Layoff Events

Bridge Connector laid off 154 employees representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2020-11-17.

Worksmith laid off 30 employees representing approximately 50% of its workforce on 2020-11-09.

Rubica representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2020-11-05.

Walmart has ended its contract with Bossa Nova Robotics, effectively halting the use of around 500 inventory-scanning robots across its more than 4,700 stores. The decision, reported in late 2020, came as the retail giant found that human employees, using simpler and more cost-effective methods, could perform the shelf-monitoring tasks just as effectively. This shift was partly driven by concerns over customer reactions to the robots and a focus on practical solutions to maintain in-stock levels, a persistent challenge amid surging pandemic-driven sales. While moving away from these robots, Walmart continues to invest in other technology experiments, including designated e-commerce lab stores.

LivePerson, an AI-powered customer messaging company, is laying off 30 employees in Israel as part of a cooperation agreement with Indian IT firm Infosys, signed in early November 2020. This reduction affects about 8.6% of its 350-person workforce in Israel. While the partnership aims to accelerate growth and meet rising demand for digital solutions, particularly during the social distancing era, it also involves shifting 30 employees to Infosys and relocating 10 others internally. The layoffs coincide with a challenging quarter where remote work trends contributed to a $24 million revenue decline, despite the company's overall stock performance. LivePerson continues hiring in other areas despite this downsizing.

Flexible office provider Knotel laid off approximately 20 employees on October 29, 2020, reducing its headcount to just over 250 staff. This cut, representing around 7-8% of its workforce, was driven by a slower-than-expected recovery in office demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. CEO Amol Sarva acknowledged that anticipated market improvements had not materialized, leading to high vacancies in the company's portfolio. As part of its restructuring, Knotel is continuing to reduce its office footprint in an effort to reach profitability by the end of the first quarter of 2021. The company, which achieved unicorn status in 2019, operates in the competitive flex-space industry and had been seeking to raise up to $100 million in funding amid significant financial challenges.

Remedy laid off 82 employees on 2020-10-29.

Cheetah, a San Francisco-based startup that supplies groceries and restaurants, laid off 26 employees last month, though the exact number and percentage remain undisclosed. The company, which had recently pivoted to consumer grocery delivery after raising $36 million in April, cited the severe impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry as the reason for the cuts. Affecting multiple departments across the U.S. and Israel, the layoffs were not publicly announced but were acknowledged through a talent directory aimed at helping displaced workers find new opportunities.

CodeCombat, a Y Combinator-backed educational gaming company that teaches coding through interactive play, has laid off 8 employees, as confirmed by its CEO. The cuts, which represent a significant portion of the small team, specifically affected 7 salespeople and 1 product manager across the United States. The company, which has raised $8.6 million in funding, cited restructuring needs and prepared a talent directory to assist the departing employees in finding new opportunities. This move reflects ongoing adjustments in the edtech and gaming sectors, even among established startups.

Quibi, the short-form video streaming startup, laid off approximately 150 employees, representing its entire workforce, following its shutdown in early October 2020. The company, which had raised $1 billion from investors, launched six months earlier with high-profile leadership but failed to gain significant traction, attracting only around 500,000 subscribers against a target of 7 million. Operating in the streaming media industry, Quibi aimed to revolutionize mobile viewing with quick episodes but ultimately closed due to poor market adoption, affecting all departments primarily based in Los Angeles.

Zomato on 2020-10-20.

GetYourGuide laid off 90 employees representing approximately 17% of its workforce on 2020-10-14.

OLX India, the Prosus-owned online classifieds platform, has laid off approximately 250 employees from its sales and support teams. This reduction is part of a strategic shift to refocus on two core verticals: its omnichannel used car platform, Cash My Car, and its recruitment marketplace, Aasaanjobs. The decision, announced in early 2021, also involves shutting down its real estate and used goods segments in the country. The company stated the layoffs are not due to the pandemic but rather a global strategic realignment to compete more effectively, particularly against challenges like Facebook Marketplace. OLX had previously doubled its sales team to scale operations but is now streamlining to concentrate on areas where it can offer enhanced services. The affected employees are being provided with severance packages and outplacement support.

