“去Google，我只值原股权的1%！”AI独角兽被瓜分后2号员工怒揭内幕，创始人带头卷走24亿再遭围攻

Core Insights - The rise and fall of AI startup Windsurf has garnered significant attention in the tech community, particularly after its CEO and core team joined Google, leaving nearly 200 employees uncertain about their future [1][3] - Cognition, another AI startup, quickly stepped in to acquire the remaining team from Windsurf, providing a temporary resolution to the turmoil [1][11] Group 1: Company Background and Development - Windsurf, originally founded as Exafunction, transitioned to focus on AI programming tools and rebranded as Codeium, achieving rapid growth and attracting over 700,000 developers and thousands of enterprise clients by the end of 2023 [4][5] - The company completed multiple funding rounds, including a $65 million Series B round and a $150 million Series C round, reaching a valuation of $1.25 billion within three years [4][5] - By April 2024, Windsurf's annual recurring revenue (ARR) surpassed $100 million, positioning it as a leading independent AI programming assistant alongside Cursor and GitHub Copilot [5][6] Group 2: Acquisition Attempts and Outcomes - OpenAI initially proposed a $3 billion acquisition of Windsurf to enhance its capabilities in AI coding, but the deal fell through due to regulatory concerns and internal dynamics with Microsoft [6][8] - Google DeepMind later acquired Windsurf's core team for approximately $2.4 billion, but did not take control of the company, leading to uncertainty for the remaining employees [8][10] - Cognition's acquisition of Windsurf's remaining team occurred within 48 hours, reportedly for around $300 million in stock, which was significantly lower than OpenAI's initial offer [11][21] Group 3: Employee Impact and Reactions - The departure of key founders Varun Mohan and Douglas Chen raised concerns about Windsurf's future, as many employees felt abandoned and uncertain about their roles [10][21] - The new CEO of Windsurf, Jeff Wang, expressed gratitude for Cognition's acquisition, which was met with applause from employees, indicating a sense of relief despite the tumultuous circumstances [11][18] - Industry reactions have been mixed, with some criticizing the founders for their departure while others defended their decisions, highlighting the complexities of startup dynamics and employee equity [21][23]