Layoffs in United States

Block, the US-based financial technology company and parent of Afterpay, has initiated layoffs affecting an unspecified number of employees. The company, which operates in the fintech and payments industry, is implementing these cuts as it contends with internal performance targets and a declining share price. The move, reported in early October 2023, reflects broader challenges within the tech and fintech sectors as companies adjust to economic pressures and shifting market conditions. While exact figures on the total workforce and percentage impacted are not detailed, the restructuring underscores Block's efforts to streamline operations and improve financial stability amid a turbulent period for the company.

Bird, the shared micromobility company, conducted a round of layoffs in early October 2023, following its recent acquisition of e-scooter operator Spin. While the exact number of affected employees was not disclosed, the cuts were aimed at reducing redundancies and creating a more efficient integrated team after the merger. This move comes as Bird, which was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange the prior week, has struggled with profitability since going public in 2021. The company faced challenges from a high-cost, low-return business model and a previous growth-at-all-costs strategy, leading to significant cash burn and loss of investor confidence.

Twitch, the live-streaming platform owned by Amazon, has conducted a second round of layoffs this year, affecting an unspecified number of employees within its customer experience organization. This follows a larger reduction in March that saw over 400 staff let go as part of Amazon's broader plan to cut 9,000 jobs. The latest cuts are significantly smaller and are attributed to a strategic shift toward outsourcing customer experience roles. The move reflects ongoing efforts to streamline costs amid economic uncertainty, as highlighted by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Twitch operates in the digital media and streaming industry and is a major player in the gaming and content creation space.

Sendoso, a SoftBank-backed gifting startup, has conducted its fourth round of layoffs in the past 16 months, affecting an undisclosed number of employees across departments like engineering, HR, accounting, and customer success. This follows a previous round in June 2022, where about 100 employees, or 14% of its then 700-person workforce, were cut. The company, which offers a platform for sending corporate gifts, is restructuring amid a challenging funding environment and broader economic uncertainty. Many startups, including Sendoso, are reducing headcount as venture capital investment has significantly declined, forcing cost-cutting measures to sustain operations.

Chia Network, a blockchain and cryptocurrency company, laid off 26 employees on October 2, 2023, representing over a third of its 70-person workforce. This significant staff reduction stems from a delayed initial public offering (IPO) process, primarily caused by the loss of its banking partner, Credit Suisse. While the company has secured a new bank, the extended timeline and uncertain regulatory review by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have created financial strain. To extend its operational runway, Chia is considering its first-ever sales of a limited portion of its XCH token holdings, a move it had previously avoided due to regulatory concerns. The layoffs, focused on ecosystem support roles, reflect the broader challenges crypto firms face in a difficult funding environment as they navigate compliance and market pressures.

Chainalysis laid off 150 employees representing approximately 15% of its workforce on 2023-10-02.

IronNet, a cybersecurity startup founded by former NSA director Keith Alexander, has ceased operations and laid off its remaining staff as it files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The company, which had raised over $400 million and once served fewer than 100 corporate customers, had already cut 17% of its workforce in June 2023. Following its public listing in 2021, IronNet struggled to maintain traction, leading to its eventual shutdown in October 2023. The Virginia-based firm, which provided threat intelligence and infrastructure protection solutions, will liquidate assets to pay debts, with no returns expected for stockholders.

In October 2023, the fintech and banking-as-a-service startup Synapse laid off 86 employees, which constituted approximately 40% of its workforce. This significant reduction followed a previous round of layoffs in June 2023, when the company cut 18% of staff, citing challenging macroeconomic conditions that impacted client growth. The latest cuts were reported amid industry speculation, including claims that a major client, Mercury, was planning to leave its platform. Founded in 2014 and backed by Andreessen Horowitz, the San Francisco-based company had raised over $50 million in venture capital and provided infrastructure for banks and fintechs to build financial services.

Cowbell laid off 28 employees representing approximately 12% of its workforce on 2023-09-29.

Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, announced layoffs on September 28, 2023, cutting 16% of its workforce, which affects approximately 870 employees. The company, operating in the video game and technology industry, made this decision after acknowledging it had been spending significantly more than it earns while investing heavily in expanding Fortnite into a metaverse ecosystem. CEO Tim Sweeney stated that despite prior cost-cutting measures like a hiring freeze and reduced marketing, the financial situation remained unsustainable, necessitating these layoffs to stabilize the company. Concurrently, Epic is divesting Bandcamp and spinning off most of SuperAwesome to streamline operations. The layoffs primarily impact teams outside core development, with the company aiming to maintain focus on key projects like future Fortnite seasons while striving for long-term profitability and leadership in the metaverse space.

