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Zune

A line of digital media products and services marketed by Microsoft.

Categories

Electronics, Music, Technology,

Product Gallery

Reasons for Shutdown

Strong Competition

It was bad timing for the Zune to enter the market

Zune was launched in 2006, five years after the release of its competitor, Apple's iPod.
It came much too late as the iPod had already became the go-to source for portable entertainment.
Even when Zune HD was released, it came two years after the iPod Touch.

Lack of Innovation

Too many similarities with Apple's iPod

The Zune did not have the features that set it apart enough from the iPod.

Poor Marketing

There was insufficient marketing

Microsoft's marketing of the Zune was too narrowly focused: a specific audience, the anti-mainstream, and wanted to stand apart from the crowd.
The marketing team ended up missing out on an opportunity to engage a broader audience of music listeners by aiming at this niche group.

Direct Competitors and Similar Companies

Note: Direct competitors are defined by similarity score of more than 40%, while similar companies are defined by similarity score of less than 40%

No.	Name	Similarity score	Description	Industry	Categories	Location	Ownership status	Entity type	Stage of development	Transactional model type	Defensibility moats	Last financing round	Total raised	Post-money valuation	Last financing date	No. of funding round(s)	No. of investors	Investors	Total revenue	Market capitalization	No. of investments	No. of acquisitions	No. of board seats taken	Competition	Management	No. of employees	Company reputation	Contact info	Operational status	Operational duration	Shutdown date	Founded date	Legal name	Former legal name(s)	Ticker
1.	Essential	46.7%	A mobile and home devices company focused on creating consumer technology products for the 21st century.	Consumer Electronics	Smart Home, Hardware, Software, Mobile Devices, Manufacturing, Electronics	United States	-	-	-	-	-	Early Stage	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	100-250	-	-	Inactive	-	-	2015	-	-	-
2.	Apple Newton's MessagePad	43.9%	A personal digital assistant device developed by Apple Computer for the Newton platform.	Consumer Electronics	Hardware, Technology, Electronics	United States	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Inactive	-	-	1993	-	-	-
1.	Coolest Cooler	31.2%	A multi-function cooler that was initially funded through the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.	Consumer Electronics	Electronics, Music, Sporting Goods, Wireless	United States	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10-50	-	-	Inactive	-	-	2015	-	-	-
2.	Doppler Labs	27.1%	A wearable technology company.	Consumer Electronics	Wearables, Technology, Hardware	United States	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	50-100	-	-	Inactive	-	-	2013	-	-	-
3.	Lily	25.7%	A flying camera that took photos and video in the moment.	Consumer Electronics	Hardware, Drones, Robotics, Technology	United States	-	-	-	-	-	M&A	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10-50	-	-	Active	-	-	01-Sep-2013	-	-	-
4.	Samsung Galaxy Note 7	22.8%	An android-based phablet designed, developed, produced and marketed by Samsung Electronics.	Consumer Electronics	Hardware, Software, Technology	South Korea	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Inactive	-	-	2016	-	-	-
5.	Novelsys	22.6%	A startup focused on wireless charging solutions.	Consumer Electronics	Electronics, iOS	Singapore	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1-10	-	-	Inactive	-	-	2014	-	-	-
6.	Lytro	17.9%	Developed light-field cameras.	Consumer Electronics	Hardware, Electronics, Photography	United States	-	-	-	-	-	Late Stage	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	100-250	-	-	Inactive	-	-	2006	-	-	-
7.	Kanoa	16.5%	A headphone startup.	Consumer Electronics	Electronics, Sports, Digital Entertainment	United States	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10-50	-	-	Inactive	-	-	2013	-	-	-
8.	Ozmo Devices	13.7%	Offered Wi-Fi compatible communication technologies that delivered cost-effective WPAN connectivity for battery-operated devices.	Consumer Electronics	Electronics, Enterprise Software, Hardware	United States	-	-	-	-	-	M&A	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10-50	-	-	Inactive	-	-	2004	-	-	-

Investors

No.	Image	Name	Investor type	Description	Location	Preferred investment stage(s)	Stages invested in	Assets under management (AUM)	Investment range	Investment sweet spot	Preferred investment focus	Preferred investment geography	No. of investments	No. of lead investments	No. of follow-on investments	No. of co-investments	Portfolio companies	No. of exits	Total exit value	No. of failed investments	Loss on investments	No. of acquisitions	No. of board seats taken	No. of funds	Limited partners	Co-investors	No. of partners	Partners	No. of employees	Management	Board members	Founders	Investor reputation	Contact info	Entity type	Legal name	Former legal name(s)	Founded date	Ticker
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Leadership

No.	Image	Name	Previous designation	Previous company	Previous biography	Previous profile type	Previous location	Experience	Education	Reputation	Current company	Current designation	Current biography	Current profile type	Current location	No. of investments	No. of exits	Total exit value	No. of board seats taken	Contact info
1.		Robbie Bach	President, Entertainment & Devices Division	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Microsoft	-	Robbie Bach joined Microsoft in 1988 and over the next 22 years worked in various marketing, general management and business leadership roles. Beginning in 1999, as Chief Xbox Officer, he led the creation and development of the highly successful Xbox video game business. Now in his new role as a “Civic Engineer,” Robbie believes we all have a responsibility to engage on civic issues and dedicates his time and energy to providing strategies, creative ideas, and consulting to organizations who are driving positive change in our communities. He speaks to corporate, academic and civic groups across the country and in 2015 completed his first book, Xbox Revisited: A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal.	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Funding

No.	Financing date	Financing round	Total amount raised	Post-money valuation	Financial viability	Fundraising target amount	Remaining target amount	Financing type	No. of investors	Board seats	Lead investors	Entity type	Financing status
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