Definition of Acqui-hire

An acqui-hire is a type of acquisition where a company purchases a startup for the primary purpose of acquiring its team, rather than its product, technology, or other assets.

1. Focus on Talent: The main goal of an acqui-hire is to bring onboard a talented team that can contribute to the acquiring company's projects and initiatives. The team might consist of engineers, designers, product managers, or other specialists.
2. Product Shutdown: In many acqui-hire situations, the acquired company's existing product or service is shut down or phased out after the acquisition. The focus is not on continuing the product but on integrating the team into the acquiring company.
3. Startup Acquisitions: Acqui-hires are common in the tech and startup world. Larger companies often acqui-hire startups to infuse new talent, innovate faster, or enter new domains of expertise.
4. Cost-Effective: For the acquiring company, an acqui-hire can sometimes be a more cost-effective way to hire a cohesive, proven team than recruiting individuals separately. The team already has a working dynamic and can hit the ground running.
5. Soft Landing: For the acquired company, especially startups that might be struggling or facing uncertain prospects, an acqui-hire can provide a "soft landing." The team gets an opportunity to work on potentially larger projects or platforms, and shareholders might receive some return on their investment.
6. Cultural Integration: One challenge of acqui-hires can be integrating the acquired team's culture with that of the acquiring company. Differences in work style, values, and vision can pose integration challenges.
7. Terms of the Deal: The terms of an acqui-hire often include clauses that require the acquired team to stay with the acquiring company for a certain period. This ensures that the acquiring company benefits from the talent they've paid to acquire.

In essence, an acqui-hire is a talent-focused acquisition strategy, where the primary goal is to bring onboard a skilled and cohesive team to bolster the acquiring company's capabilities.