On September 28, 2023, online education company 2U announced a round of layoffs as part of significant organizational changes. While the exact number of employees affected was not disclosed, the cuts were implemented to better align the company's operations with its strategic shift toward becoming a unified platform business centered on edX. This restructuring aims to focus resources on areas with the greatest impact for learners and partners, ensuring long-term sustainability. The company, which operates in the edtech industry, emphasized its commitment to supporting departing employees with severance, benefits, and job transition assistance.

Lululemon laid off 120 employees from its Lululemon Studio team, which operated the Mirror fitness device, as part of a strategic shift announced in late September 2023. This move follows the company's decision to discontinue selling the Mirror hardware, acquired for $500 million in 2020, after struggling to grow sales and taking a significant impairment charge. The layoffs, representing a portion of the team dedicated to this segment, coincide with a new five-year partnership with Peloton, making Peloton the exclusive digital fitness content provider for Lululemon. This restructuring reflects Lululemon's pivot away from hardware toward digital content and partnerships in the retail and fitness industry, with the company's leadership for Lululemon Studio also set to depart in early 2024.

Fit Analytics representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2023-09-28.

Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, laid off approximately 170 employees as part of winding down its AR Enterprise business. This decision, announced by CEO Evan Spiegel on September 27, 2023, was driven by the need for significant incremental investment to compete, the rise of generative AI making it harder to differentiate, and a strategic refocus on the core advertising business. While the exact percentage of total employees affected isn't specified here, the cuts are confined to this specific division. The company will continue supporting its broader AR platform and Sponsored AR advertising. This move reflects the challenges in the competitive tech and social media industry as companies streamline operations.

Flexe laid off 131 employees representing approximately 33% of its workforce on 2023-09-26.

Talkdesk, a San Francisco-based AI customer service software company once valued at $10 billion, has conducted its third round of layoffs in less than 14 months. The latest cuts, confirmed in late September 2023, affected at least 140 employees, many based in Portugal, though the company declined to provide an official number. Following previous layoffs in August 2022 and February 2023, when Talkdesk had around 2,100 staff, the total current workforce is unclear. These reductions are part of a cost-cutting effort due to lower revenue projections. Despite the layoffs, CEO Tiago Paiva stated the company remains strong and will continue investing in strategic areas like AI and U.S.-based R&D, emphasizing that innovation will not be impacted.

Lucid Software, a provider of visual collaboration software, has laid off approximately 75 employees, representing about 7% of its workforce. The decision, announced via an internal email, is part of a restructuring effort aimed at ensuring the company's long-term success. Leadership cited the need to focus on profitable growth and rebalance investments in a dynamic market, shifting resources toward emerging opportunities while reducing costs in other areas. The layoffs, which occurred across various teams, are accompanied by measures to streamline operations and reduce non-headcount expenses. Affected employees received severance and support.

Eat Just, a privately held company specializing in cultivated chicken and plant-based egg products, has laid off approximately 40 employees. This reduction comes less than a month after the company secured $16 million in funding. The layoffs were implemented to accelerate the path to profitability, specifically aiming for the Just Egg product line to cover operating expenses sooner. While the exact percentage of the workforce affected is not specified, the cuts reflect ongoing financial challenges as neither side of Eat Just's business is currently profitable. The company operates in the alternative protein industry, focusing on sustainable food technology.

Appsmith, a US and India-based open-source low-code software startup, laid off 35 employees earlier this week, representing about 25% of its workforce. The company attributed the decision to challenging market conditions, a slowdown in business, and a strategic shift toward sustainable growth over rapid expansion. In an internal communication, CEO Abhishek Nayak cited a dip in growth rates and the need for operational efficiency, aiming to build a leaner team focused on revenue and R&D investment. Impacted employees are receiving a two-month severance package, outplacement support, and their office laptops. Appsmith, which raised $41 million in a Series B round led by Insight Partners last July, operates in the enterprise tech industry, providing tools for developers to build custom applications quickly.

Roblox, the popular gaming platform, laid off approximately 30 employees from its talent acquisition team in September 2023 as part of a strategic shift to align hiring with reduced growth targets. The company, which had seen rapid expansion in prior years, decided to scale back its recruitment efforts to better control costs and ensure cash compensation growth matched its bookings growth. This move reflects a broader industry trend of tech companies adjusting their workforce strategies in response to changing economic conditions, focusing on efficiency over aggressive expansion.

