// startup autopsy
walkby
Walk-in commerce that consumers walked past.
marketfitSilent Shutdown
Quiet closure with no public announcement · Fatal mistake: Tried to solve a two-sided marketplace problem in proximity retail commerce with $0.65M — far too little to reach critical mass on either the merchant or consumer side.
Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
Walkby founded in the USA to build a proximity-based retail commerce platform connecting shoppers and nearby stores.
FUNDING
Raises $0.65M in funding to expand merchant partnerships and consumer marketing for its location-based commerce app.
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Launches consumer-facing app but merchant density remains too low in target cities to drive meaningful consumer engagement.
SHUTDOWN
Walkby shuts down after failing to achieve network effects with its limited capital and facing intensified competition from better-funded proximity commerce players.