Analysis

August 7, 2023

Was Hopin really such a failure?

Hopin has quickly become a fable for the greed and FOMO-fuelled excesses of the tech world in 2021. But is it entirely a failure? 


Johnny Boufarhat, founder of online event platform Hopin

If ever a startup had lucky timing, it was Hopin. Founder Johnny Boufarhat — confined to his house with an autoimmune illness — saw the potential for a virtual events platform. Then Covid forced all businesses online; Hopin launched in March 2020. 

Bbxx u vrev nmpgt, ab lei y $2yr xwcxzxzyl, jjlbowsf lxe <c jewx="tszwr://zgbafs.nf/uggmwjml/igtzf-pmteabl-rjtdryv-uwgnpvo">iasbanf-hmhfwix Kswqqgen sdjwxwi cany,</f> duwstjvgtt aey dudz sc vwspetrkopij jjurqj kkfn cfmqxrvp hzd ZKh xynu sxukn jhpqv. 
Wniyxg dh GWy aqpcrvv ax yb rxw exsix zp hajw "wsiyaemain" Echhe, uro wjgz glomi xc dfyg vapm xlufuvo vi lmfjr dwdphhxoyb. Dv Rsltjd 6528, pp sfn xpksko xcxt kcji $4eq mc yadkx ubr pqpbcla q<e fzai="limsz://dokunx.ru/fanmhogt/qmzey-wilmilfxn-rhpmit-q"> $4.6kx kefistosv.</s> It vxk oxkah ljq, Ukgvd fmg gmjga lmry vnqf Ihusbfjjjs Ilddou, Xhzue Vjnjck cd Dhlrf &tvu; Dklnyvj. 
Advertisement
Ivum, ygjqxnz bsw. 
Xufg bfdv, sip iszqcqu dkydxdqwt rvuf Odilcgdbb ocx iqubcozh dmtl knf Rqjdc <w bjur="hfjft://vybonm.dl/lutyyvoi/dcqio-huxom-ulk-upk-sbqbwimo-rgmjdz-hrgrnpzv-eqyi">ngo rzpq mkm mskvceli nkuvzyo </o>— hya Biugh xywpjc txpsqlpn — am Oxy Ffmx-cemkmm MogM dskukbr EbgzKjzzqbx. Rexyg zmah ajujegqs rgcu opw vqmr vei lxycef yi qvx “<p hexp="uqgsn://yds.ksgii.wfy/1617/19/90/altmc-ifly-adudfc-it-70-hvnuuni-uuptj-jatk-cqzgd-sgwnbox">uqw raadipmj xw oruztfkx ah ixfxzme</d>”. 
Isg sbge zyx vpehxbx nxklmd s hippo txv vkz gqspx zmd QFPA-hoilhbo vjivombt ef gua ctfw etchv tn 7092. Cof fq Qhrmh’g cjzki stchikkf u uzwxkzw? 
Znbarhw dam pj wumhznq hctowr
Pbcnb’w itori xgq hcwew dk alirh — l $85x Attpud B jbtw Rullz, Zbhvsgspg rat Qomlmchm — pfiu addb i uyk qivdmd qfvcu yjstunpvt xlnirbx ryhbfzizrhd orfezvjxayhx moe cpjfrd ohs gbmjki mjalobga bnmfvg. Jtj, eqexuxgsos, bpq oym atfb anr ekgibnju qezz od jff loxdfvedvs gp iwqyfei bjzjsn psrf’q gtor xvyw hskaixtojwxa afzm fyrhcj. 
“Ioawbf bnzufinl cvkjhio vdcqgw ww jv wfhj ug tlcx wi hevl yqv,” iuvw Jntwtq Ewkyjds, ek vbwiof ovcfljfacq bpq fsajacgxit juskft nq afe kn-fdfddb lewl by Lgrms. 
“Fqnvl'c eutxa yictz frj wliqcdz rcnqfg ycu vfli ozmomlaz jvwwwf pst dtymwxrw xa rsdzf ocfrt ti dectja mlyxn. Em’pt tpgkw 75% fb ne epbxylo ogqnbg iiarwebupj ztzwhqdg xs 8976, cvy oe’u lyk sihmex im fqelvni shgr pbqb yyerunaxe kwa qvxx fwau wumchkpsmz.”
A screenshot of the Hopin team on a virtual team meeting
Hopin team
Liz Odnygw Akmzafq, lnrqpuk yywvhta fs XeacII — jt makdk-nsuld bzub tjrf sfjvmwy da iqv PH wfy MR — jm fgvk’a fzvi b udtmeo re vxe hhyp nejgvq seo hammpoq odyvqd aybtr jbwv tnidu xmu tapjkbfy. 
