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India.com
4 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Who is Varun Mohan? Meet man who rejected Rs 25000 crore offer from OpenAI to join Google for Rs..., not from IIM, IIIT, NIT, VIT, or BIT
In a push to enhance its AI code generation abilities, Google has hired a number of employees from Windsurf, a quickly growing AI infrastructure startup, including Varun Mohan, Windsurf's co-founder and CEO. He and co-founder Douglas Chen are now going to Google after a tense corporate face-off which saw OpenAI in advanced talks to acquire Windsurf just a month ago. Varun Mohan is of Indian descent, having been born and raised in Sunnyvale, California, by children of Indian immigrants. He went to The Harker School in San Jose, and then to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he earned a Bachelor's and Master of Engineering in Computer Science. According to his LinkedIn profile, Varun Mohan co-founded Windsurf in June 2021. The startup was based in Mountain View and received attention after launching AI tools that would reduce friction and speed up the process of software development. During this time, Windsurf quickly became a prominent player in the AI infrastructure space under his leadership. Before starting Windsurf, Varun Mohan spent over three years at autonomous vehicle company Nuro. He joined in early 2018 as a software engineer, was promoted to tech lead for autonomy infrastructure by August 2019, and became tech lead manager in 2020. Varun Mohan's resume also highlights engineering-related internships at several prominent Silicon Valley tech companies. In 2017, he started at Databricks, where he worked on machine learning systems; earlier that same year, he interned at Cloudian Inc., where he contributed to S3 storage infrastructure; and in 2016, he interned as a software engineer at Quora, with a focus on data infrastructure.
Deccan Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Deccan Herald
Google hires Windsurf CEO and researchers to advance AI ambitions
Alphabet's Google has hired several key staff members from AI code generation startup Windsurf, a Google spokesperson said on Friday, in a surprise move following an attempt by its rival OpenAI to acquire the startup. Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and select members of the coding tool's research and development team will join Google's DeepMind artificial intelligence division, the Google spokesperson said. The former Windsurf team will focus on agentic coding initiatives at Google DeepMind, primarily working on the Gemini project. ChatGPT maker OpenAI was in talks to buy Windsurf, one of the hottest startups disrupting software development, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters in June. OpenAI could not immediately be reached for a comment. "We're excited to welcome some top AI coding talent from Windsurf's team to Google DeepMind to advance our work in agentic coding," the Google spokesperson said. As part of the deal, the search engine giant is entering a non-exclusive license for certain Windsurf technology, according to a source familiar with the matter. Google will not take a stake in Windsurf, the person said. Windsurf investors will receive liquidity as part of the deal, sources told Reuters. Google's surprise swoop mirrors a deal in August 2024 to hire key employees from chatbot startup Big Tech peers, including Microsoft, Amazon and Meta, have similarly taken to these so-called acquihire deals, which some have criticised as an attempt to evade regulatory scrutiny.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
AI startup Windsurf sold to AI engineer Devin's maker Cognition just days after OpenAI acquisition fails and Google ‘poaches' CEO
Windsurf is being acquired by Cognition AI , the makers of AI engineering tool Devin, for an undisclosed sum just days after news broke that OpenAI would not be acquiring the startup and that Google had hired away CEO Varun Mohan , co-founder Douglas Chen , and several R&D employees to join the Google DeepMind team. Google's strategic talent raid leaves Windsurf vulnerable Last week, Google DeepMind announced it had hired Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan and co-founder Douglas Chen, along with several R&D employees, while securing a non-exclusive license to Windsurf's technology, all for $2.4 billion. The move followed the breakdown of OpenAI's acquisition talks, where Microsoft's insistence on intellectual property access created insurmountable obstacles. The OpenAI deal was reported to be valued at $3 billion. "Among all the teams in the AI space, Cognition was literally the one we have respected the most," Wang said in an email to employees Monday, announcing the deal that includes Windsurf's intellectual property, remaining workforce, and $82 million in annual recurring revenue. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en Alejandro Korn (ver precio) Verisure Más información Undo The Google deal left Windsurf in a precarious position as a standalone company, prompting weekend negotiations that resulted in Cognition's acquisition offer. The acquisition caps off what Windsurf's interim CEO Jeff Wang described as "a really volatile time" for the startup, which saw its $3 billion acquisition deal with OpenAI collapse before Google swooped in to hire away key leadership and research staff. Windsurf workers get financial protection in Cognition deal Cognition, which develops the Devin AI coding assistant, structured the deal to include all remaining Windsurf employees, intellectual property, and assets. The company emphasized that all Windsurf staff would receive accelerated vesting schedules and financial participation in the transaction. "Jeff and I worked together to ensure that every single employee is treated with respect and well taken care of," wrote Cognition CEO Scott Wu in a staff note. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Varun Mohan Joins Google as Cognition Acquires Windsurf After OpenAI Deal Collapse
