressive acquisition-driven growth funded by debt is fragile. Transparency with investors is non-negotiable.