• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

2

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow

1

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

2

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
TechData Sheet

Data Sheet—Tuesday, September 20, 2016

By
Heather Clancy
Heather Clancy
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Heather Clancy
Heather Clancy
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 20, 2016, 9:00 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Life is a series of launch parties when you write about early-stage startups every day. Between 2012 and 2014, I profiled 488 of them—from 10gen and 10sheet to Zynga and Zypsee.

Conventional wisdom says 80% to 90% of those ventures were doomed to fail. But when I recently tried to measure my hit rate, I found it wasn’t easy to determine which companies had actually succeeded or failed. No one throws a party to announce that a startup is slowly fizzling out.

The list’s spectacular successes were rare, as I expected. But so were the spectacular failures. Most startups I profiled didn’t publicly flame out or melt down. (A notable exception: Fab.com.) Rather, they’re living on in a state of limbo.

Their websites are still accessible and their apps are still available, but they haven’t raised money in a long time. Often their Twitter accounts are dormant, their hiring pages are quiet, and their apps are buggy and in need of an update. Some have faced hurdles such as layoffs or a departed co-founder. Some have simply lost a sense of momentum—­practically a death sentence in the technology industry. Whatever the case, they’re stuck in startup purgatory with little hope of escape.

In other words, startups are failing to fail fast.

Perhaps ill-advisedly, I volunteered to read the names of all 488 startups in alphabetical order for Fortune’s video team. You can watch that here.

NOTE: We’re switching to a new email provider soon. To ensure delivery of this newsletter, please whitelist or add fortune@email.fortune.com to your address book.

Erin Griffith is a senior writer at Fortune. Email her.

BITS AND BYTES

Intel hires former eBay exec as new CFO. Robert Swan helped engineer the eBay spinoff of PayPal before joining growth equity firm General Atlantic in 2015. His predecessor, Stacy Smith, was promoted to executive vice president with responsibility for sales, manufacturing and operations in April. (Wall Street Journal)

Here's how Microsoft is appeasing Chinese security concerns. The software giant has opened a new "transparency center" in Beijing where government workers can test its products. (Fortune)

UPS expands 3D printing services to Asia. More manufacturers are producing parts on demand using 3D printers—anything from nozzles to brackets to prototype soap dispensers or multifaceted moving parts. Over the long term, that could mean fewer shipments over longer distance, so the giant logistics company is creating hubs where it can play a role in the process. (Reuters)

The Nutanix IPO is no longer on hold. The data center hardware company, which sells equipment that combines data storage and computer server features, plans to sell 14 million shares at $11 to $13 per share, according to SEC documents filed Monday. The sale could raise up to $209.3 million. Nutanix filed its IPO papers in January, but put things on hold because of the capricious market. (Fortune)

Walmart completes Jet.com acquisition. The deal, which was the largest for an online startup, will give Walmart access to Jet.com’s innovative pricing software and will help the huge retailer better compete with online rival Amazon.com. (Fortune)

Former Siebel execs tackle industry-specific apps. Vlocity, a fast-growing startup that sells cloud software for specific industries like insurance and telecommunications, on Tuesday raised another $50 million led by Sutter Hill Ventures. The new funds almost double its previous backing. (Fortune)

Google preps big product launch in early October. The introduction is likely for new smartphones and home-automation gear. It's also expected to introduce a bigger role for Google Now, the tech giant's voice "assistant" software. (Bloomberg)

GoPro's new drone is almost here. Karma, which will be priced starting at $799 when it ships Oct. 23, comes with a controller that makes it possible to see what the drone sees during flyovers. (Fortune)

Twilio acquisition points to video messaging strategy. The cloud communications software company is technology that will enable messaging software to accommodate new video applications, such as augmented reality, without the hassle of downloading plug-ins. (Reuters)

Apple pushes suppliers to use clean energy. Two iPhone production partners, Belgian antenna band maker Solvay Specialty Polymers and Chinese aluminum manufacturer Catcher Technology, will use solar, wind, or other renewable power sources to power all of their Apple-related production activities by 2018. Two other suppliers, Foxconn and Lens Technology, previously made similar pledges. (Fortune)

THE DOWNLOAD

Why Oracle is obsessed with Amazon. Mark Hurd, who shares the CEO position at Oracle with Safra Catz, on Monday reiterated that Oracle’s cloud business grew 82% year-over-year in its most recent quarter to roughly $800 million.

Most of that, however, was related to applications sold as cloud services (aka software as a service). In the category known as Infrastructure-as-a-Service—in which companies sell computing capacity—Oracle is still far behind market leader Amazon with just $171 million in sales for its most recent quarter, compared with the whopping $2.89 billion posted by Amazon Web Services in sales for its latest quarter.

But Hurd sees plenty of upside: He projected that within a decade, 80% of IT budgets will be spent on cloud service. Oracle is angling for a big chunk of that spending.

 

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Uber's Biggest Rival in Southeast Asia Rounds Up Another $750 Million, by Kia Kokalitcheva

Twitter Finally Loosens Its 140-Character Limit, by Mathew Ingram

Sprint CEO Says Galaxy Note 7 Recall Will Be Forgotten in Six Months,
by Aaron Pressman

Here's How Well the iPhone 7 Sold Its First Weekend, by Don Reisinger

Airbnb Buys Activity-Booking Platform, by David Meyer

Oracle Snaps Up Cloud Security Startup Palerra, by Barb Darrow

ONE MORE THING

Bomber hunters solicit tips via Amber Alert. Usually, the emergency notification system helps find missing people, but the FBI used it Monday to blast out descriptions of a person wanted in weekend bombing incidents in New York and New Jersey. The suspect was taken into custody several hours later. (Fortune)

This edition of Data Sheet was curated by Heather Clancy.

Share it: http://fortune.com/newsletter/datasheet/. Find past issues.
Sign up for other 
Fortune newsletters.

About the Author
By Heather Clancy
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

EU says TikTok failed to shield minors’ accounts from adults, exposing kids to predators
CybersecurityTikTok
EU says TikTok failed to shield minors’ accounts from adults, exposing kids to predators
By Sam McNeil and The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
3 hours ago
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping shaking hands
PoliticsChina
China adds 14 European firms to export control list in tit-for-tat over EU’s Russia sanctions
By The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
3 hours ago
t
EnergyWhite House
Trump promises cheaper power from data centers. Analysts say bills could jump 40%
By Josh Boak, Matthew Daly and The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
4 hours ago
sk
LawSouth Korea
South Korea’s ‘divorce of the century’ results in order for SK chair to pay ex-wife $640 million
By The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
5 hours ago
brockman speaks on stage
AIOpenAI
OpenAI President says rogue AI attack on Hugging Face ‘is indicative of the times we are in’ as the company continues to investigate incident
By Emily ForliniJuly 24, 2026
5 hours ago
craig
CommentaryPharmaceutical Industry
Big pharma’s patent cliff meets a new biotech Cold War: We need to outrun China, not outlaw it
By Craig GarthwaiteJuly 24, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
Big Tech
Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
By Sydney LakeJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
2 days ago
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Economy
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
Economy
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
By Eleanor PringleJuly 24, 2026
10 hours ago
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
Personal Finance
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
By Joshua HongJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.