Cognition, maker of AI coding agent Devin, acquires Windsurf
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The move is the culmination of a turbulent period for Windsurf, and indicates that agentic IDEs have become a new battleground.
In a stunning reversal, Google DeepMind acquires Windsurf’s top talent just weeks after OpenAI’s $3B deal collapsed over IP tensions with Microsoft.
In a surprising move, Cognition– the makers of autonomous coding tool Devin— acquired what was left of its rival Windsurf after the company’s cofounders Varun Mohan and Douglas Chen and other staff members were poached by Google DeepMind for $2.
Varun Mohan, MIT-educated co-founder of AI startup Windsurf, was hired by Google in a move that came after OpenAI’s reported bid to acquire the company.
Google's strategic acquisition of Windsurf leaders strengthens its AI coding efforts amidst intense competition for top talent.
After OpenAI’s failed bid, Windsurf's leadership joined Google, while Cognition Labs acquired the startup in a strategic AI shake-up.
Windsurf is an AI-powered developer tool that enables users to build full-stack applications using natural language prompts. They compete with Cursor and
Google wants its AI models to become bigger in coding. It has now hired the CEO of one of the top startups in that area.
In one of the largest acqui-hires to date, Meta last month recruited Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang, along with members of his team, to join a newly formed A.I. group. The move followed Meta’s investment of more than $14 billion in Scale AI, through which it secured a non-voting stake in the startup.
Varun Mohan, a math prodigy turned MIT engineer, co-founded Windsurf, an AI startup revolutionizing software development. Google recognized Windsurf's