Robinhood, the online brokerage and fintech company, is conducting further layoffs and reorganizing internal teams as part of a strategic pivot toward credit card products, a move driven by efforts to counter a shrinking user base. Following its $95 million acquisition of credit card startup X1 in June, the company is integrating X1 into its Robinhood Money division. While a spokesperson confirmed only a "very small number" of layoffs among the 60 employees who joined from X1, the company has been reducing headcount more broadly, including a cut of 150 full-time employees in June. These ongoing reductions, alongside the reorganization, come as Robinhood's monthly active users fell by 400,000 to 10.6 million between July and August 2023, prompting internal concern and a renewed focus on higher-margin credit offerings to stabilize its business.

Outreach representing approximately 12% of its workforce on 2023-09-20.

Nowadays, a plant-based food startup, has shut down after three years of operation, resulting in the layoff of its entire team. The company, which had developed novel extrusion technology and launched products in retail with Whole Foods Market, cited the challenging market conditions as a key factor in its closure. This decision reflects broader struggles within the alternative protein industry, where even innovative ventures face difficulties sustaining operations. The shutdown occurred recently, as announced by founder Max Elder, who expressed gratitude for the team's efforts and continued commitment to the sector.

Hooray Foods representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2023-09-17.

Cisco laid off 350 employees on 2023-09-17.

Sage Therapeutics copy laid off 290 employees on 2023-09-15.

R3 representing approximately 20% of its workforce on 2023-09-14.

Project44 laid off 116 employees on 2023-09-14.

Airtable laid off 237 employees representing approximately 27% of its workforce on 2023-09-14.

VideoAmp laid off 40 employees representing approximately 10% of its workforce on 2023-09-14.

Akili Labs representing approximately 40% of its workforce on 2023-09-13.

Google is conducting a new round of layoffs in the Bay Area, planning to eliminate dozens of positions. This move, revealed in late October 2023, is part of the tech giant's ongoing efforts to streamline operations and manage costs. While the exact number of affected employees is not specified as a precise figure or percentage of its total global workforce, the cuts are described as impacting multiple dozens of workers. As a leading company in the technology industry, Google continues to adjust its staffing in response to broader economic conditions and strategic priorities.

Denver-based vacation rental property manager Evolve is laying off approximately 175 employees, representing 20% of its workforce, as announced in a letter from co-founder and CEO Brian Egan. This marks the company's second major round of cuts in 2024, following a 14% reduction (164 employees) in May, which was attributed to a market oversupply leading to lower rates and revenue. The latest layoffs, reported in late 2024, are part of a strategic effort to scrutinize all costs, including both payroll and non-payroll expenses, to transform the company into a highly profitable enterprise. The decision reflects a shift from the defensive, volume-driven cuts in May to a more proactive restructuring, with elements of the layoffs linked to offshoring support and AI-induced efficiencies.

Cyber insurance unicorn At-Bay has laid off 27 employees, representing almost 10% of its total workforce of 305 people. The company, which achieved a $1.35 billion valuation in 2021, stated the layoffs in September 2023 were a structural adjustment to ensure long-term success, primarily affecting support roles like recruitment. At-Bay, operating in the insurtech and cybersecurity industry, combines insurance policies with active security services to reduce client risk. Despite the cuts, the company emphasized its financial strength and commitment to future growth.

Oyster on 2023-09-11.

In September 2023, Bonterra, a technology company serving progressive and Democratic causes, implemented layoffs as part of a broader reorganization. The cuts notably affected NGP VAN, a key subsidiary, with reports indicating that approximately 50% of developers at ActionKit, an online fundraising and volunteer CRM platform, were let go. The exact total number of employees laid off and the company's overall workforce size were not officially disclosed. The layoffs, occurring under the ownership of private equity firm Apax Partners, sparked concern within the political tech industry that essential digital infrastructure for the 2024 election cycle could stagnate. Critics argued the move jeopardized core platforms relied upon by hundreds of progressive candidates and organizations.

Chargebee, a Chennai-based SaaS unicorn in the fintech industry, has laid off approximately 10% of its global workforce, affecting 100 to 120 employees. This marks the company's second round of layoffs within ten months, following a similar reduction of 142 employees in November 2022. CEO Krish Subramanian attributed the decision to "market shifts" and the need to focus on fewer priorities for efficient growth, emphasizing customer experience and core products. The company, valued at $3.5 billion and backed by investors like Tiger Global, will provide severance packages according to local labor laws. These layoffs reflect broader challenges in the Indian startup ecosystem, where over 28,000 employees have been let off since 2022 due to strained funding and a shift toward profitability amid economic uncertainties.

