80% of Unicorns Will Fail or Stagnate: VC Prediction

2025-06-06

Venture capitalists predict a grim future for many tech unicorns. A staggering 80% are projected to either fail outright or become stagnant. 20% are expected to completely fail, while roughly half will struggle to grow, eventually selling for less than anticipated or existing in a zombie-like state. Only 20-25% are expected to succeed through an IPO or acquisition, and even among those, a small minority will become independent public companies. Even giants like Stripe, which have stayed private for years, may eventually choose to go public.