// UNICORNBURN · FAILURE INTELLIGENCE
Years ranked by number of startup failures. 2023 leads with 790 documented collapses.
// THE INSIGHT
2023 was the deadliest year in our dataset with 790 startup failures — more than any previous year. Post-zero-interest-rate reality hit hardest in 2023-2022.
| # | Name | Failures |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | 2023 Top cause: unit economics | 790 startups |
| 🥈 | 2022 Top cause: unit economics | 569 startups |
| 🥉 | 2024 Top cause: unit economics | 329 startups |
| #4 | 2020 Top cause: unit economics | 246 startups |
| #5 | 2021 Top cause: competition | 221 startups |
| #6 | 2019 Top cause: competition | 183 startups |
| #7 | 2017 Top cause: founder chaos | 97 startups |
| #8 | 2018 Top cause: competition | 83 startups |
| #9 | 2016 Top cause: competition | 74 startups |
| #10 | 2015 Top cause: competition | 44 startups |