Chef on 2020-10-08.

Alto Pharmacy, an online prescription delivery startup based in San Francisco, laid off 47 employees, representing 6% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring effort to streamline operations and reallocate resources for long-term growth. The layoffs occurred despite the company recently securing a $250 million funding round led by SoftBank and benefiting from the pandemic-driven surge in telemedicine and prescription delivery services. Affected employees are being offered significant severance and extended healthcare coverage, while the company continues to hire for roles critical to its mission.

TheWrap, a 12-year-old entertainment news site, laid off or furloughed employees earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic. The layoffs occurred as the media industry faced cancellations of videos and photo shoots, a shift to remote work for reporters, and the transition of live events to digital formats. The company, which relies on advertising for about 80% of its business, has been navigating financial challenges, including postponed movie premieres and changes in ad revenue timing due to events like the Oscars being rescheduled. Despite these cuts, TheWrap remains operational, describing itself as "lean and mean," and has recently hired a new chief revenue officer to bolster its advertising efforts amid industry consolidation and ongoing pandemic-related uncertainties.

HumanForest on 2020-09-25.

In September 2020, WeWork's Chinese unit underwent a significant restructuring, selling a majority stake to Trustbridge Partners for $200 million, effectively transitioning to a Chinese-owned entity. As part of this localization and cost-cutting move, layoffs occurred within WeWork China, though the exact number of employees affected was not disclosed. The company had expanded rapidly in China since 2016, operating over 100 locations across 12 cities with 65,000 members, but faced financial challenges. Globally, WeWork, a major co-working space provider in the real estate and tech industry, served 612,000 members across 38 countries. The layoffs were tied to the strategic shift to reduce WeWork's direct involvement and control in the Chinese market amid broader financial pressures.

Air representing approximately 16% of its workforce on 2020-09-16.

NS8, a fraud prevention startup, laid off its entire workforce in September 2020, affecting approximately 200 employees. This 100% reduction came shortly after the company's CEO was arrested on fraud charges, which triggered a collapse in investor confidence and funding. The company, which had raised over $120 million, was forced to cease operations entirely. This event highlights the severe impact of leadership misconduct in the competitive cybersecurity and fintech industry, abruptly ending the venture.

HubHaus representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2020-09-11.

In September 2020, Bleacher Report, a digital sports media company under AT&T's WarnerMedia, laid off approximately 20 employees from its London office, representing nearly the entire UK staff and leaving only a skeleton crew of about five. This reduction, affecting a significant portion of the roughly 30-person office dedicated to the B/R Football brand, was driven by Turner's exit from its UEFA Champions League broadcasting rights deal earlier that summer, which undermined the justification for maintaining the London team. The layoffs occurred amid broader corporate uncertainty following AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner, marked by leadership changes and strategic shifts, fueling speculation about Bleacher Report's future direction and potential asset sales.

Waze, the Google-owned navigation app, laid off 5 percent of its global workforce in September 2020, affecting approximately 30 employees out of a total of 555. The company also closed several offices in Asia-Pacific and Latin America as it refocused its business. The layoffs were primarily driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to widespread lockdowns and a sharp decline in road travel. With fewer people commuting and using the app for daily navigation, Waze experienced significant drops in monthly active users and driven kilometers, resulting in reduced advertising revenue. This restructuring aimed to streamline operations amid the challenging economic conditions caused by the global health crisis.

In 2020, lidar startup Ouster, based in San Francisco, laid off 10% of its workforce due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company, which operates in the competitive autonomous vehicle sensor industry, confirmed the reduction as part of broader cost-cutting measures amid market uncertainties. Despite this, Ouster managed to secure a $42 million Series B funding round from existing investors and reported significant revenue growth, allowing it to avoid further layoffs and maintain operations. The layoffs occurred as the company navigated temporary shutdowns at its manufacturing facility and aimed to stabilize finances while continuing product development and sales expansion in the lidar technology sector.

