Layoffs in United States

In May 2022, Amazon aggregator Thrasio, a startup valued between $5 billion and $10 billion, initiated layoffs affecting a portion of its workforce. The company, which acquires and consolidates third-party Amazon sellers, simultaneously announced a leadership change, appointing former Airbnb president and Amazon executive Greg Greeley as its new CEO. These moves come after a turbulent period for Thrasio, including executive departures and delays in its planned SPAC listing, reflecting broader challenges within the aggregator business model. The layoffs underscore the company's strategic adjustments amid shifting market conditions.

Noom, the weight loss and wellness app, is laying off a significant portion of its coaching staff as part of a strategic shift. The company is letting go of approximately 495 coaches in total, with 180 already departed and 315 more expected soon. This restructuring is due to a move from text-based chat support to a scheduled video call system, which reduces the need for a large, on-demand workforce. The layoffs come after a period of rapid growth and substantial venture funding during the pandemic. Remaining employees are expected to handle increased workloads. The company, which operates in the health tech industry, has faced criticism regarding its dietary recommendations and advertising practices even as it expanded into mental health coaching.

Netflix, the global streaming giant, laid off 25 full-time staffers and contractors from its global marketing team, which comprises over 500 employees, representing a cut of about 5%. This move occurred on Thursday, April 28, 2022, as part of a larger reorganization within the marketing department, aimed at cutting costs and simplifying structure. The layoffs specifically impacted Tudum, Netflix's fan website and marketing arm launched just months prior in December 2021. The restructuring also included executive promotions and departures. While planned before Netflix's recent subscriber loss, these changes reflect the company's ongoing adjustments in the competitive streaming industry.

In April 2022, Wahoo Fitness, a fitness technology company, laid off approximately 50 employees as part of strategic changes to support its growth and development. The layoffs occurred across various departments, including device, firmware, and the Wahoo SYSTM platform. This decision coincided with the company's acquisition of the virtual cycling platform RGT Cycling and the launch of its new integrated subscription service, Wahoo X. The move was described as necessary to maintain focus on innovation and evolving athlete needs, following a period of increased hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic's surge in demand for home fitness equipment.

Robinhood, the retail brokerage firm, announced on Tuesday that it is laying off approximately 9% of its full-time workforce, affecting about 342 employees out of the 3,800 reported at the end of December. CEO Vlad Tenev cited "duplicate roles and job functions" following rapid expansion last year as the reason, stating the move aims to improve efficiency and responsiveness amid changing customer needs. The company, which rose to prominence during the 2021 GameStop frenzy, has seen its stock struggle and user numbers decline, with shares falling over 5% after the announcement. This restructuring reflects broader challenges in the fintech industry as Robinhood prepares to release its first-quarter results.

Clyde laid off 22 employees on 2022-04-25.

Lemonade laid off 52 employees on 2022-04-20.

Blend Labs, a publicly traded mortgage technology company, laid off approximately 200 employees, representing 10% of its workforce, as announced in an SEC filing. This fintech firm, which provides white-label software for major lenders, is implementing the cuts to reduce costs amid severe industry headwinds. With mortgage origination volumes expected to drop 35% in 2022 due to rising interest rates and inflation, Blend is aiming for about $35.4 million in annual savings. The layoffs, set to be completed in the second quarter, follow a significant net loss in 2021 and reflect broader challenges in the mortgage sector as refinancing activity declines.

Automox, a cybersecurity company specializing in automated endpoint management, announced a workforce reduction affecting approximately 11% of its employees. While the exact number of layoffs wasn't specified, the decision was made to evolve the business and sustain its growth more efficiently. The company expressed gratitude for the contributions of the departing staff and emphasized its ongoing commitment to customers and its platform. This restructuring reflects broader adjustments within the competitive IT and cybersecurity industry as companies optimize operations.

Halcyon Health representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2022-04-15.

Humble, the game sales bundling and publishing platform, laid off an unspecified number of employees in April 2022 as part of a company restructuring. The job cuts specifically impacted staff in the engineering and customer service departments. The company stated the move was intended to streamline its e-commerce operations and re-invest in key growth areas to strengthen the future of the Humble Bundle business. This restructuring reflects ongoing adjustments within the digital game retail and publishing industry.

Ahead laid off 44 employees representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2022-04-14.

Truepill on 2022-04-14.

Rad Power Bikes laid off 100 employees representing approximately 14% of its workforce on 2022-04-12.

Food52, a tech-focused food media and e-commerce company, laid off 10% of its staff in early April 2022 as part of a strategic pivot to strengthen its e-commerce operations. This restructuring followed an $80 million investment from the Chernin Group. While the exact number of affected employees wasn't specified, the move came despite the company reporting doubled revenue and achieving profitability in 2020. The layoffs, which left staff feeling "gut-punched," are part of a broader shift that includes recent acquisitions like Schoolhouse and Dansk, and plans to expand into physical retail with pop-up shops and brick-and-mortar stores.

