Breaking News | After 72 Hours of Turmoil, Chinese Team Cognition Acquires Remaining Windsurf Team}
In a dramatic turn, Cognition announces the acquisition of Windsurf's remaining team and assets, just days after a turbulent period and a major Google deal, marking a new chapter for both companies.
Things are constantly changing in this story.
This deal happened after Windsurf experienced a turbulent 72 hours. Windsurf, a four-year-old startup, was recently involved in a major transaction where Google paid $2.4 billion for a non-exclusive license, hiring CEO Varun Mohan and a team of researchers and engineers, mostly paying shareholders. Most of Windsurf’s 250 employees remained with the company after Google's deal.
As the situation unfolded, Cognition announced it would acquire Windsurf, though the terms and price were not disclosed. This acquisition grants Cognition access to Windsurf’s core products, brand, and remaining team.
Post-acquisition, Windsurf will continue to operate independently, developing its AI-driven IDE, while Cognition plans to integrate Windsurf’s IP and features into its own products, including its flagship autonomous agent Devin.
According to Cognition President Russell Kaplan, the acquisition was finalized over the weekend, just hours after Google’s announcement. The initial discussions started Friday afternoon, with the deal signed Monday morning.
This swift decision and action by Cognition demonstrate its strategic foresight. While Google’s deal marked a turning point for Windsurf, Cognition’s acquisition opens new opportunities for the company and its employees.
Jeff Wang, Windsurf’s interim CEO, expressed respect for Cognition, stating: "Cognition is the team we respect most in AI, and they are the right leaders to take Windsurf to the next stage."
Co-founder and CEO of Cognition detailed the acquisition, emphasizing the importance of the talented Windsurf team and their IP, trademarks, and rapidly growing business, with annual recurring revenue of $82 million and over 350 enterprise clients.
All employees will be treated equally, with full respect and transparency, as Cognition accelerates its mission to shape the future of software engineering. The integration of Windsurf’s IDE and Devin will unlock significant potential.
Additional reading:
- Windsurf Acquisition Inside Story: $2.4 Billion Divided, Hundreds of Employees Betrayed?
- Google DeepMind Snatches Windsurf’s Core Team Before Acquisition
Reference links:
https://venturebeat.com/programming-development/remaining-windsurf-team-and-tech-acquired-by-cognition-makers-of-devin-were-friends-with-anthropic-again/
https://x.com/ScottWu46/status/1944820058494263559