Unicorn Graveyard: When Startups Have Huge Traction But Need To Shut Down

Unicorn Graveyard — Real Traction, Real Endings

Most startup nights celebrate the outliers. This one’s about the other path: teams that won big—paying customers, rapid growth, partnerships—then made the hardest call. Four founders (one who was literally building from Apple’s campus) will share 5–10 minute lightning talks on why, despite momentum, they shut down or handed their startups over. No pitch decks. No vanity metrics. Just the decision points, what hurt, what they’d repeat, and how to walk away without losing yourself.

What to expect

• 3-4 lightning stories → raw, practical, and specific

• Open Q&A → ask about funding cliffs, pivots, team dynamics, and identity

• Mindset shift → treat endings as progress, not personal failure

• Notes, not vibes → frameworks you can use the next day (bring a notebook… tissues and party horns optional)

Who should come

Founders, operators, early employees, students, investors, and mentors who want the unglossy truth and hard-won playbooks.

Format

Welcome → 3-4× founder stories (5–10 mins each) → audience Q&A → mingle.
No filming, so we can keep it candid.

Details

When: Wed 20 Aug (evening)
Where: Stone & Chalk, 121 King St Melbourne CBD
Host: MLAI
Tickets: This is a smaller, cosier event so there's limited spots—please book early.

Let’s celebrate the builders who went the distance, even when the ending wasn’t glossy. Grab a friend and join us.