Company lays off entire 200 employees over 2-minute Google Meet call

Frontdesk, a proptech startup that managed over 1,000 furnished apartments across the United States, has laid off its entire 200-person workforce after failing to secure additional funding, TechCrunch reported. The news comes just seven months after the Milwaukee-based startup acquired smaller rival Zencity. Frontdesk, operating in 30 U.S. markets with 1,200 units across 170 buildings, provides temporary homes for travelers and aimed to establish sustainable renting models.

The layoff, which affected full-time, part-time workers, and contractors, took place during a brief virtual meeting where CEO Jesse DePinto announced that the company would be filing for a state receivership as an alternative to bankruptcy, the report said. Citing an employee, the report said that layoff happened during “a two-minute Google Meet call.”

Frontdesk, founded in 2017, had raised approximately $26 million in funding from investors including JetBlue Ventures, Veritas Investments, and Sand Hill Angels. The startup recently attempted a bridge round to secure additional investment for their new plan of full building management, but unfortunately, the strategy did not succeed, leading to the company's inability to continue operations, the report said.