'Was told we won't be paid': Devastated techie reveals how he and 19 colleagues, lost their jobs overnight

A software professional recently experienced a devastating and abrupt end to his job when the startup he and his teammates had passionately built over four years suddenly declared bankruptcy. Without any prior warning or signs of trouble, he and 19 other colleagues lost their employment overnight. The incident was shared on the online community Developers India, where the tech worker described how the unexpected downfall unfolded.

What began as a typical day at work quickly turned into a nightmare. Around noon, every employee received an email from the company's CEO, summoning them for an urgent all-hands meeting. During the call, the CEO delivered the devastating announcement: the company had completely exhausted its financial resources. There would be no salaries for the current month. Worse still, effective immediately, the business would cease operations. Every investor had pulled out, and the company could no longer sustain itself. The staff was told not to return to the office the following day.

Just like that, a startup that had been nurtured for four years vanished. Nineteen professionals, including the author of the post, were left without employment. The techie expressed disbelief and emotional numbness, sharing that while challenges existed, there had never been any signal of imminent failure—no budget freezes, no layoffs, no communication about the dire financial status. It all came without warning.

The CEO assured them he would attempt to assist with job placements through his industry contacts. However, the employee wasn’t sure how much he could rely on that promise and was left feeling uncertain about the future.

Online Community Offers Support

In response, several Reddit users empathized, sharing their own similar experiences. One developer recalled being in an identical position in November. He had woken up planning to finish his tasks and enjoy the completion of his sprint. But during a routine morning meeting, his CEO announced that investors had pulled out and the entire operation would be shut down within a month. That had been his first job, and he felt crushed. After two days of emotional struggle, he began searching for new roles and eventually secured one. He encouraged others not to lose hope and to stay persistent.

Another user, who had recently faced the same turmoil, advised taking time to mentally process the event. They suggested contacting HR for job leads, updating professional profiles, contributing to open-source projects on GitHub, and applying actively to maximize chances of recovery.