Workrise laid off 450 employees on 2022-04-05.

Fast representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2022-04-05.

Gopuff laid off 450 employees representing approximately 3% of its workforce on 2022-03-29.

Grove Collaborative, a sustainable personal care and home goods company, laid off approximately 17% of its corporate workforce in late March 2022. This restructuring occurred as the company prepared for its upcoming public listing via a SPAC merger, which valued it at $1.5 billion. While Grove reported a revenue increase to $383.7 million for 2021, the figure slightly missed its target. The layoffs appear to be a strategic move to streamline operations and optimize resources ahead of its transition to becoming a publicly traded entity on the New York Stock Exchange.

Curology laid off 150 employees on 2022-03-16.

Talis Biomedical, a biotechnology company focused on diagnostic testing, conducted a significant workforce reduction in March 2022. The layoffs affected approximately 30% of its employees, which was reported to be around 60 people out of a total workforce of roughly 200. This decision was part of a strategic restructuring aimed at preserving capital and extending the company's financial runway, as it faced challenges in the competitive diagnostic market and sought to prioritize key development programs. The move reflects broader pressures in the biotech industry, particularly for smaller-scale firms navigating post-pandemic shifts.

Knock laid off 115 employees representing approximately 46% of its workforce on 2022-03-15.

Sezzle representing approximately 20% of its workforce on 2022-03-10.

Adaptive Biotechnologies laid off 100 employees representing approximately 12% of its workforce on 2022-03-08.

Hyperscience laid off 100 employees representing approximately 25% of its workforce on 2022-03-03.

Wish laid off 190 employees representing approximately 15% of its workforce on 2022-03-01.

Utah-based fitness company iFIT has conducted another round of layoffs as it navigates financial challenges, including settling a significant lawsuit and seeking additional capital. The company, which produces connected fitness equipment and content, has placed its once-anticipated initial public offering on indefinite hold. These layoffs follow a previous round just weeks before Christmas, despite earlier claims of strong performance. The exact number of employees affected in this latest reduction was not specified, but the cuts reflect ongoing restructuring efforts within the competitive home fitness industry.

Virgin Hyperloop laid off 111 employees representing approximately 50% of its workforce on 2022-02-21.

In February 2022, Utah-based real estate technology startup Homie conducted companywide layoffs, reducing its workforce by 28%, which impacted 119 employees across its operations in several western states. The cuts were a response to a roiled real estate market characterized by record low housing inventories and intense competition, making 2021 and early 2022 exceptionally challenging for buyers and sellers. CEO Johnny Hanna described the decision as extremely difficult, citing unprecedented market conditions that forced the company to make critical operational changes to navigate the downturn.

Daily Harvest laid off 60 employees representing approximately 20% of its workforce on 2022-02-10.

Peloton laid off 2,800 employees representing approximately 20% of its workforce on 2022-02-08.

Proptech startup Rhino, which offers an alternative to security deposits for renters, laid off 57 employees on February 4, 2022, representing over 20% of its staff. This reduction leaves the company with 198 employees. The New York-based firm, founded in 2017, cited market volatility and a strategic push to reach profitability faster as key reasons for the cuts. The layoffs occurred just a year after Rhino raised $95 million in a pre-IPO round, highlighting the pressure on proptech startups to adapt to a challenging macroeconomic climate. While many affected were recent hires, the company continues to recruit for key technology roles.

Gopuff, the rapid-delivery startup, has laid off approximately 100 employees from its warehouse and operations teams as part of a restructuring effort. This reduction affects about 1% of its total workforce of 10,000. The company also paused several plans to open new U.S. warehouses. These cost-cutting measures, implemented in late January 2022, are aimed at streamlining operations ahead of a potential IPO later in the year. The layoffs primarily targeted district managers and related support teams, shifting Gopuff's model toward a more tech-driven approach similar to Amazon's, as the company reevaluates its expansion strategy in the competitive on-demand delivery industry.

On January 26, 2022, beauty brand Glossier laid off 80 corporate employees, representing about one-third of its corporate workforce, with the cuts primarily impacting its technology team. The company, which operates primarily as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business in the beauty industry, cited a strategic shift to rely more on external technology partners rather than maintaining certain platforms internally. Founder Emily Weiss acknowledged in an internal email that the company had over-hired and become distracted by projects outside its core beauty focus. This move came despite Glossier's frequent emphasis on its tech-driven approach and followed a previous round of layoffs in 2020 when it closed all physical stores. The company, valued at $1.8 billion, continues to generate most of its revenue online.

