What is an Acquihire?

An Acquihire is a business acquisition strategy where the primary objective is to acquire the company’s talent rather than its product, technology, or customer base.

How Acquihires Work

  1. Target Identified: A company with valuable skills or a cohesive team is selected.

  2. Acquisition Negotiated: The acquiring firm buys the company, often at a premium for the talent.

  3. Employee Transition: Key employees are integrated into the acquiring firm, and the original product is often discontinued.

Example

A technology corporation acquires a startup to onboard its experienced data science team, rather than continue its existing product.

Benefits

  • Quickly fills skill gaps

  • Reduces hiring and training time

  • Strengthens competitive positioning with specialized talent