Story of Windsurf (formerly Codeium) : Founder and CEO of Varun Mohan
Story of Windsurf (formerly Codeium) :
Early Curiosity and Education
Varun Mohan’s journey began with a deep passion for computer
science and mathematics. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he
completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering,
Computer Science, and Mathematics between 2014 and 2017. His research under
Professor Sam Madden focused on fault tolerance and streaming systems, laying a
strong foundation for his future in large-scale computing.
First Professional Experiences
During his college years, Varun interned at Databricks,
where he worked on cutting-edge data technologies. After graduation, he joined Nuro,
an autonomous vehicle company, as a software engineer. Over time, he rose to
become Tech Lead Manager of Autonomy Infrastructure, gaining hands-on
experience with deep learning and real-world deployment of advanced AI systems.
This period helped him see the potential of AI to reshape industries.
Realizing AI’s Potential
At Nuro, Varun observed how deep learning was transforming
self-driving technology. He recognized that these same techniques could
revolutionize software development and many other industries. This insight
inspired him to consider building something beyond autonomy systems—an
entrepreneurial leap into AI’s broader possibilities.
The First Venture: Exa Function
In 2020, Varun and his co-founder launched Exa Function,
a startup that built GPU virtualization infrastructure to optimize deep
learning workloads. With a lean team and no salesforce, they scaled to millions
in revenue and managed over 10,000 GPUs. Despite early success, Varun quickly
realized that this business risked becoming commoditized as transformer models
made infrastructure more uniform across industries.
The Bold Pivot to Codeium
By mid-2021, Varun chose intellectual honesty over
short-term profits. He and his team pivoted from infrastructure to building Codeium,
an AI-powered coding assistant. Their goal was to help developers directly by
making software creation faster and smarter. Launching the product for free
allowed them to validate demand quickly and attract thousands of developers in
a matter of months.
Rapid Adoption and Enterprise Interest
The gamble paid off. Developers embraced Codeium, and
enterprises soon reached out, eager to integrate the tool into their workflows.
By controlling their own models and infrastructure, the team reduced costs and
offered flexibility—something enterprises valued highly. Adoption soared,
proving that the pivot was the right decision.
Scaling with Strategy
Varun approached scaling with discipline. Instead of rushing
to hire sales reps, he waited until ten Fortune 500 companies had already shown
organic interest. Only then did he build a sales team, eventually growing it to
80 people. This approach ensured sustainable growth. Codeium’s enterprise
clients saw measurable results—like 43% of code written by AI and an 18%
reduction in cycle times—making the platform’s value undeniable.
Story of Windsurf (formerly Codeium): Founder and CEO of Varun Mohan#startup #age#net worth#investor#Varun Mohan story#Windsurf(formerly Codeium) story
Unicorn Status and Rebrand
By 2024, Codeium, later rebranded as Windsurf,
reached unicorn status after raising $150 million in Series C funding, valuing
the company at $1.25 billion. In less than four years, the platform had
attracted millions of users, including Fortune 500 companies, and had become a
leader in AI-powered software development.
The Vision for the Future
Varun’s vision goes far beyond code suggestions. He sees AI
transforming every step of the software lifecycle—from design and debugging to
deployment and testing. His belief is that 90% of code will eventually be
AI-generated, but far from eliminating jobs, this shift will increase demand
for engineers by amplifying the return on investment in software development.
Lessons for the AI Era
Today, Varun Mohan continues to lead Windsurf with a
philosophy centered on intellectual honesty, high-agency teams, and bold pivots
when necessary. He urges startups to challenge assumptions, avoid unnecessary
SaaS spending by building in-house tools, and embrace AI early to stay
competitive. His journey—from MIT to Nuro, from Exa Function to Windsurf—shows
how courage, adaptability, and vision can turn market shifts into
billion-dollar opportunities.
Timeline of Varun Mohan’s Journey
- 2014–2017:
MIT education (BSc & MEng in CS/EE + Mathematics).
- 2017:
Intern at Databricks.
- 2018–2021:
Nuro – rose to Tech Lead Manager, Autonomy Infrastructure.
- 2020–2021:
Founded Exa Function (GPU virtualization).
- 2021:
Pivoted to Codeium (AI coding assistant).
- 2021–2022:
Codeium adoption soared; early enterprise traction.
- 2022–2023:
Built disciplined sales team; strong enterprise results.
- 2024:
Codeium rebranded as Windsurf; reached $1.25B valuation.
- 2025:
Leading Windsurf as CEO, driving AI’s role in redefining software
engineering.
 : Founder and CEO of Varun Mohan){kind=link}