Api.ai is joining Google

Post by ryanSrich » Tue, Sep 20, 2016, 1:00 AM UTC

ModernMech wrote: post #54

pinewurst wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren't Google acquihire offers conditional on passing the usual Google employee screening process? I ask this not to be negative, but out of serious curiosity. Say your employer is bought by Google - are you axed because you slept poorly and couldn't prove Fermat's Last Theorem on the whiteboard in 15 minutes?

I don't know about Google, but I've heard of this happening during other acquisitions. A friend of mine with a Ph.D. in CS worked at a startup that was just acquired. He was responsible for the a lot of the tech in the platform they were acquiring, yet since he didn't pass their algorithms heavy interview they didn't want to hire him. He ended up working for one of the other companies interested in buying the startup…

Post by kevinastone » Tue, Sep 20, 2016, 1:09 AM UTC

shostack wrote: post #62

mbesto wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And does s/he actually, y'know, have to do any work after getting paid? Yes, they're called "golden handcuffs". You basically get a compensation package so good that it'd be stupid to leave. Usually they try to get you to stay 3-5 but YMMV.

And what of the ones that don't get brought on? Do they get anything for their equity typically? For key employees i can see them sticking around, but early hire support staff that may not be needed could still have considerable equity.

Post by mljoe » Tue, Sep 20, 2016, 1:23 AM UTC

kevinastone wrote: post #83

shostack wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And what of the ones that don't get brought on? Do they get anything for their equity typically? For key employees i can see them sticking around, but early hire support staff that may not be needed could still have considerable equity.

Most startups use double trigger acceleration for vesting. The first trigger was the acquisition and the second was the termination (not offered a position). So they would vest their entire equity grant. Of course that implies that the equity is worth anything. Most acquihires are at low multiples so the VCs tend to take the entire price, leaving founders and employees with nothing.

Post by bbcbasic » Tue, Sep 20, 2016, 1:49 AM UTC

grrowl wrote: post #23

kchoudhu wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Users honestly should know better by now.

...should know better than to use products and services online? Your comment is as toxic as the acquihire culture itself, and only makes users feel less "part of the internet" when companies treat them as disposable.

Post by pjlegato » Tue, Sep 20, 2016, 2:12 AM UTC

eliben wrote: post #56

pinewurst wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren't Google acquihire offers conditional on passing the usual Google employee screening process? I ask this not to be negative, but out of serious curiosity. Say your employer is bought by Google - are you axed because you slept poorly and couldn't prove Fermat's Last Theorem on the whiteboard in 15 minutes?

> I ask this not to be negative, but out of serious curiosity. And yet you referred to it as "BS" and provided a sarcastic example in the same post. I'd say your attempt not to be negative and to sound serious failed.