I know this opinion won't be popular here but to me this eventual result should be expected as the norm for basically all VC funded startups.

VC's fund startups for a financial gain - they get that financial gain when a startup is acquired, which usually involves a much larger, established company. Being bought out is considered "winning" and is the ultimate goal for VC funded startups.

The type of companies that can afford to buy out VC funded startups are generally not going to be buying to continue business-as-usual. The whole reason for VC funding is often that the business (model) can't be profitable on its own, and thus must change somehow to become a worthwhile part of the buying business.