Grabango laid off 34 employees representing approximately 40% of its workforce on 2023-09-11.

Divvy Homes, a fintech startup in the real estate tech industry, laid off 94 employees in September 2023, marking its third round of job cuts within a year. This reduction affected nearly half of the company's workforce, which was estimated to be just under 200 employees prior to the layoffs, representing a cut of about 50%. The terminations, effective November 7, impacted various roles including vice presidents and engineers across the U.S. The company, once valued at $2 billion with backing from investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Tiger Global, attributed the layoffs to challenging macroeconomic conditions, high interest rates that disrupted its business model, and the need to conserve cash. This follows earlier layoffs in February and September 2022, reflecting ongoing struggles in the high-interest-rate environment.

ChargePoint, a leading electric vehicle charging network company, announced in September 2023 that it is restructuring and will lay off 10% of its global workforce. This decision, part of a broader reorganization, aims to achieve annual operating expense savings of approximately $30 million. The layoffs were disclosed alongside the company's second-quarter earnings report, which revealed adjusted EPS and revenue figures that fell short of Wall Street estimates. The disappointing financial performance and a revenue outlook below analyst expectations for the full year contributed to the cost-cutting measures. The company expects to incur about $8 million in charges related to the reorganization, primarily in the third quarter of 2023.

In September 2023, market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, which provides data for the app economy, laid off an estimated 40 employees, representing roughly 15% of its 270+ workforce. The layoffs, part of a corporate reorganization to "right-size" the business, notably included several C-suite executives such as the CFO and CMO, and impacted departments like finance and nearly all of marketing. The company, which had grown significantly after a $45 million investment in 2020 and the acquisition of Pathmatics in 2021, stated the move was to position itself for continued growth and profitability.

Drift laid off 100 employees representing approximately 25% of its workforce on 2023-09-07.

Blue Origin on 2023-09-06.

iSpecimen, a Lexington, Massachusetts-based company in the healthcare and life sciences sector, announced on Wednesday that it has laid off approximately 20% of its workforce effective immediately. This workforce reduction is part of a strategic effort to cut costs and drive profitability amid financial challenges, as reflected in the company's stock, which has declined nearly 53% year-to-date. The layoffs, impacting a significant portion of its employees, underscore the company's focus on streamlining operations to navigate current market conditions.

Streaming platform Roku is laying off 10% of its workforce, affecting approximately 360 employees, as part of a significant cost-cutting initiative announced in late 2023. This marks the company's third round of layoffs within a year, following cuts of 200 workers each in March and November. With a total workforce of around 3,600, the move aims to reduce operating expense growth. Alongside the layoffs, Roku is consolidating office space, slowing hiring, and reviewing its content portfolio, incurring substantial restructuring charges. Concurrently, the company raised its third-quarter revenue and EBITDA guidance, signaling a strategic shift toward improving profitability after a period of heavy investment.

Roku conducted layoffs and removed streaming content as part of cost-cutting measures, marking another round of workforce reductions.

Absci laid off 30 employees representing approximately 15% of its workforce on 2023-09-05.

Hodinkee laid off 24 employees representing approximately 20% of its workforce on 2023-09-05.

AI computer vision startup Nexar laid off 17 employees on September 4, 2023, representing 14% of its 120-person workforce. This marks the company's third round of layoffs in ten months, following cuts in November 2022 and July 2023, cumulatively reducing headcount by over 30%. Nexar, which provides AI-powered visual data and digital twins of road networks, had raised a $53 million Series D in late 2021. The layoffs reflect broader challenges in the tech sector, as the company adjusts its operations amid market pressures.

Roku, a TV streaming hardware and software company, announced layoffs affecting approximately 10% of its workforce, which translates to more than 300 employees, as part of efforts to reduce operating expenses that have been growing rapidly. The company, which had around 3,600 full-time employees at the end of 2022, is also consolidating office space, reviewing its content portfolio, and limiting new hires. This follows a previous round of layoffs in March 2023, where about 200 employees were let go. Roku expects to incur significant costs related to severance and impairment charges due to these changes, with its revenue primarily driven by advertising from its platform, including The Roku Channel, despite reporting a net loss in the second quarter of 2023.