In 2016, billionaire Yuri Milner unveiled Breakthrough Starshot, a $100 million initiative to propel tiny probes to Alpha Centauri using high-powered lasers, promising interstellar travel within decades. Yet, nearly a decade later, the project has stalled with minimal funding disbursed, exposing the fragility of relying on private wealth for audacious scientific leaps. This unraveling highlights critical lessons for the tech community on sustaining innovation beyond flashy announcements.