Skip to main content
UnicornBurnBETA
AutopsiesRankingsIntelligenceAPI
// sign inStart free →
AutopsiesRankingsIntelligenceAPIRequest access →
// FAILURE INTELLIGENCERankingsAPI
B2B ACCESS →
← All autopsies
// HALL OF FLAME · STARTUP AUTOPSY
Founded1983
Closed2023
CountryUSA
SectorFintech
Total raisedPublic company (SIVB)
Collapse typeSudden Collapse
FounderBill Biggerstaff

Silicon Valley Bank

"The bank for startups. $42B withdrawal requests in 24 hours. FDIC seized in 48."

$44000M
RAISED
8,500
EMPLOYEES
480
MONTHS
unit economicsSudden Collapse

Unexpected shutdown within weeks of a trigger

// Fatal mistake: Governance Failure

Key Events Timeline

2022-03
DOWN ROUND
Fed begins rate hikes. SVB long-duration bonds lose value. Startup withdrawals accelerate.
2023-03
FRAUD EXPOSURE
SVB announces $1.8B bond loss. Peter Thiel tells portfolio companies to withdraw.
2023-03
SHUTDOWN
FDIC seizes SVB after $42B bank run in 24 hours.
🔥 Hall of Flame 85%🏆 Hall of Fame 15%

Silicon Valley Bank collapsed in March 2023 after a bank run driven by duration mismatch.

// full analysis

Full analysis requires the Analyst plan

Documented cause · Market cycle · Competitive moat type · Verified lesson

See Analyst plan →See all plans

€149/mo · or contribute your autopsy for free access →

More Fintech →More from USA →More unit economics failures →Raised: Public company (SIVB)
// SHARE THIS AUTOPSY
SHARE ON X →LINKEDIN →
← Report an error in this autopsy
// YOUR STARTUP DOESN'T HAVE TO END LIKE THIS

UnicornBurn Season 0 opens July 2026. 10,000 founders competing in one world. Your startup fights for the market every Saturday. Most will end up here. Which one are you?

JOIN SEASON 0 →
// THE FINTECH GRAVEYARD DOESN'T END HERE

Silicon Valley Bank followed a documented pattern. Identify the same signals in any company before they reach the point of no return.

ANALYSE A COMPANY →MORE FINTECH AUTOPSIES →
←PREVIOUSLufaxNEXTWeWork IPO failure→

// SIMILAR STARTUP FAILURES

↔ Compare with another startup →
MoviePass
Consumer
Bird
Mobility
Pets.com
Ecommerce
Ofo
Mobility
// SUBMIT AN AUTOPSY

Witnessed a startup failure first-hand? Share the real story. First-hand accounts from founders and team members get prioritized for publication.

SUBMIT AN AUTOPSY →
✎ Claim this autopsy⚑ Report an error
// FOR FUNDS & ANALYSTS

Failure intelligence for due diligence and risk analysis.

Structured dataset by collapse type, for 5031 startups. 7-day trial.

See plans →
// FOR BUILDERS

Free JSON API. No key required. 50 autopsies, 10 req/day.

Full dataset available with Intelligence plan API key. CORS enabled.

Explore API →

Academic, press, or research use? Free JSON API available — no auth required →

¿Te ha sido útil?