Swing Education, a K-12 education staffing platform, laid off approximately 40 employees in early 2024, representing about 20% of its workforce. The company, which operates in the edtech industry, cited a need to restructure and streamline operations to ensure long-term sustainability amid challenging market conditions. This reduction impacted teams across the organization as Swing Education adjusted its strategy to focus on core business areas.

Akerna on 2020-09-02.

Awok representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2020-09-02.

Big Fish Games laid off 250 employees on 2020-09-01.

In early September, GoBear, a Singapore-based online financial services platform, laid off 22 employees, representing 11% of its workforce. The cuts impacted staff across operations, product, and technology teams in its Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, and Ukraine offices. Following the restructuring, the company is shifting its focus to growth areas like digital lending and insurance brokerage services.

MakeMyTrip laid off 350 employees representing approximately 10% of its workforce on 2020-08-31.

Salesforce laid off 1,000 employees representing approximately 2% of its workforce on 2020-08-26.

kununu, an employer review platform and subsidiary of the German recruiting giant XING, discontinued its U.S. operations and closed its Boston office in 2020. This strategic decision to exit the American market resulted in the layoff of the entire local team. While the exact number of employees affected was not publicly detailed in the post, the heartfelt farewells from the departing U.S. lead, Dan Sirk, indicate the closure impacted the dedicated commercial and product teams responsible for the platform's stateside growth. The move reflects the competitive challenges in the U.S. HR tech industry and a refocusing of kununu's efforts on its core European markets.

In August 2020, Australian networking and internet service provider Superloop laid off 30 employees as part of cost-cutting measures driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. This reduction, which decreased permanent headcount costs by 10.7%, was a response to significant revenue declines in its student accommodation and hospitality-focused internet services due to nationwide lockdowns. The layoffs followed a temporary four-day workweek implemented in April. For the financial year ending June 2020, Superloop's revenue fell 9.11% to $106.6 million, though it reduced its net loss from $72 million to $41 million through operational cuts and reduced capital expenditure. The company, which operates in the telecommunications and managed services industry, subsequently restructured and shifted focus toward sales and monetizing its network infrastructure.

Spaces on 2020-08-24.

StreamSets on 2020-08-20.

In August 2020, Swedish healthtech company Docly laid off 80% of its UK team, cutting 8 out of 10 employees, as it retreated from the UK market. This strategic shift came after a year without growth, despite a broader surge in telemedicine demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Docly, a spin-off from digital health provider Min Doktor, had struggled to secure clients in the UK for its text-based consultation services. The company decided to refocus on its core strength as a technology platform supplier, winding down its direct healthcare offerings. Operating in the competitive digital health industry, Docly faced challenges with funding and market expansion, ultimately leading to this downsizing to streamline operations.

Mapify, a travel-related technology company, has laid off several team members due to the ongoing crisis and uncertainty in the travel industry. The layoffs were communicated in a post by Patrick Haede, who expressed deep gratitude for the employees' contributions. The decision was driven by a second wave of insecurity and an unclear outlook for travel, following an initial wave in April. While the exact number of affected employees and the company's total workforce were not specified, the move reflects the broader challenges facing the travel sector. The company is supporting the impacted individuals by providing work samples and detailed references to aid their job search.

Lumina Networks representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2020-08-18.

DJI on 2020-08-17.

Shopify, a Canadian e-commerce giant with over 5,000 employees globally, has laid off approximately 30 to 50 staff members, representing a small fraction of its workforce. The cuts, which occurred around late 2020, primarily affected internal operations roles focused on office management and technical maintenance, along with some marketing positions. This move is directly tied to Shopify's strategic shift to a permanent remote work model, dubbed "digital by default," a transition accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the company reduces its reliance on physical offices—evidenced by exiting some locations and reimagining others as "recruitment hubs"—roles dedicated to in-office support have become redundant. The layoffs, while minor in scale, underscore the operational realignments within the tech industry as companies adapt to long-term remote work.

