Pitch: “Say what you’re really thinking — anonymously.”

🧠 Cause of Death: Anonymity again. Same fire, different platform.

⚰️ Notable Twist: Raised $35M. Still had money. Shut down by choice.

💸 Raised: ~$35 million — deleted while still funded

💬 Last Words: “This isn’t the product I envisioned.”

📝 Short Description (for detail page):

Secret was an anonymous social app that briefly became the Silicon Valley gossip hub. Users shared raw thoughts, rumors, and confessions — and investors threw $35M at it. But what started as edgy and viral quickly turned toxic. The feed filled with bullying, false rumors, and harassment. Growth stalled. Redesigns didn’t help. In a rare move, the CEO shut it down voluntarily, saying it no longer aligned with his vision. The app had cash in the bank — but no soul in the product. Secret remains a rare example of killing a startup before it ran out of fuel.