"Angry Birds, the incredibly popular game, was software maker Rovio’s 52nd attempt. They spent eight years and nearly went bankrupt before finally creating their massive hit.
...
The ubiquitous WD-40 lubricant got its name because the first 39 experiments failed.
WD-40 literally stands for “Water Displacement--40th Attempt.”
In depth: How Rovio made Angry Birds a winner (and what's next) @ Wired