Evaluating only Miso’s profile at its peak — without knowing the outcome — the model ranked Competition as the #1 likely cause. Documented cause: No market fit.
Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
Somrat Niyogi and Ethan Gur-esh founded Miso in San Francisco
FUNDING
Raised $4.2M from Khosla Ventures to build TV social check-in platform
PIVOT
Attempted pivot to second-screen companion app with episode guides and social chat
SHUTDOWN
Quietly shut down after failing to find acquirer; no public announcement made
Full Analysis
Free · no account needed
Documented cause
Miso was a TV social check-in app founded by Somrat Niyogi and Ethan Gur-esh, raising $4.2M from Khosla Ventures. The app let users check in to TV shows and discover what friends watched. GetGlue and IntoNow competed in the same niche. Second-screen engagement proved shallow, advertiser interest was low, and user retention plummeted after the novelty wore off. The service quietly shut down in 2013 after failing to find a buyer.
Lesson
“Passive media consumption doesn't naturally generate the sharing behavior that check-in apps require.”