Startups

Toys “R” Us was the ultimate toy destination. Founded in 1948, it became a global giant. Children adored its aisles of toys. But debt and Amazon’s rise crushed it. By 2018, Toys “R” Us shut down. Its closure saddened generations. The brand tried revivals but never regained glory. Toys “R” Us symbolizes retail’s transformation. It shows how debt and disruption can topple giants. Today, it lives on in nostalgia. Its story is one of joy, decline, and lessons. Toys “R” Us remains iconic, reminding us that even childhood empires can fall.

Borders was once a global bookstore chain. Founded in 1971, it expanded rapidly, becoming a cultural hub. Readers loved browsing its aisles. But Amazon and e-books disrupted retail. Borders failed to adapt to digital trends. By 2011, it filed for bankruptcy. Its stores closed, leaving a void for book lovers. Borders’ fall was symbolic of retail’s digital disruption. It showed the dangers of ignoring innovation. Today, Borders is remembered nostalgically. Its story highlights the importance of agility. Borders remains a cautionary tale for retailers. It proves that even beloved brands can vanish if they resist change.

Sega was once a console powerhouse. With hits like Genesis and Dreamcast, it rivaled Nintendo. Fans adored Sonic the Hedgehog and Sega’s innovation. But by 2001, Sega exited hardware, focusing only on games. The Dreamcast failed commercially despite critical acclaim. Sony’s PlayStation dominated, leaving Sega behind. Sega’s retreat shocked gamers worldwide. Its consoles disappeared, but its games lived on. Sega remains beloved for its creativity. Its fall shows the brutality of hardware competition. Today, Sega thrives as a game developer, but its console era is nostalgic history. Sega’s story is one of brilliance, failure, and reinvention. It reminds us that even icons must adapt or vanish.

Napster launched in 1999, revolutionizing music sharing. It allowed users to swap MP3s freely, sparking a cultural revolution. Millions flocked to Napster, making it viral overnight. But record labels fought back, suing for piracy. Legal battles crippled Napster, leading to its shutdown in 2001. Despite its short life, Napster changed music forever. It paved the way for streaming platforms like Spotify. Napster showed the demand for digital music access. Its rise was meteoric, its fall inevitable. Yet its legacy endures. Napster forced the industry to adapt. It remains a symbol of rebellion and innovation. Napster’s story is one of disruption, conflict, and transformation. Though gone, its impact echoes in every playlist today.

JD.ID was the Indonesian arm of China’s JD.com. Launched in 2015, it aimed to dominate Southeast Asian e-commerce. With strong backing, JD.ID grew quickly, offering electronics, fashion, and more. It became a trusted brand, competing with Tokopedia and Shopee. But competition proved fierce. Local rivals adapted faster, offering better deals and logistics. JD.ID struggled to gain profitability. In 2023, JD.ID shut down, retreating from Indonesia. Its closure marked the limits of global expansion. JD.ID’s story shows that even giants can fail abroad. Localization, agility, and deep market understanding are critical. JD.ID remains a case study in globalization’s challenges. It highlights the importance of adapting to local consumer behavior. Today, JD.ID is remembered as a bold but failed experiment.

Zenius was one of Indonesia’s earliest edtech startups. Founded in 2004, it offered online learning long before it was mainstream. Students loved its accessible content and affordable pricing. During the pandemic, Zenius surged as schools went online. But competition intensified, with rivals like Ruangguru dominating. Funding challenges mounted, and Zenius struggled to scale. In 2024, Zenius shut down, shocking the edtech community. Its closure revealed the brutal realities of startup competition. Despite pioneering online learning, Zenius couldn’t sustain growth. Its story is bittersweet: a visionary startup undone by market forces. Zenius remains a symbol of innovation and fragility in edtech. It showed that being first isn’t enough — execution and funding matter. Today, Zenius is remembered fondly by students but studied as a cautionary tale.

Airy Rooms was Indonesia’s answer to budget travel. Founded in 2015, it offered affordable hotel stays with standardized amenities. The startup grew rapidly, partnering with thousands of hotels. Travelers loved its simplicity and affordability. Airy became a household name for budget-conscious Indonesians. But the pandemic struck in 2020, devastating travel demand. Bookings collapsed, revenue dried up, and operations became unsustainable. Despite attempts to pivot, Airy shut down in May 2020. Its closure marked the end of a promising travel disruptor. Airy’s rise showed the power of solving local problems with tech. Its fall revealed the vulnerability of travel startups to global crises. Today, Airy is remembered as a victim of COVID-19’s economic shock. It remains a case study in how external forces can destroy even well-run businesses. Airy’s story highlights resilience, timing, and the unpredictability of global events.

Quibi launched in 2020 with billions in funding and Hollywood backing. Its mission: deliver “quick bites” of premium entertainment for smartphones. The idea was bold — short episodes designed for mobile viewing. Big names like Steven Spielberg and Chrissy Teigen joined. At launch, hype was massive, but cracks appeared quickly. The pandemic shifted viewing habits, with people stuck at home preferring long-form streaming. Quibi’s mobile-only model felt restrictive. It lacked social sharing features, making virality impossible. Despite star power, shows failed to resonate. Consumers balked at paying for short clips when YouTube and TikTok offered free alternatives. Within six months, Quibi collapsed. Billions evaporated, making it one of the fastest startup failures in history. Analysts cite poor timing, weak product-market fit, and lack of community. Quibi’s story is a cautionary tale: even with money and talent, ignoring user behavior is fatal. Today, Quibi is remembered as a spectacular flameout. It proved that mobile-first entertainment needs more than star power — it needs community, flexibility, and shareability. Quibi’s rise and fall highlight the dangers of building for investors instead of audiences. Its failure remains one of Silicon Valley’s most infamous.

Vine launched in 2012 with a bold idea: six-second looping videos. At first, skeptics doubted anyone could tell a story in such a short span, but creators quickly proved otherwise. Comedy sketches, stop-motion art, and music snippets flourished. Twitter acquired Vine early, hoping to integrate video into its platform. The app exploded among teens and young adults, birthing internet stars like King Bach and Logan Paul. Vine pioneered the influencer economy before Instagram and TikTok perfected it. Brands experimented with six-second ads, though monetization remained weak. The looping format made content addictive, with memes like “Do it for the Vine” entering everyday language. Yet cracks appeared: Instagram introduced longer videos, Snapchat added stories, and Vine’s six-second limit felt restrictive. Creators complained about lack of revenue-sharing compared to YouTube. By 2016, growth stalled. Twitter announced Vine’s shutdown in 2017, sparking global mourning. Fans shared compilations, and hashtags like #RIPVine trended. Many creators migrated to YouTube and later TikTok. TikTok owes much of its DNA to Vine, proving short-form video’s power. Vine’s cultural impact remains enormous despite its short lifespan. It democratized video creation, lowered barriers for comedy, and launched careers that still dominate entertainment. Its failure taught lessons about monetization and creator support. Twitter’s mismanagement is often cited as a cautionary tale. Though gone, Vine’s spirit lives on in TikTok trends, memes, and internet humor. Vine walked so TikTok could run, shaping a generation’s humor in seconds.