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The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

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Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#11

If there isn't yet a Silicon Valley episode featuring a thinly veiled expy of this gentleman, I can't imagine why not.

Yeah, one can imagine him coming into the house uninvited and starting to examine their equipment and various other assets.

Vampires can't enter a house uninvited.

Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#12
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The question should be is the rate of churn of startups going up. One might interpret the facts as presented to indicate that startups are fashionable, and more people are starting them. A certain percentage are likely to fail.

This can happen BECAUSE economy is shit. I am in Brazil, right now completely unemployed (technically I never was employed in first place, so I don't count as unemployed in statistics), and out of work. So I am thinking of what business to start, this time... (I legally own 3 business, and I think I am heir of more 3 or 4) Because the ones I have none are profitable at all, and I can't find any work (not even superma…

This may be true but I doubt that most bootstrapped businesses need the services of a company like this one.

The scope of this article seems to be VC-backed businesses, and more specifically ones that have had more than one round of funding, but have either run out of money, or are on the obvious path to run out of money..

Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#13
I've been saying that since mid-2015 we've been seeing a slow down in the startup sector overall. Last year it was clear that new startup creations isn't keeping pace with previous years and shutdowns are more common. I think 2017 will be a disastrous year for startup formation and venture investment. SXSW this year was diminished from what it was in past years and it's clear that there's a pullback across the board.

Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#14
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, one can imagine him coming into the house uninvited and starting to examine their equipment and various other assets.

Vampires can't enter a house uninvited.

Not really a parallel. But perhaps it'd be easier for founders of doomed companies to accept the state of affairs if he provided them a Beetlejuice-style document - a "Handbook for the Recently Delisted", perhaps? The title needs some work, but I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this.

Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#15
While this is certainly a click-worthy title, I'm much more interested in seeing whether the relative number of startup failures is increasing, rather than looking at this in absolute terms.

2015 was a banner year for startup funding, and you would expect many of those war-chests to be running low right around now.

Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#16
Activity of restructuring firms is a good leading indicator of what's happening in private markets. These types of guys get involved well before public announcements of companies like Quixey. [0] It's also a very valuable service. Silicon Valley does well when people and assets from failing companies are freed up to join hyper-growth companies. Lenders are also more willing to take on startups as customers when they are confident that liquidators can get their money back.

[0] http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2017/03/09/quixey-al...

Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#17
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am smiling just thinking about it: "How much is that server worth?" "[Some funny techie answer that is literal, irrelevant, and absurd]" Nods and takes notes.

"Well, if it and the mirrors in New York and London go down at once, it's worth the whole company. So, I guess, one-third the company?"

Gilfoyle would point out that it's $6 of copper and rare-Earth metals.

(I have no idea what the actual number is.)

Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#18
post #13

I've been saying that since mid-2015 we've been seeing a slow down in the startup sector overall. Last year it was clear that new startup creations isn't keeping pace with previous years and shutdowns are more common. I think 2017 will be a disastrous year for startup formation and venture investment. SXSW this year was diminished from what it was in past years and it's clear that there's a pullback across the board.

I was at SXSW but didn't have as much time for Interactive sessions as in past years. Can you expound on your SXSW observation?

I did notice the trade show seemed dominated by the country pavillions like I don't remember before. It made me wonder if they were basically bussing in international startups to cover up for the general lack of startups that wanted to buy a booth.

Re: The ‘Terminator’ of startups says he’s seeing two to four wind-downs a week

#19
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am smiling just thinking about it: "How much is that server worth?" "[Some funny techie answer that is literal, irrelevant, and absurd]" Nods and takes notes.

"Well, if it and the mirrors in New York and London go down at once, it's worth the whole company. So, I guess, one-third the company?"

i literally LOL'd at this :)
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