// startup autopsy
Blendoor
A Black woman built a tool to fix hiring bias — and faced that same bias raising funds.
distributionZombie Startup
Technically alive but effectively dead, burning cash
// the model, blind
Evaluating only Blendoor’s profile at its peak — without knowing the outcome — the model ranked Competition as the #1 likely cause. Documented cause: Distribution.
Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
Stephanie Lampkin founded Blendoor in San Francisco after being rejected by Google despite having Stanford and MIT credentials, aiming to anonymize hiring.
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Launched BlendScore diversity analytics dashboard, winning TechCrunch Disrupt and Fast Company innovation awards, gaining significant press attention.
FRAUD EXPOSURE
Lampkin gave widely-shared interview stating VCs refused to fund her anti-bias startup due to racial and gender bias, exposing deep irony in the DEI space.
SHUTDOWN
Website went dark and social media activity ceased in 2022 after failing to secure Series A funding; company listed as inactive in Delaware filings.