Layoffs in United States

Candor Technology, a mortgage AI firm specializing in automated underwriting, has conducted layoffs as part of a strategic shift to adapt to the challenging mortgage market. While the exact number of affected employees is undisclosed, the company is estimated to have between 51 and 200 total staff, with 65 listed on LinkedIn. CEO Tom Showalter cited the need to optimize personnel levels amid industry headwinds, as lenders are cutting costs. The Georgia-based tech startup, which serves about 40 lenders and raised $12.5 million in 2021, aims to continue developing new products to provide value in a changing environment.

In March 2023, edtech company Course Hero, a former unicorn valued at $3.6 billion, laid off 42 employees, representing 15% of its workforce. This marked the company's first significant layoff in its 17-year history. The cuts occurred under new CEO John Peacock, who described the move as a strategic effort to position the business for future growth in a rapidly evolving sector. The layoffs followed a major restructuring months earlier, which saw co-founder Andrew Grauer step down as CEO and the creation of a parent company, Learneo. Course Hero provided several months of severance and transition support to affected staff and stated it did not anticipate further layoffs.

Leafly laid off 40 employees representing approximately 21% of its workforce on 2023-03-16.

Bonusly on 2023-03-16.

Freshworks, a Nasdaq-listed SaaS company with approximately 5,200 employees globally, conducted a new round of layoffs in March 2023, affecting staff in India and the US. While the exact number of impacted employees was not disclosed, the company described it as a "small number" and stated the move was aimed at improving organizational efficiency and eliminating duplicated efforts, not related to the Silicon Valley Bank collapse. This followed a previous layoff three months earlier, where about 90 employees (2% of the workforce) were cut due to performance issues and staffing redundancies amid macroeconomic pressures in the software industry.

Coherent, a manufacturer of high-tech lasers and optical equipment, is laying off 108 employees at its Finisar subsidiary in Fremont, California, as part of a restructuring effort. The job cuts, which are permanent and scheduled for May 15, 2023, are attributed to weakening business conditions and a decline in demand, prompting the company to reduce operational costs. This move reflects broader layoffs within the tech sector, where Bay Area companies have announced over 23,000 job eliminations since mid-2022. The affected employees were notified in March 2023.

In March 2023, the e-commerce marketing automation platform Klaviyo conducted companywide layoffs, letting go of 140 employees across all teams, including engineering and design. This reduction impacted roughly 10% of its workforce, as the Boston-based, venture-backed company sought to reduce redundancy and recalibrate its areas of investment for the future. The layoffs placed Klaviyo among the many tech companies that implemented workforce cuts in 2023, reflecting a period of strategic adjustment even as the business continued to serve over 100,000 users and had recently received a significant strategic investment from Shopify.

Hometap on 2023-03-15.

E-commerce firm Boxed is laying off 25% of its workforce as it seeks a buyer, a move announced in March 2023. The company, operating in the competitive online retail and wholesale industry, is reducing staff significantly amid strategic shifts to streamline operations and attract acquisition interest. While the exact number of employees affected wasn't specified, the percentage indicates a substantial cut as Boxed navigates challenges in the tech and e-commerce sector, reflecting broader market pressures.

Anchorage Digital laid off 75 employees representing approximately 20% of its workforce on 2023-03-14.

Kaleidoscope laid off 15 employees representing approximately 30% of its workforce on 2023-03-14.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced a significant workforce reduction as part of its "Year of Efficiency" initiative. In March 2023, CEO Mark Zuckerberg informed employees that the company plans to lay off approximately 10,000 workers and eliminate 5,000 open roles. This restructuring, which will unfold through the spring and into late 2023, aims to flatten the organization, cancel low-priority projects, and improve financial performance in a challenging economic environment. The layoffs, impacting the tech and business groups, represent a major strategic shift for the social media and technology giant to streamline operations and focus on long-term goals.

Samsung laid off 30 employees on 2023-03-14.

Fetch laid off 100 employees representing approximately 10% of its workforce on 2023-03-14.

Microsoft laid off the team responsible for teaching employees how to make AI tools responsibly, as part of a restructuring effort.

Neoleukin Therapeutics representing approximately 70% of its workforce on 2023-03-09.

Morning Brew laid off 40 employees on 2023-03-09.

Bonusly, an employee recognition software company, has conducted a round of layoffs affecting multiple teams. While the exact number of employees impacted was not disclosed in the post, the cuts were significant across departments including People Operations, Marketing, Customer Success, Product & Design, Engineering, Sales, and Operations. The layoffs occurred in early 2023, as indicated by the social media post from a company employee. This move appears to be part of broader restructuring or cost-cutting efforts within the tech industry, which saw widespread layoffs during this period. The post primarily served to connect the affected professionals with new job opportunities in the community.

