trusera
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
Trusera was a Seattle-based social networking site for health: people dealing with illnesses or difficult health decisions could connect with others who had been through the same experiences and share practical advice. Founded in 2007 by Keith Schorsch, a former Amazon executive whose own struggle with Lyme disease inspired the product, it raised about $2 million in angel funding, came out of beta in mid-2008, and was an SXSW Interactive Awards finalist in 2009. It never found a sustainable revenue model and closed in May 2009.
02 / trusera FAILURE REASONS
Failure reasons
The company said on its blog that it closed because of funding difficulties: its $2 million in angel money ran out and it could not raise a follow-on round during the 2008–2009 financial crisis. Revenue came mainly from Google ads, which one contemporary observer doubted could ever sustain the site. Despite real traction — growing membership and an SXSW Interactive Awards finalist nod — the ad-supported model could not cover costs. This concerns Trusera's financing and business model, not evidence that peer health-support networks cannot work.
03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Company founded
Keith Schorsch, a former Amazon executive, founds Trusera in Seattle, inspired by his own struggle with Lyme disease, to connect people around shared health experiences.
- Product launch
Trusera comes out of beta with a redesigned site that parses members' stories and journal entries to match them with people in similar situations.
- Operations ended
On May 27, 2009, Trusera closes, stating on its blog that it could not raise more funding; the angel money was exhausted during the financial crisis.
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN
How the factors connect
- 01
Health-experience social network founded in Seattle by ex-Amazon executive Keith Schorsch
- 02
$2 million in angel funding; revenue relied on Google ads
- 03
Follow-on round impossible in the 2008–2009 financial crisis
- 04
Shutdown announced May 27, 2009, citing funding difficulties