Скачать или смотреть The $1 Billion Mistake That Killed GoPro

In 2013, DJI offered GoPro a partnership to build drones together. CEO Nick Woodman said no—he wanted GoPro branding on everything. Three years later, GoPro spent $200 million building Karma to compete. Within seven weeks, every unit was recalled. Drones were falling from the sky mid-flight.

GoPro went from garage startup to $10 billion IPO in twelve years. Nick Woodman became America's highest-paid CEO. The company revolutionized extreme sports with cameras that survived motorcycle crashes and deep sea dives that would destroy any smartphone.

Then iPhone 6s could shoot 4K. Samsung added stabilization. GoPro faced a terrifying reality: what happens when everyone who might buy a GoPro already owns one?

Woodman bet $200 million on Karma. Hundreds of new hires. Manufacturing across three continents. Launch: September 2016. By October, customers posted videos of units plummeting into lakes, crashing onto trails, falling 40 feet without warning. The battery latch worked loose mid-flight, causing total power failure.

November 8th: complete recall of all 2,500 units. The company built on indestructible equipment released a product that couldn't stay airborne.
970 employees laid off. GoPro exited drones entirely. DJI captured 80% of the market, then launched DJI Action targeting GoPro's core business. Insta360 pioneered 360-degree tech that made traditional cameras look primitive.

By 2025, GoPro's market share crashed from 75% to 9.6%. Stock fell from $98 to under $1. Market cap: $10 billion to $160 million. A 98% decline. DJI and Insta360 now control 88% of the market.

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