There are myriad reasons why an estimated 90% of startups fail. You need a great idea (and not just one great idea); you need inspiration, funding, smart people — and a fair amount of luck. Miss any one of these factors, and failure might be a foregone conclusion.
For young companies or small teams that build applications, data can be another stumbling block. The databases they rely on have historically stymied innovation by being complex and costly to spin up, manage, and maintain. Proofs of concept — ideas with the potential to turn into something big — can die before even being tested due to a lack of funding or database capacity.