Cornell Startup Exits
Historical list of Cornell-founded startups that were acquired or went public.
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2026
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2026
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2025Acquired AdroFounded by Amarildo Gjondrekaj, MBA ’19, Sara Schmitt, MBA ’19US bank accounts for internationals
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2025
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2025
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2025
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2025
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2025Acquired OfferFitFounded by George Khachatryan, PhD ’11, Victor Kostyuk, PhD ’11Replace A/B testing with AI
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2025
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2025
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2025
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2025
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2023Acquired ScopelyFounded by Ankur Bulsara ’03Mobile games publisher (Monopoly Go, Marvel Strike Force).
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2022Acquired PilotaAI flight-delay prediction and rebooking. Cornell Tech alumni startup.
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2021Acquired AuggiFounded by David Hachuel ’19AI gut-health tracking.
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2021
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2021Acquired DatalogueFounded by Tim Delisle, Bryan RussettAI-powered data preparation and integration.
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2021Acquired EnrouteHealthcare navigation technology. Cornell Tech alumni startup.
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2021Acquired OtariFounded by Chris Kruger ’19, Skyler Erickson ’19Smart connected fitness mat with guided workouts.
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2021
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2021
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2020
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2020Acquired Thread LearningData tools for special-education and ABA therapy. Cornell Tech alumni startup.
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2019Acquired GitLinksFounded by Ian Folau ’16, Nwamaka Nzeocha-Imasogie ’16, Nicolas Joseph ’16Open-source software compliance and dependency tracking.
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2019IPO LyftFounded by John Zimmer '06, Logan GreenRide-share platform co-founded by Cornell Hotel School alum John Zimmer with Logan Green.
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2019Acquired The LaundressFounded by Gwen Whiting ’98, Lindsey Boyd ’98Eco-friendly luxury fabric care and laundry detergents.
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2018Acquired BowtieAI fitness assistant. Cornell Tech alumni startup.
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2018
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2018
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2018Acquired SpinFounded by Euwyn Poon ’04, JD ’07, Derrick Ko, Zaizhuang ChengShared electric scooter and bike micromobility.
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2018Acquired Trigger FinanceAutomated personal-finance alerts and investing app. Cornell Tech alumni startup.
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2018Acquired UruComputer-vision video advertising placement. Cornell Tech alumni startup.
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2018Acquired WeddingWireFounded by Tim Chi ’98Wedding-planning marketplace; merged to form The Knot Worldwide.
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2018
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2018
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2017Acquired MoatFounded by Noah Goodhart ’97, Jonah Goodhart ’00, Aniq RahmanAd measurement and marketing analytics.
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2017
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2015
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2015Acquired GeneWeaveFounded by Diego Rey ’12, Jason Springs ’09Molecular diagnostics for drug-resistant infections.
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2015
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2014IPO WayfairFounded by Niraj Shah '95, Steve Conine '95Online home goods retailer founded as CSN Stores in 2002 by two Cornell Engineering classmates; rebranded Wayfair 2011.
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2013
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2012
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2012Acquired MerakiFounded by John Bicket ’02Cloud-managed enterprise Wi-Fi and networking.
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2012IPO WorkdayFounded by Dave Duffield '62, MBA '64, Aneel BhusriCloud HR and financials platform co-founded by Dave Duffield after the Oracle/PeopleSoft acquisition.
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2011Acquired BlackboardFounded by Stephen Gilfus, Daniel Cane ’98Learning management and education technology; began as CourseInfo, built by Cornell students.
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2011IPO PandoraFounded by Will GlaserInternet radio and personalized music streaming built on the Music Genome Project.
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2010
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2010Acquired PalmFounded by Jeff Hawkins '79Pioneering handheld computing company founded 1992 by Cornell EE alum Jeff Hawkins. Acquired by HP in 2010.
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2009Acquired KionixFounded by Greg Galvin ’84MEMS accelerometers and motion sensors, based in Ithaca.
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2008
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2007Acquired Right MediaFounded by Noah Goodhart ’97, Jonah Goodhart ’00Online advertising exchange marketplace.
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2005Acquired PeopleSoftFounded by Dave Duffield '62, MBA '64HR/enterprise software pioneer founded 1987 by Cornell EE/MBA alum Dave Duffield. Acquired by Oracle after a contested takeover.
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2004Acquired CCBNFounded by Jeff Parker ’65Investor-relations and corporate-disclosure platform.
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2004Acquired KrollFounded by Jules Kroll ’63Corporate investigations and risk consulting.
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2003Acquired HandspringFounded by Jeff Hawkins '79PDA/smartphone maker (Treo) founded 1998 by Jeff Hawkins, Donna Dubinsky, and Ed Colligan. Merged back into Palm.
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2000IPO Hotels.comFounded by David Litman ’79, Bob Diener ’82Online hotel booking, originally Hotel Reservations Network.
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1999Acquired Ascend CommunicationsFounded by Rob Ryan ’69Networking equipment that powered early internet ISPs.
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1999IPO PricelineFounded by Jay Walker ’78Name-your-own-price online travel booking; now Booking Holdings.
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1998Acquired ViawebFounded by Robert Tappan MorrisFirst widely used web application (online stores); became Yahoo Store. Co-founded by former Cornell CS grad student Robert Morris with Paul Graham.
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1998IPO theGlobe.comFounded by Stephan Paternot, Todd KrizelmanPioneering social networking and online community; record-setting 1998 dot-com IPO.
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1996Acquired Duty Free ShoppersFounded by Chuck Feeney ’56, Bob MillerWorld’s largest travel retailer of duty-free luxury goods.
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1991
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1991Founded by Leonard Schleifer '73Biotech founded by Cornell biology alum Leonard Schleifer with George Yancopoulos in 1988.
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1986Acquired First CallFounded by Jeff Parker ’65Real-time institutional investment-research distribution.
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1986
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1980Acquired LinkabitFounded by Irwin Jacobs, Andrew ViterbiPioneering digital communications and satellite technology.