// startup autopsy
Grand St.
Curated gadgets, uncurated exit
acquisition gone wrongAcqui-hire
Fatal mistake: Sold to Etsy, a strategically misaligned acquirer, which shut down the platform within a year of acquisition.
| Founded | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2014 |
| Country | USA |
| Sector | Marketplace |
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Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
Grand St. founded by Amanda Peyton as a curated marketplace for independent hardware and gadget makers.
FUNDING
Raised $1.3M to grow the curated hardware marketplace during the peak of the maker movement.
ACQUISITION ATTEMPT
Etsy acquires Grand St. in a move seen as a strategic expansion into hardware and maker commerce.
SHUTDOWN
Etsy shuts down the Grand St. marketplace, citing strategic misalignment with its handmade goods focus.