Los Angeles-based ridesharing startup HopSkipDrive, which provides transportation services for children, conducted a round of layoffs on August 11, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted its operations. While the exact number of employees affected was not disclosed by CEO Joanna McFarland, the company had over 100 staff prior to the cuts, and this followed an earlier reduction of 10% in March. The layoffs impacted multiple departments, including operations, branding, sales, and customer support. The primary reason was the widespread shift by school districts to virtual learning, which drastically reduced demand for the company's core service. HopSkipDrive, founded in 2014 and having raised about $98 million, implemented these cuts with a focus on empathetic communication and severance support, reflecting the broader challenges faced by mobility and transportation startups during the pandemic.

Mozilla Corporation, the developer of the Firefox browser, laid off 250 employees globally, representing 25% of its workforce. This restructuring, driven by pandemic-related revenue pressures and a long-term decline in Firefox's market share, led to the closure of its Taipei operations. The company is shifting focus toward new revenue streams like its VPN and privacy products while reducing investments in developer tools and platform features. Mozilla's reliance on search ad revenue, particularly from a deal with Google, makes it vulnerable to economic downturns. The layoffs were accompanied by severance packages and the launch of a talent directory for affected employees.

Singapore-based food ordering startup Eatsy ceased all operations in April 2020, resulting in the layoff of its entire workforce of approximately 20 employees across Singapore and Indonesia. The company, which operated in the food tech and restaurant ordering industry, had struggled financially, reporting only S$66,200 in revenue against a net loss of S$912,700 for the fiscal year ending June 2019. Founder Shaun Heng stated that the team received assistance transitioning to other roles, with Heng himself moving to a position at CoinMarketCap in May. The closure highlights the challenges faced by startups in the competitive online food delivery sector.

The Appraisal Lane, an Austin-based automotive appraisal startup founded in 2013, has laid off its entire engineering team based in Uruguay. The layoffs affected at least 30 employees, which represents a significant portion of the company's engineering workforce. This move appears to be part of a restructuring effort, as the company, which has raised $1.8 million in funding, subsequently released a talent directory to help the displaced engineers find new roles. The layoffs occurred recently, as indicated by LinkedIn posts from company representatives.

Glossier laid off 150 employees representing approximately 38% of its workforce on 2020-08-07.

Toronto-based corporate catering startup Thriver (formerly Platterz) laid off 75 employees, representing 50% of its 150-person workforce, in the second quarter of 2020. The drastic reduction was a response to a significant revenue dip caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the corporate catering industry as offices closed and remote work became widespread. The layoffs primarily affected non-Canadian operations in Israel and the US as the company centralized its functions and shifted to remote customer service. Concurrently, Thriver secured a $43.8 million CAD Series B funding round to pivot beyond food into broader virtual employee engagement and workplace wellness verticals, focusing new hiring on research, development, and marketing.

Vesta laid off 56 employees on 2020-08-05.

tZero on 2020-07-30.

In July 2020, Japanese e-commerce conglomerate Rakuten announced it was shutting down its U.S. online retail marketplace, originally known as Buy.com, leading to layoffs of 87 employees at its U.S. headquarters. The decision to wind down operations over two months came after years of struggle in the competitive U.S. market, where aggressive competition from Amazon, a rebranding from the well-known Buy.com name, and declining business made the venture unsustainable. Rakuten, which had acquired Buy.com for $250 million in 2010, emphasized that its profitable cash-back rewards business (Rakuten.com, formerly Ebates) and other divisions like Kobo were unaffected. This move reflected Rakuten's broader diversification, as the marketplace closure, while a setback, had limited impact on the larger corporate bottom line.

Pared on 2020-07-29.