OpenAI’s Ninth Acquisition in a Year Boosts Talent and Capability

Staff Report: PNN

At the beginning of the new year, OpenAI is once again pursuing an “acqui-hire” strategy. The company has recruited the entire team behind Convogo, a software platform used for leadership development and human resource management.

A spokesperson for OpenAI stated that the deal does not involve purchasing Convogo’s technology or intellectual property. Rather, the three co-founders—Matt Cooper, Evan Carter, and Mike Gillett—along with the entire team, will join OpenAI to work on projects related to OpenAI’s AI Cloud. A source familiar with the matter said the deal is share-based.

As a result of this acquisition, Convogo’s main product will gradually be phased out.

Convogo originated from a kind of “weekend hackathon.” Co-founder Matt Cooper’s mother was an executive coach, and a question from her sparked the idea: could AI simplify time-consuming report writing for coaches, allowing them to focus more on working with people? This concept led to the creation of Convogo. Over the past two years, the startup has assisted thousands of coaches and collaborated with top global leadership development organizations.

In an email announcing the acquisition, Convogo’s team stated that the biggest challenge in their work experience was bridging the gap between the capabilities of new AI models and real-world effective outcomes. According to them, creating targeted and user-friendly experiences for specific professionals is key to closing this gap.

The co-founders said in the email that joining OpenAI allows them to continue making AI simpler and more effective for professionals across various industries. According to pitchbook data, this is OpenAI’s ninth acquisition in the past year. In most cases, the acquired company’s product is integrated into OpenAI’s ecosystem or the team is added, and the product is discontinued. A notable exception is ‘IO Products’ associated with designer Jony Ive, where separate product development continues.

Analysts note that by hiring the Convogo team, OpenAI has once again demonstrated that its acquisitions are not merely for market expansion but also a strategic move to enhance talent and capabilities.