All autopsies

// STARTUP COMPARISON

Jodel vs Vine

Jodel failed in 2022 due to Competition. Vine failed in 2017 due to Competition. Both failed for the same reason — Competition.

METRIC🔥 Jodel🔥 Vine
SectorSocialSocial
CountryGermanyUSA
Founded20142012
Died20222017
Raised€30MAcquired by Twitter for $30M
Peak10M users200M users
Primary CauseCompetitionCompetition

// WHY EACH FAILED

🔥 Jodel
Competition
Jodel built a location-based anonymous social network popular among German university students. After raising €30M and reaching 10M users, TikTok captured the student entertainment attention and BeReal captured the authentic social sharing niche. Jodel's anonymous local community format lost its differentiation. Unable to raise further funding in the 2022 downturn, the company restructured significantly.
// LESSON
Anonymous local social networks have a geographic moat until global platforms achieve local content at scale. TikTok's For You algorithm creates local content without geographic restriction. When that happens, anonymous local networks have no remaining moat.
🔥 Vine
Competition
Vine was acquired by Twitter in 2012 for $30M and never monetized. When Instagram added video in June 2013, top creators migrated for better monetization. Twitter failed to build creator tools. Top creators issued Twitter a list of demands in 2016. Vine shut down in January 2017.
// LESSON
Being first only matters if you are also fastest at monetizing the people who made you first. Creators are suppliers. Suppliers leave for better margins.

// EXPLORE FURTHER