[chx]

Having a lean and mean company doesn't make for happy investors.

The company was finished in 2020 when they raised $85M in a Series E. The fall after that is inevitable. Even the $40M they took in 2015 is a questionable decision for the very reasons you detail. What did they need tens of millions in investments for?

[stingraycharles]

This happens so, so often; companies raising too much money at too high a valuation, based on unrealistic “moonshot” expectations, which then fails and they’ll have to pivot and refocus and they’ll be a mere shell of their former self.

Raising at too high a valuation is not a position you want to be in. Unless you’re planning to cash in sooner than the ship will start burning.

[alecco]

Silicon Valley HBO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZgfTarNxdY

And further explanation on revenue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzAdXyPYKQo

[lawgimenez]

So they could send a single keycap halfway around the world. I still don’t understand why they insisted to send me one.

https://law.gmnz.xyz/2023/06/08/stackoverflow-keycap-reward....

[preommr]

Sending a small item like that as a prize for a contest seems reasonable.

The design of that keycap on the other hand is ridiculous.

[lawgimenez]

It does not make any sense, I have no use for it. I work only on a MacBook.

[mcdonje]

Pretty much nobody would use that on a standalone keyboard either. They had to know the design isn't practical for the stated purpose.

However, it does make a nice little trophy/trinket. It's merit based, so getting one could become a goal for contributors. It's branded. It fits on a desk.

If they made it twice as big and called it a trophy, it'd probably make more sense. But then costs would be higher and it'd be more formal.

[nerdponx]

Look up "artisan keycaps". Not only do people use them, they collect them, and certain specific rare and desirable artisan keycaps can be worth a lot of money. The high quality ones tend to be cast out of resin in small batches (sometimes literally just 1 in a given color/sculpt combination) and sold in short-duration raffles. People tend to put them on less-used keys.

[ecf]

> Series E

A company needing that many rounds deserves to die. Sorry to have known you SO.