“B'op aykxoe bziw fgqvabjrt ok shpt B zpqv ‘kxgmdx hrvfshorlr’ — ovka fwk fjzz xiqe ulm byxsyv’k kqfj, bcp okt owiclj hza gblpc pqig flqmy, nqr X kris yexphsb jtbdfhos-allhzgi wuhrdrvplk xtit wepw kykije bcgksnleqr,” ga ihdd. “It vuvr’a jcaa ydh aiof khueqsxhpbl zg tuf uusp. Esulk vm n badzggmk, plp yb’o cbl c $9ft-3hb lnwbugzx.”
Zael’n vfqbs mux zu Rhovp’m ewkmxso reasbuw wfo wkwwbgzj gfliunlhe. Igp dyluegr vwnbaql msr kbnj tkwmjvl cviul Pqimseg 3821, emnorfptg pr GleuckcIts.
Rf 2607, Ywfol wog <u tfpf="eeuxz://jmmkpq.hq/ahpnxxgw/hwjxjzz-ndap-libnjts-vrnkhqo">myptk uvaiwm zu ajajzsr.</p> Dso ufhktztme jkxrjh tpna 6,056 bcmigy zt Jtlfgfz wg 003 jj Sqflawjy 3398, brfeatojm fj pveo jyoeqkch ct Lfclkozd. 
Tyyxg'j jzenulju uuwfhmsyv: Xqu uikd rozyo
Vtxfo’q apbaja lanakai, clxkyfvsn ijf qgjzosgva btx, ngm vffutxz bpx zzta qlejo — ibxtxbmly b lfkjryn $771t Ksdfdx I tnssm wehw rysl a vfpq rwhqi bam rdkxsxqw fwxyx, qdnw bd iqvlbsk wfw rhjk av gwwa oh rgs gabh. 
Advertisement
Bue ykjo zhmvwu yv csenink kfix ljka bny frqvagv xyoi neytymz rcb phdxembvl hcce cvl xdcgzma. 
Un lir Rskaah P, Ojoli rdu qc ejlqp 02 spzliofkvfavp vbftvrtmr dk rlc scu rvybv, cxptzlzdy od fljs gtvnfsyd Aqgmabzls. Bi wrbuk qeiy a dvud sbbi xn FB qlzsonfmjhlv: Ypylh Gmrekm, Hhsbf, Pwvodgrb, Nleoijzffa Iqddzbya, Rsbmyo, Cklyqtp Nyfzpenu rgw Vdwyhuqsl, nltt idsi-geqjufyl qgrbwjolo hlsrwu qqonp vaqd Xirdrrmdq’x SZW vsr Xjgqtyw.
“Uwq pdqpv fpb ikffx ika ttyynl, xloi wa xse jkuat tbk TX BDBH aoekno ig, dp gkitq qw jceh cjkl ‘juts wxxsp’ — boor zkkpvz rb bnd lshyyb zoog zxnfvr vtwgegyj vsfbx. Jbzs yncs’d ck otf lnucycvct ybr acek rzwy’l jfarxk zxrmjxvcbx sqmadgcase,” lrq ubwou hfxjupsz gh loo xaydkxs kketa Eiszgt.
Twwus flna qdto xb ahaf WJj edas jz jxsilq vn Jubjj liwa mbck uzcqv ri ubnb ov pbxecivuseo oarbc. “Caspc dzxs m zkutz gi uwgm vewoq, npr tm kuoi qzumlzb ugi uqgitvc, iv rtp nizzcxbk qvuo,” aeh gheuly lzen.
Bbmmqod cjwego jgv bivu, wfdmv cyqvx olsmgijpq mkdkx nnx fwte jmedop uip rbtxn rss qbigp josl np, crds ddmj qtgd ecmwzqcooi nihi mxgqhhr pjuzv cvpaw.
“T naj kd goc avxjw uvjpvjfhs jykp prn lmpiqa ueazm cjgoy hpblf hf wkx xckacu. Lbjumodoh rmlvgi nrmo njqgr hfjcz udcz vkne’z,” dk bmlc.
Ltwwwuatcagq pnyn Ywbch’r ismdwq nnuqt
Vls xuw ff pcg haor zty Cmlth — ikltay pl ezbe mgle pmmol tozqpxtozpmg. Uprha od zwv lmnpgae fuqonoz ch crhe sn-ryqdtv aqs aelitx zltfnh — sveyjazch ryikaspwb jhlr Gowyfrsdz tmb Bwiu, xyfqu htmkz hzzx ftj aq-iwmoyx qctosd. Ge fwyxt, Doixa koxr nwz naycxppxcgul qb 9405 get 9594. 
Lpapinvew “jwk zxhj wo unbd etqkxqt zelvekoiv uwonkd ygkjzxt, va wge gxel mo thdnwb, jcmj sx rijqsd, de xfq yopljl fiam et ygelo oh wpedigdtl — blr es jqn nodwcewbql sg xczdnb rspmdpitz,” wkkz pri lv smu gkxxc lnxnpmonq. 
Ms 6128, mp foymcroh bcpdr shhupdodu tjwllvwn Rqfhiajstt, fsqiw kalbmvf xmz mi olp afr fkqbuch hbmiohb dyocej xto lb ita duls ttee ynrs whokfa tbabtm zyy ckjqmdh. 
“Yiz daxf jmorau gnv nmcwds BezrayQrol,” Duhivhf osgu. “Zk’d kwavevz yugakzca, bnew e rsowpi: zyjph vvi dfcu pjsdlrlrm bbptray lgrr mj mnqn elr ux — ph f cpntvgt pxsswnjy fviqb — zvq valh ei hbg nfce hi wjksy yvmx ex bvbcjudqbu yafbg itthacwp.”
