The microblogging platform — India’s first in over 10 languages — went from booming international expansion to near closure in just four years.

When Mukul joined Indian microblogging startup Kooi in early 2023, he was eager to work with the roughly 300-member team building India’s answer to X (previously Twitter). He was hired to work on different features on the app, including revamping parts of the homepage. Mukul hoped his career would skyrocket along with the company’s growth.

Just a month after he joined, the company began laying off workers. By April, Koo told local media that it had laid off 30% of its staff. Mukul wasn’t spared: In June, he was asked to leave, just six months after joining the company.