130亿，孙正义重仓的独角兽破产

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the bankruptcy of the agricultural unicorn Plenty, which was once valued at $1.9 billion (approximately 130 billion RMB) and backed by major investors like SoftBank's Vision Fund and Jeff Bezos. The company aimed to revolutionize agriculture with its vertical farming technology but ultimately failed to achieve profitability and growth, leading to its downfall [1][3][6]. Group 1: Background of Plenty - Plenty was founded in 2014 by Matt Barnard and Nate Storey, combining water technology with agriculture to create vertical farms that could produce crops indoors without pesticides or soil [3][4]. - The company claimed to achieve 350 times the yield of traditional agriculture while using only 1% of the water, aiming to provide fresh produce to urban areas year-round [3][4]. Group 2: Investment Journey - In 2017, Plenty raised $200 million in Series B funding led by SoftBank's Vision Fund, marking the largest investment in agricultural technology at that time [5][6]. - The company continued to secure significant funding, raising nearly $1 billion across multiple rounds, with SoftBank leading the investments [6][7]. Group 3: Reasons for Bankruptcy - Despite initial success, Plenty faced challenges post-Series E funding, including slow progress in retail partnerships and a significant gap between consumer willingness to pay and production costs [9][10]. - The company had never turned a profit and reported liabilities between $100 million and $500 million at the time of bankruptcy [9][10]. - The CEO attributed the bankruptcy to a deteriorating financing environment and failed attempts to secure additional funding or sell the company [9][10]. Group 4: Industry Context - The article highlights a broader trend in the agricultural technology sector, where many unicorns are facing bankruptcy due to unsustainable business models reliant on continuous capital infusion [11][14]. - The investment landscape has shifted, with investors becoming more cautious and prioritizing profitability over growth, leading to a significant increase in companies struggling to secure their next funding round [14].