Root Insurance laid off 330 employees on 2022-01-20.

Spin, the e-scooter-sharing startup owned by Ford, is laying off a quarter of its workforce as part of a major restructuring to pursue profitability. The company is exiting nearly all open permit markets globally, where multiple operators compete without fleet caps, citing an unsustainable "race to the bottom" on pricing and an inability to maintain service quality. This shift will involve winding down operations in several U.S. markets and entirely in Germany, Portugal, and Spain by around February 22nd. Moving forward, Spin will concentrate on limited vendor markets in the U.S., Canada, and the UK, where cities select partners through procurement processes—a model that reportedly doubles its revenue. The layoffs, while unspecified in exact numbers, reflect the company's strategic pivot away from highly competitive open markets.

iFit on 2021-12-08.

BitTitan, a Bellevue-based cloud and data services startup, is laying off 70 employees in January following its recent acquisition by Texas software company Idera. These cuts represent about 27% of its workforce, which stood at 257 employees at the time of the acquisition. The layoffs, disclosed through a state regulatory notice, are part of the post-acquisition restructuring. Founded in 2007, BitTitan operates in the competitive cloud services industry and had raised significant funding prior to the takeover by Idera, a larger software firm backed by private equity.

Zillow laid off 2,000 employees representing approximately 25% of its workforce on 2021-11-02.

Ozy Media representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2021-10-01.

Zymergen laid off 120 employees on 2021-09-23.

In 2021, Imperfect Foods, a grocery-delivery e-commerce company that had expanded rapidly during the pandemic, underwent significant restructuring, including multiple rounds of layoffs affecting employees across nearly all ranks. The layoffs occurred in waves throughout the year, driven by a slowdown in sales as consumer demand waned post-pandemic, with many customers returning to in-store shopping. The company also saw a major leadership shakeup, with half of its C-suite departing, including CEO Philip Behn, who was pushed out in June. These changes were attributed to overestimated revenue projections following the pandemic boom and a challenging adjustment to shifting market conditions.

Genius on 2021-09-15.

In September 2021, mattress startup Casper conducted a round of layoffs impacting dozens of employees, including three C-level executives: the Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. The cuts largely affected retail and operations teams, signaling a broader restructuring effort aimed at reducing operating costs and focusing on North American operations to achieve profitability. This followed a previous workforce reduction of 21% over a year earlier when Casper shut down its European operations. The layoffs were communicated to employees on September 14, 2021, with those affected offered severance packages.

Treehouse laid off 41 employees representing approximately 90% of its workforce on 2021-09-14.

Cybersecurity firm Tanium, valued at $9 billion, laid off between 15 and 20 employees last week, primarily from its marketing department. This represents roughly 10% of its 200-person marketing unit and a small fraction of its total workforce of about 2,000. The cuts, which included nearly all senior product marketers and some partner sales staff, follow the recent resignation of Chief Marketing Officer Chris Pick—the fourth CMO to leave the company since 2016. This move is part of broader organizational shifts, including the earlier disbanding of its customer success team, as the company undergoes a readiness assessment under a new CFO in preparation for a potential IPO.

In August 2021, Flockjay, a Y Combinator-backed startup in the edtech and bootcamp industry, laid off at least half of its workforce, impacting 30 to 45 employees out of an estimated total of 60 to 90 full-time staff. The layoffs affected all nontechnical teams, including admissions, business operations, partnerships, recruiting, and marketing. This drastic reduction came as the company pivoted from its core 10-week sales training bootcamp model to focus on developing a B2B SaaS platform aimed at sales operations and efficiency. The shift was driven by a strategic move to pursue more predictable revenue streams and scalable support for alumni and sales organizations, leading to the difficult decision to run its bootcamp classes in a limited capacity while building the new platform.

Katerra, a SoftBank-backed construction startup once valued at $4 billion, is shutting down and laying off thousands of employees. The company, which had around 2,434 employees according to its LinkedIn page, struggled with project delays, cost overruns, and financial difficulties exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and rising labor costs. Despite previous layoffs and a $200 million bailout from SoftBank last year, Katerra failed to stabilize, leading to its closure in June 2021. The company, which aimed to revolutionize the global construction industry, also faced an SEC investigation into its accounting practices before its collapse.

Digital comics startup Madefire is shutting down in April 2021 after entering an assignment for the benefit of creditors, a state-level insolvency proceeding. The company, which launched in 2012 and raised funding, had developed "Motion Books" for platforms like iPad, enlisting notable artists. As a result, all publishing and sales have ceased, affecting partner apps like Archie Comics, and users are urged to download purchased content. The closure marks the end of its effort to reinvent comics for digital formats amid industry shifts.

Lambda School laid off 65 employees on 2021-04-29.