// startup autopsy

Wunderlist

Microsoft acquired the world's most beloved task app for $200M — then shut it 5 years later after building Microsoft To-Do with the same features

acquisition gone wrongAcqui-hire

Fatal mistake: Wunderlist was the world's most beloved task management app. Microsoft acquired for reportedly $200M June 2015. Microsoft built Microsoft To-Do as replacement. Wunderlist shut May 6, 2020 (5 years after acquisition). The engineering team was acqui-hired but the product was discontinued. Christian Reber then rebuilt it as Superlist 2022.

Founded	2010
Closed	2020
Country	Germany
Sector	Productivity
Founder	Christian Reber

// the model, blind

Evaluating only Wunderlist’s profile at its peak — without knowing the outcome — the model ranked Acquisition gone wrong as the #1 likely cause. That’s exactly how it died.

Key Events Timeline

2010

FOUNDING

2015

FUNDING

2017

MILESTONE

2020

SHUTDOWN

Full Analysis

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Documented cause

Wunderlist acquired by Microsoft $200M June 2015. Microsoft built To-Do as replacement. Wunderlist shut May 6, 2020 (5 years post-acquisition). Engineering team acqui-hired; product discontinued.

Lesson

“Productivity apps with large loyal user bases must negotiate product continuation warranties before acquisition — Wunderlist's 30M users and 5-star reputation gave it leverage that could have protected the product lifecycle.”

Failure anatomy

Collapse type

Acqui-hire

📉 MEDIUM

Hype cycle

None

Moat type

Product

Fatal mistake

Wunderlist was the world's most beloved task management app. Microsoft acquired for reportedly $200M June 2015. Microsoft built Microsoft To-Do as replacement. Wunderlist shut May 6, 2020 (5 years after acquisition). The engineering team was acqui-hired but the product was discontinued. Christian Reber then rebuilt it as Superlist 2022.