// startup autopsy
Yub
Social shopping rewards that couldn't reward itself with users.
marketfitFire Sale
Distressed acquisition below last-round valuation · Fatal mistake: Yub launched a social cashback shopping product in a crowded market without a differentiated acquisition strategy to reach consumer scale quickly enough.
Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
Yub founded as a social shopping cashback platform connecting consumers with retail brand partners.
FUNDING
Yub raises $12M to build its cashback rewards platform and grow consumer and merchant networks.
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Yub launches consumer-facing platform but struggles to differentiate against Ebates, Rakuten and established cashback competitors.
SHUTDOWN
Yub acquired and shut down as an independent product after failing to achieve consumer scale in the competitive cashback market.