Toucan, a language learning technology startup, is winding down operations after over three and a half years. This decision by the board, made to deliver value to shareholders after exploring all alternatives, effectively results in the layoff of its entire team. The co-founders expressed deep appreciation for their users, team, and investors, noting the company's significant accomplishments. They are actively facilitating introductions for their talented employees to find new roles. The industry context is edtech, and while the exact team size isn't specified, the shutdown indicates a full workforce reduction as the company closes.

Gopuff laid off 100 employees representing approximately 2% of its workforce on 2023-03-09.

Appcues representing approximately 15% of its workforce on 2023-03-08.

Zulily on 2023-03-07.

Take-Two Interactive on 2023-03-07.

Catch representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2023-03-07.

Zwift, the virtual cycling and running platform, announced a restructuring on March 7, 2023, resulting in layoffs of about 80 employees, which represents 15% of its workforce. The decision, driven by new Co-CEO Kurt Beidler, who joined from Amazon in December 2022, shifts focus toward investing in product fundamentals over marketing and brand spending. The cuts primarily affect marketing and HR teams in the UK and US, with impacted employees receiving severance and bonus packages. This follows a previous round of layoffs in spring 2022, reflecting ongoing adjustments in the competitive sports technology industry.

SiriusXM, the satellite radio and audio streaming company, laid off 475 employees, representing 8% of its workforce, in March 2023. CEO Jennifer Witz announced the cuts as part of a wide-ranging restructuring, citing economic uncertainty and a need to operate with greater agility and efficiency to maintain sustainable profitability. The layoffs affected nearly every department and followed a period of expansion through acquisitions like Pandora and Stitcher. This move positioned SiriusXM among other media companies reducing headcount amid challenging economic conditions.

UserTesting laid off 63 employees on 2023-03-03.

Accolade on 2023-03-03.

Embark Trucks, an autonomous trucking company that went public in 2021, is laying off approximately 230 employees, representing 70% of its workforce, as announced on March 3, 2023. The remaining 30% of staff will focus on winding down operations, with the company shutting down its Southern California and Houston offices. CEO Alex Rodrigues stated that after exhausting all alternatives, they were unable to identify a viable path forward for the business. The board is now exploring strategic alternatives, including potential asset liquidation or dissolution, following an extended evaluation of markets and a failed attempt to sell the company. This move highlights the ongoing challenges in the self-driving truck industry.

Airbnb laid off 30 employees on 2023-03-03.

Indigo on 2023-03-03.

Orchard, a real estate technology company, has laid off a number of employees due to a slow housing market recovery characterized by persistently high interest rates and low inventory. The company announced the layoffs as a necessary cost-cutting measure to ensure long-term stability and its ability to serve customers. While the exact number of affected employees was not specified in the initial post, a subsequent comment from the company provided a link to an opt-in list for impacted professionals across customer service, real estate, and tech roles. The layoffs are part of broader austerity efforts to navigate ongoing industry uncertainty.

CNET, the prominent technology media outlet owned by private equity-backed Red Ventures, conducted significant layoffs in early March 2023, cutting approximately a dozen employees. This represents about 10 percent of its public masthead. The restructuring occurred just weeks after controversy emerged over CNET's quiet use of AI to generate articles. Announced internally by Red Ventures, the layoffs are part of a strategic shift to streamline operations and refocus the site on content that can drive traffic from Google search. Concurrently, editor-in-chief Connie Guglielmo stepped down to assume a new role as senior vice president of AI content strategy, signaling a continued corporate emphasis on artificial intelligence within the digital media industry.

MasterClass laid off 79 employees on 2023-03-02.

Moving concierge startup Kandela, based in Beverly Hills, has filed for bankruptcy in March 2023, citing insolvency after losing a legal dispute with its parent company, Porch Group. The company, which had over 100 employees absorbed by Porch after its 2019 acquisition, now operates as a shell with no assets, employees, or business operations. The bankruptcy stems from a $1.4 million arbitration award favoring Porch, which Kandela cannot pay, leading to liabilities of nearly $1.8 million. The startup, focused on arranging home service installations, attributed its downfall to alleged fraud by Porch over $6 million in earnouts, culminating in its closure after failed appeals and settlement attempts.

