Latest / The Startup Exit Podcast with Fexingo: IPOs, Acquisitions, and Founder Liquidity Events
How Founders Use Earnouts to Bridge Exit Value Gaps
When a startup gets acquired, the headline number isn't always what founders walk away with. In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down the earnout — a deal structure where part of the purchase price is tied to future performance targets. Using the recent $1.3 billion acquisition of AI startup Cohere by Salesforce as a case study, they explore how earnouts can bridge valuation gaps, align incentives post-close, and sometimes lead to founder regret. Lucas explains why roughly 40% of M&A deals now include some form of earnout clause, what typical timelines look like (usually 2 to 4 years)…
The skinny
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