Layoffs Roundup: Thurs 8/13/20

Tech layoffs continue to level off, with many hoping that the worst is behind us. After peaking in April and May, layoffs have declined in every month since.

Citing multiple sources including Layoffs.fyi, the New York Times concludes that early “doomsday warnings have not translated into the drastic shakeout that many had expected.” The article explores how even companies that previously laid off employees, like Airbnb and Getaround, are starting to see signs of recovery.

That’s likely no comfort to the 77,000+ tech workers who have been laid off during the pandemic, or to the hundreds who continue to be laid off each week. But a fast and sustained rebound is the best we can hope for at this point 🀞.

Below is a recap of the layoffs from this past week. Our Layoffs.fyi Tracker continues to keep an updated list of all startup layoffs during COVID-19.

🏒 Thriver βˆ™ 🌎 Toronto βˆ™ πŸ‘© 75 employees (50%) βˆ™ πŸ”—Source

  • Canadian corporate catering startup Platterz rebranded to Thriver after a $33 million Series B round. With offices closing due to lockdowns, their food catering revenues have dipped in this year’s second quarter. The startup laid off 50% of its workforce, or 75 employees.

🏒 Vesta βˆ™ 🌎 Atlanta βˆ™ πŸ‘© 56 employees βˆ™ πŸ”—Source

  • Worldwide payment services provider Vesta Corporation filed a WARN notice, consisting of a 60 calendar-day advance notification for layoffs in larger companies. The company will lay off 56 employees effective September 6th.

🏒 HopSkipDrive βˆ™ 🌎 Los Angeles βˆ™ πŸ‘© 54 employees βˆ™ πŸ”—Source

  • HopSkipDrive, a ride-sharing company for kids, laid off 54 employees, sources told Layoffs.fyi. Schools closing has severely impacted the startup’s business since March, when they laid off 10% of the company. To diversify its services during the pandemic, HopSkipDrive now offers tech and meal delivery.

🏒 Eatsy βˆ™ 🌎 Singapore βˆ™ πŸ‘© 20 employees (100%) βˆ™ πŸ”—Source

  • Singapore-based food ordering app Eatsy has shut down, laying off its last 20 employees. In April, the company ended its operations in Indonesia. Similar food delivery start-ups in Asia, like Gojek and Grab, have also experienced layoffs.

In case you missed it, check out our standalone posts about layoffs from these companies:

Thanks to Layoffs.fyi intern Stephan Billingslea for contributing to this post.