Cybersecurity firm Zscaler has laid off approximately 177 employees, representing 3 percent of its workforce of about 5,900. The company disclosed the restructuring plan on Thursday, following a period of aggressive hiring that doubled its team size over the past 18 months. Amid a challenging economic environment, Zscaler initiated a targeted optimization to streamline operations, address inefficiencies, and better align resources with strategic priorities. The layoffs are part of a broader trend in the tech and cybersecurity industries, with the company, a leader in cloud-based security and zero trust network access, aiming to drive profitable growth.

Protego Trust Bank, a cryptocurrency custody firm awaiting final approval to become a nationally chartered trust bank, has laid off more than half of its workforce in early March 2023 due to financial difficulties. The company, which operates in the crypto and financial services industry, was unable to secure fresh funding amid the ongoing crypto bear market, forcing it to terminate most employees. While dozens remain involved and operations are ready to launch, capital constraints have stalled progress. Protego, which raised $70 million in a 2021 Series A round from investors like Coinbase Ventures and FTX, is a mid-sized firm with its charter application pending beyond the 18-month deadline, highlighting the challenges in the regulated crypto banking sector.

Color Health laid off 300 employees on 2023-03-01.

In March 2023, global software consultancy Thoughtworks laid off approximately 500 employees, representing about 4% of its global workforce of over 12,500. The company, headquartered in Chicago and operating across 18 countries, cited the need to support future business growth amid a broader economic slowdown affecting the tech industry. Despite reporting strong quarterly revenue growth and a return to profitability, Thoughtworks made the difficult decision to reduce staff, with notifications beginning in late February and continuing into early March. The layoffs were implemented globally but notably excluded its workforce in India.

Sonder laid off 100 employees representing approximately 14% of its workforce on 2023-03-01.

Waymo laid off 209 employees representing approximately 8% of its workforce on 2023-03-01.

Eventbrite laid off 80 employees representing approximately 8% of its workforce on 2023-02-28.

In December 2022, Ezoic, an advertising technology firm, was rocked by an internal fraud scheme when a sales employee, Tyler Mancuso, exploited the company's systems to reroute a $9 million payment from Google into his personal bank account. He attempted to use the stolen funds to purchase gold bars but was arrested by the FBI. The heist occurred during a period of ad market slump and widespread tech layoffs, leaving Ezoic with a significant financial shortfall at a critical time of year. While the article does not specify the total number of employees or the exact scale of the company, the incident highlights severe security vulnerabilities within the adtech industry, which handles billions in digital advertising dollars.

MeridianLink, a financial technology (fintech) company, announced on February 28, 2023, a workforce reduction affecting approximately 9% of its employees. This decision, communicated by CEO Nicolaas Vlok, is part of a restructuring effort to consolidate functions, flatten the organizational structure, and improve efficiencies to better support long-term growth and customer service. The layoffs were attributed to the need to solidify the company's foundation amid macroeconomic challenges and to prioritize customer-centric investments. Impacted employees were offered severance packages, benefit continuation, and career support.

Electronic Arts laid off 200 employees on 2023-02-28.

Stytch laid off 19 employees representing approximately 25% of its workforce on 2023-02-27.

Mental-health startup Cerebral is laying off 285 employees, representing 15% of its workforce, as announced on February 27, 2023. This marks the company's third round of staff reductions in less than a year, following previous cuts in mid-2022 and October. CEO Dr. David Mou stated the layoffs are necessary to maintain a sustainable business and refocus on core patient services. The company, which provides telehealth for conditions like anxiety and depression, has faced significant turmoil, including federal investigations into its prescription practices for controlled substances like Adderall. These challenges have forced Cerebral to restructure in an effort to stay afloat after a period of rapid growth.

Fintech firm Amount laid off approximately a quarter of its workforce in February 2023, affecting a significant portion of its staff amid broader challenges in the banking and finance technology sector. While the exact number of employees impacted wasn't specified, the reduction reflects strategic adjustments within the company. The layoffs occurred as the industry faced economic headwinds, leading many firms to streamline operations to ensure long-term sustainability.

Palantir, the data analytics software company known for its government and defense work, is laying off approximately 75 employees, representing about 2% of its workforce of 3,838. The company confirmed the cuts on Monday, stating it was a tough but necessary choice to reduce teams in several areas as it reaches an inflection point and aims to continue evolving. This move follows Palantir's recent report of its first profitable quarter and an 18% revenue increase, yet it aligns with a broader wave of layoffs across the tech industry as companies adjust after a period of rapid growth. Despite the reductions, Palantir plans to continue hiring in strategically important areas.

Outreach laid off 70 employees representing approximately 7% of its workforce on 2023-02-27.