Unfortunately, not every startup is a success story.
Startups have to close shop for a variety of reasons. Changing regulations might kill the use case. For instance, several smart-luggage startups (e.g. Bluesmart) had to shut down when batteries were banned from checked luggage and carry-ons. In other cases, founders badly screw up by allegedly using company funds for personal use (e.g. Skully).
To not fall victim to confirmation bias, we routinely monitor failed startups in the Travel and Mobility Tech sector.
| # | Name | Description | Country | Funding Received ($M) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Karma Automotive | Manufacturer of luxury plug-in hybrid electric sports vehicles | United States | 1741 |
| 2 |  | Better Place | Provider of electric car infrastructure | Israel | 800 |
| 3 |  | Handy / Tink Labs | Provider of complimentary smartphones for hotel guests | Hong Kong | 425 |
| 4 |  | Quintess | Provider of exclusive hospitality services | United States | 267 |
| 5 |  | Airware | Provider of commercial drone services | United States | 104 |
| 6 |  | Wimdu | Peer-to-peer property rental platform | Germany | 90 |
| 7 |  | Bluegogo | Operator of a bike-sharing service | China | 90 |
| 8 |  | Lola | Business travel management company | United States | 82 |
| 9 |  | Drive.ai | Developer of an artificial intelligence based self-driving technology | United States | 77 |
| 10 |  | Chariot | Provider of a crowdsourced transit service | United States | 65 |
| 11 |  | Zunum Aero | Developer of commercial hybrid-to-electric aircraft | United States | 62 |
| 12 |  | Zuji | Operator of an online travel platform | Singapore | 56 |
| 13 |  | Sidecar | Developer of a ridehailing platform | United States | 43 |
| 14 |  | FlightCar | Peer-to-peer car rental service | United States | 42 |
| 15 |  | StayZilla | Short-term property rental service | India | 40 |
| 16 |  | Alta Motors | Manufacturer of lightweight electric vehicles | United States | 39 |
| 17 |  | Karhoo | Ride comparison and hailing application | United States | 39 |
| 18 |  | Oktogo | Online hotel booking platform | Russia | 38 |
| 19 |  | Zailushang (117go.com) | Online holiday information portal | China | 37 |
| 20 |  | Bluesmart | Manufacturer of smart luggage | United States | 30 |
| 21 |  | Skully | AR motorbike helmets | United States | 15 |
| 22 |  | RoomsTonite | Last minute hotel Booking | India | 15 |
| 23 |  | Shuddle | Provider of mobile-enabled transportation service for families | United States | 12 |
| 24 |  | Top10 Group | Developer of a hotel ranking platform | United Kingdom | 12 |
| 25 |  | U Trip | Discovery and travel planning platform to personalise trip planning | United States | 5 |
| 26 |  | Homeshare | Online marketplace intended to help users find accommodation | United States | 5 |
| 27 |  | Triploc | Platform to match tourists to local tour guides | China | 5 |
| 28 |  | Bridj | Provider of private "public transport" | United States | 5 |
| 29 |  | Leap Transit | Provider of bus-tracking and transportation services | United States | 4 |
| 30 |  | BlackJet | Provider of an on-demand private jet seat booking platform | United States | 3 |
| 31 |  | Raden | Manufacturer of smart luggage | United States | 3 |
Definition
When looking at failed startups, we look at companies that fall into the following categories: no longer operating, went through bankruptcy or acquired via de facto fire sale.
