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![jackarenas Avatar](https://lunarcrush.com/gi/w:24/cr:twitter::483647494.png) Jack Arenas [@jackarenas](/creator/twitter/jackarenas) on x XXX followers
Created: 2025-07-18 20:00:03 UTC

When did we decide this was okay?
Founders recruit employees with a vision, then abandon them for Big Tech paychecks.

Windsurf: $2.4B licensing deal and founders go to Google
Character AI: $2.7B licensing deal and founders go to Google
Inflection: $650M licensing deal and founders go to Microsoft
Scale AI: $15B for XX% of the company and then founder and top lieutenants leave for Meta

Employees take startup risk too. But only founders get the exit?

![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GwKkjbNXkAA4oUo.jpg)

XXXXXX engagements

![Engagements Line Chart](https://lunarcrush.com/gi/w:600/p:tweet::1946298943224140057/c:line.svg)

**Related Topics**
[meta](/topic/meta)
[$15b](/topic/$15b)
[$650m](/topic/$650m)
[$27b](/topic/$27b)
[coins ai](/topic/coins-ai)
[$24b](/topic/$24b)
[windsurf](/topic/windsurf)
[$googl](/topic/$googl)

[Post Link](https://x.com/jackarenas/status/1946298943224140057)