About Windsurf acquisition
The acquisition case between Cognition (Devin’s company) and Windsurf has concluded. Windsurf, an AI programming IDE with 250 employees and $100M revenue, initially attracted OpenAI’s interest with a $30B acquisition offer. However, Microsoft opposed the deal due to competition with Copilot. Google then entered the fray with a $2.4B non-exclusive deal, hiring key staff. Yet, the founders left, leaving employees behind. Devin’s company acquired the remaining team and assets, ensuring financial benefits for all employees. The article also highlights the competitive landscape in AI IDEs and the challenges faced by startups like Windsurf.
Windsurf, with its $100M revenue, faced founder-led strategic shifts, leading to team fragmentation. Devin’s acquisition aimed to secure employee rights and continue business operations. The industry’s intense competition, with Anthropic restricting Windsurf’s model usage, pressures competitors like Cursor. The future of AI IDEs may hinge on broader development support, but reliance on model capabilities and iteration speed remains critical. The case underscores the need for startups to respond swiftly to market dynamics, while large companies, lacking “survival anxiety,” act more slowly.
Translation
Windsurf的收购案历经波折，最终由Devin背后的Cognition公司完成。原计划OpenAI以30亿美元收购Windsurf，但遭微软反对，因Windsurf与Copilot竞争。谷歌随后以24亿美元获得非独占技术授权，挖走核心团队。创始人Mohan及联合创始人离开后，员工被遗留，引发争议。Devin最终收购剩余团队及资产，承诺员工全额财务回报，并加速技术整合，推动其产品发展。
Windsurf作为AI编程IDE，曾获1亿美元年收入，但创始人因战略调整离开，导致团队分裂。Devin的收购被视为更优解，确保员工权益并延续业务。行业竞争激烈，Anthropic限制Windsurf使用其模型，Cursor等竞品面临生存压力。AI IDE未来或转向更全面的开发支持，但依赖模型能力与迭代速度。事件反映初创公司需快速响应市场，而大公司因缺乏“生存焦虑”行动迟缓。
Reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTPFf-mZ7zg