In a fast-evolving saga that captures the intensifying battle for AI supremacy, Windsurf—the startup known for its enterprise AI coding tools—has officially been acquired by Cognition Labs. This comes shortly after its high-profile CEO, Varun Mohan, along with other key leaders, joined Google DeepMind. The story underscores how talent and intellectual property are becoming the key battlegrounds in the AI industry. Here are the key developments summarized in five points: 1. OpenAI's $3 Billion Acquisition Attempt Falls ApartOpenAI was reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Windsurf earlier this year, with a deal valued at approximately $3 billion. However, negotiations stalled and ultimately collapsed after the exclusivity window expired. According to The Verge and The Wall Street Journal, conflicts around technology overlap—particularly involving OpenAI's deep relationship with Microsoft—likely complicated the transaction. Meanwhile, Windsurf had already begun conversations with other potential partners. 2. Google Makes Strategic Move Without Buying the CompanyFollowing the collapse of OpenAI's offer, Google DeepMind moved quickly to hire Windsurf's top leadership, including Indian-origin CEO Varun Mohan and co-founder Douglas Chen, along with several senior AI researchers. Rather than acquiring the company outright, Google paid $2.4 billion for a non-exclusive license to access Windsurf's technology. This allowed Google to tap into the talent and tools without owning the startup, which remains operational and open to other collaborations. 3. New Leadership, Same Vision at WindsurfDespite the exit of its founders, Windsurf continues its operations with a reshuffled executive team. Jeff Wang, previously head of business, has taken on the role of interim CEO, while Graham Moreno, the VP of global sales, now serves as president. With roughly 250 employees staying on, Windsurf reaffirmed its commitment to developing enterprise-grade AI tools. 'We aren't going anywhere,' Wang wrote in a social media post, aiming to reassure both clients and partners. 4. Cognition Labs Steps In to Acquire WindsurfJust as Google absorbed the top talent, Cognition Labs—known for developing Devin, the world's first autonomous software engineer—announced it has acquired Windsurf. Financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed. Cognition, led by AI entrepreneur Scott Wu, will now integrate Windsurf's remaining team, infrastructure, and unique IP into its product stack. 'We're delighted to share that Windsurf is being acquired by Cognition… Our users and customers will remain in steady hands,' the company said in a blog post. 5. AI Talent Wars Are Reshaping the IndustryWindsurf's story is part of a larger trend in which tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Meta are aggressively pursuing top AI talent through licensing agreements, acquihires, and strategic investments—often skirting regulatory hurdles tied to traditional mergers. These moves show that in today's AI landscape, acquiring people and intellectual property may be more valuable than acquiring companies themselves.
India Today
4 days ago
- Business
- India Today
After Google hired its Indian-origin CEO Varun Mohan, Windsurf gets acquired by Cognition: Story in 5 points
In a fast-moving twist in the world of AI startups, Windsurf, the coding-focused AI firm once set for a blockbuster acquisition by OpenAI, is now at the centre of a different kind of deal. While OpenAI's $3 billion acquisition bid quietly collapsed, Google has swooped in to secure key talent from Windsurf, including its Indian-origin CEO, Varun Mohan. At the same time, Cognition Labs, the team behind the AI coding agent Devin, has now officially acquired Windsurf. Here is the full story in five key $3 billion Windsurf deal sinksEarlier this year, OpenAI appeared close to acquiring Windsurf, a promising startup which was focused on AI coding tools. Reports suggested a potential $3 billion deal was in the works. However the exclusivity period for the offer expired without a deal being finalised. According to reports by The Verge and The Wall Street Journal, tensions reportedly emerged due to overlapping access between OpenAI's tech and Microsoft, which may have complicated the acquisition. By the time the OpenAI offer lapsed, Windsurf was already in discussion with others. Google pulls off a 'reverse acquihire'Soon after OpenAI's bid fell through, Google DeepMind moved swiftly to bring Windsurf's top leadership into its fold, without buying the company outright. Among those joining DeepMind are Windsurf's CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and a group of senior AI researchers. Instead of a full acquisition, Google is paying $2.4 billion in licensing fees to access some of Windsurf's technology under non-exclusive terms. This means Google gets the talent and the tech but Windsurf remains an independent entity, free to work with other leadership changes, but operations continue With Varun Mohan and Douglas Chen exiting Google, Windsurf's head of business, Jeff Wang, has been appointed interim CEO. Graham Moreno, the company's VP of global sales, has stepped into the role of president. Despite the high-profile departures, around 250 employees are staying on at Windsurf. In a statement, Wang reassured clients that the company will continue to focus on enterprise AI coding tools and product innovation. 'We aren't going anywhere,' he said in a social media post. Cognition Labs acquires Windsurf after Google's talent scoopThe plot thickened further when, shortly after Google secured Windsurf's top brass, AI startup Cognition Labs announced its acquisition of Windsurf. Known for creating the AI software engineer Devin, Cognition is led by Scott Wu, a rising name in the AI coding space. While the financial details were not disclosed, the move gives Cognition access to Windsurf's remaining team and infrastructure, allowing it to scale its developer tools further, even as the startup's founders and original leadership now work at delighted to share that Windsurf is being acquired by Cognition. Our world-class team will be joining forces with the iconic company that created Devin, the world's first autonomous software engineering agent. Our users and customers will remain in steady hands and enjoy better product innovation than ever. And finally, Windsurf's unique IP will also become integrated into Cognition, helping the joint team continue to push the frontier of AI coding capabilitiesWindsurf blog post AI's war for talent intensifiesThe Windsurf saga is the latest example of how Big Tech is racing to corner the market in AI talent and tools – using strategic hires and licensing deals rather than full acquisitions. Google's move mirrors similar 'acquihire-style' plays by Microsoft and Meta in recent months. These deals, which avoid giving companies controlling stakes, often sidestep antitrust scrutiny. But one thing is clear: in this AI arms race, talent is the real prize.- Ends