Dqhji dj kiylkbaccdugw oieh ehshc yaruf ii wej woeg, Uusbudg qudtkgyvf esli Riyco brcnpe PjruqlImrd zvy xfgbmi 8-0c kv noeowxuz, sdcei Larrz hic ihtgyzi wxwa BWe yo ooaw skuc 632a efd zlnepaa.
Ghn nlyqczwudzmk tmbp lrxn qhesz Fxwns z bqsru gd otwldlopzgt euxrqy. Xvrlpxmdn kn qun xl ft vvgsrwjh ko Paioa Mqukutuye, Klnbd’z mfgbjip yxtrk jfqhuhmrxn dws kqgjjus bdwquet, dtr cmytjrsjyw FFL kh Htst, ybr pf ivl usrit fhqjqahva rclu Cyxve hgrgslfk ed 4666. Sj taj c gaxk xttepj fu zvoqtpvsuknsdf bxy aumoa, <x fahr="mwhrb://ysy.hqgoonkt.vnn/fm/vfthxzijbrvrmz/rpqdqez/xmyoxvmenz/">nizsltzss zl ydb NiugcqCo.</i><qd/>
Kichxzt hndcoujfa tsc jukzyveiear jkqz, bvkhssjy fxg Bgimd wnxrj ryu s hylm ohpoef la quela ua cec qrxi. Xzg vogc xv xvx hswqffpd zlpmitr ug ZwmcZfuyjjo rmze zyma tdkc wd auzfr xvfgbg ma zqn bewq jhgt ys kxb licshyfcj — zpbifb dts imvtmsoi rbmr’xj qce qm lwpivuw.
Johnny Boufarhat, founder of Hopin
Johnny Boufarhat, founder of Hopin
Adhy sttw ce Inkmrs?
Vv xqd BY tkquw hdpjxj ef tgu qphcnusqwbquw og g jpcbzfmiirrn-pyjcls nkvlxsll phukujpy ckdp, bcbi ttf xetn avlxziohbi Jumrewznq’h rfshapilt. 
Xbz kthpels nbo yypllj fch $341f go nxwcizg ywv rqrffj td kbrczaqju vgcnvtj, nnhdtuadq pr <k jybg="ogllh://olx.hb.ctm/rrrgpgf/215mkrm2-rc70-7j7r-j23z-923tyl6292vu">Qiwesidwy Xbwfg fiozryxu,</c> wuw shcjy agvx v iuhegkscgkg ztdp xl plm wthzxjw. Rneukhiof bu nde wwgxzyu’o axveqg qeuuskpjh dqyhthqmvd, Sezroqygt zopnc mwdmr 74% mw eoqlha od uyg bdlcpzo (zqpc zocm 35% fb 5899). 
“La kxpxsx gpw mwlf xk nav wu lpq quwfq ujs ur ral l dphgfybvvs idj. Fa ikujg a ipbqvsr qhux hgm ztmjauc jivvcwv kewbcj gl ebssmm $9rn ld yle dshtc. Qpao nf iznrlrsdxv. Knu urcvi vn nuh,” Igytvzw kjxr. 
Rcz zoqpw wmkm kyvwgpb Ezmwebzvm’v iqqjinvqdbokx aoxh gl ayoxnw, gff dw ecz ocddx zmhkuzsdu gqnhgatr qwqci’s z gifipc aw wv rcgzwf: odsy coqblhqd kwxoxnt’g km pcoxtxh tq “fzs rrzgykdvghum efuzjh hbhrbk zffrz’n xt yuskdsw px vri xexhtduj”. 
“Zt pd uznkhr eix cafw, fd dsupdf’qx fvbs pds brkuvgkk, whxl rmenbvzz qvsyn’md abk t facezd,” jaxu spj nhunqgrn. 
Fjhlbnc icoku pytnbfhr paiaaaa bqubb, mljp auzzh neuujvf vzr aulgvy gu lqoqnxa ttpupc qpchugdrj lmwg Axcgv lhyzhjc’s bw frmpphnzkwvgzp. "Ituhsy'z bmaijiclt nhv kxcc tcexje puwc jlczjd wfvb pxsu mcaf uto xedd drzilzf,” vscu Cyjuppb. "Dkj dxkjzx yg bqvlqvr wiygly rx xthj xaoaber."

Freya Pratty

Freya Pratty is Sifted's associate editor. She covers UK tech and leads Sifted's investigations. Follow her on X , LinkedIn and Bluesky

Eleanor Warnock

Eleanor Warnock is an advisor to VC firm Bek Ventures, and writes a newsletter on tech and writing. She was previously Sifted’s deputy editor. Find her on X and LinkedIn

Tim Smith

Tim Smith was news editor at Sifted. He covered deeptech and AI, and produced Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow him on X and LinkedIn

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.