In a move that underscores the ongoing “war for talent” in the artificial intelligence sector, OpenAI has brought on board the three-member founding team of Convogo. Unlike a traditional acquisition, this “acqui-hire” focuses exclusively on the human capital, with Convogo’s existing software set to be discontinued.
Who is Convogo?
Founded by Matt Cooper, Evan Cater, and Mike Gillett, Convogo originated as a “weekend hackathon” project. It was inspired by a simple question from Cooper’s mother—an executive coach—who wanted to know if AI could automate the grueling process of writing leadership assessment reports.
Over the past two years, the startup evolved into a specialized tool used by thousands of coaches to synthesize interviews, surveys, and 360-degree feedback into actionable, human-centered reports.
Details of the All-Stock Deal
The transition was structured as an all-stock transaction, reflecting OpenAI’s high valuation and the founders’ long-term commitment to the company’s roadmap.
- The Team: Co-founders Matt Cooper, Evan Cater, and Mike Gillett will join OpenAI immediately.
- The Mission: The team is slated to join OpenAI’s “AI Cloud” efforts, a division focused on building the infrastructure and specialized interfaces that allow businesses to deploy frontier models in professional workflows.
- The Product: Convogo’s standalone product will be wound down. Existing users have been notified that the service will cease operations as the founders shift their focus to OpenAI’s global scale.
Why OpenAI Wants Convogo
This acquisition marks OpenAI’s ninth talent grab in the last year. While OpenAI has the world’s most powerful models, the Convogo team brings a specific “product craft” that is rare in the industry:
- Workflow Intuition: Convogo excelled at “Applied AI”—the art of taking a raw LLM and wrapping it in a specialized UX that professionals actually trust.
- Enterprise Readiness: The team spent years navigating the sensitive data requirements of HR and executive leadership, experience that is vital for OpenAI’s “AI Cloud” push.
- Closing the Capability Gap: In a LinkedIn post, Matt Cooper noted that the key to AI’s future lies in “thoughtful, purpose-built experiences” that translate model intelligence into real-world professional outcomes.
OpenAI’s Growing M&A Portfolio
OpenAI’s strategy has evolved into a two-track approach: acquiring teams to fold into core products (like ChatGPT), while maintaining separate hardware divisions (like the Jony Ive / io Products partnership).
| Recent Acquisition | Focus Area | Outcome |
| Convogo | HR / Executive Coaching | Product shut down; team to AI Cloud |
| Software Applications Inc. (Sky) | macOS Integration | Integrated into ChatGPT for Mac |
| io Products | AI Hardware | Standalone hardware division |
| Roi | Personal Finance | Product shut down; team to Consumer AI |
What’s Next for Enterprise AI?
The sunsetting of Convogo creates a temporary void in the niche coaching-tech market, but it signals a broader trend: the most talented “Applied AI” developers are being pulled toward the platform giants. For OpenAI, the addition of the Convogo team is another brick in the wall as they attempt to build an AI Cloud that isn’t just a API, but a suite of professional tools.
