// startup autopsy
Saltlick Labs
A SaaS startup that launched into the 2008 financial crisis with $15K and no survivors.
external shockSlow Death
Years-long decline before final shutdown · Fatal mistake: Launched a B2B SaaS product in late 2008 with only $15K in funding, directly into the global financial crisis that froze enterprise software purchasing.
Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
Saltlick Labs founded in the USA as a SaaS startup, entering the market in the same year as the global financial crisis.
FUNDING
Raised $15K in seed funding — the only capital raised — coinciding with the Lehman Brothers collapse and onset of the financial crisis.
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Attempted to launch SaaS product into a market where enterprise budgets were frozen and new vendor adoption had stalled.
SHUTDOWN
Saltlick Labs shut down after exhausting minimal capital and failing to generate revenue in the post-crisis enterprise software market.