Google Hires Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan in $2.4 Billion AI Talent Deal

Google has made another major move in the AI talent race, hiring Varun Mohan, the co-founder and CEO of AI coding startup Windsurf, along with several senior team members. The agreement is valued at $2.4 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter.

While Google is not acquiring Windsurf, the tech giant will gain a nonexclusive license to select Windsurf technologies. The startup remains independent and can continue licensing its tools to other companies.

The new hires will join Google DeepMind, with a focus on advancing agentic coding through Google’s Gemini platform. “We’re excited to welcome top AI talent from Windsurf to DeepMind,” said a Google spokesperson.

This deal follows Windsurf’s earlier talks with OpenAI over a potential $3 billion acquisition, which did not materialize after the exclusivity period expired. Windsurf co-founder Douglas Chen will also be among those joining Google. Jeff Wang, who served as the startup’s head of business, will take over as interim CEO.

Windsurf has gained recognition in the “vibe coding” space, where AI tools help developers and non-coders generate software with minimal input. Competitors like Cursor have also attracted attention, pushing valuations in the segment higher.

Google’s approach mirrors similar AI-focused hires made by Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon, who have each absorbed top AI talent from emerging startups. Last year, Google took a similar route by hiring talent from Character.AI.

The Verge first reported the Google–Windsurf deal.