Roger Ehrenberg, VC/angel and an entrepreneur who has had to wind down companies before, has some advice about how to deal with the final phase of a failed startup's life. Some key points:
- Thank your investors for their faith and confidence in both you and the mission, and express how truly sorry you are that it didn't work out.
- Work hard to leave on good terms with all other key constituencies - co-founders, employees, service providers, etc. You don't need to be best friends, but you should be civil and able to move forward with a clean slate.