(NYTIMES) - Over the past 15 years, clever digital ideas have captured imaginations, transformed habits and reshaped industries and economies. It might seem surprising, then, that so many great digital products in this generation have come from bad businesses.

Spotify has reshaped music, but the company is still figuring out how to turn a consistent profit. Uber has altered cities and become a way of life for some riders and drivers. The company has also spent far more cash than it has brought in over its 13-year life. App companies like DoorDash, Instacart and Gopuff have hooked some Americans on deliveries of restaurant meals, groceries or convenience items, but hardly any company that brings fresh food to our doors has made it work financially. Robinhood helped make investing accessible and fun, but it hasn't made free stock trades profitable. Twitter is a cultural force, but it's never been a good company.