In a recent episode of "Lenny's Podcast," Varun Mohan, the CEO and co-founder of Windsurf, expressed his unconventional vision for his startup, describing it as a "dehydrated entity." Mohan's intention is to maintain a lean operational structure, which he believes is essential for driving the company's ambitions without unnecessary bloat.

"I want the company to almost be like this dehydrated entity," Mohan remarked. He further elaborated on this analogy, stating, "Every hire is like a little bit of water, and we only go back and hire someone when we're back to being dehydrated." This perspective emphasizes the importance of strategic hiring, as he is committed to building the smallest team possible that can still achieve the companys goals.

Windsurf, formerly known as Codeium, specializes in developing artificial intelligence tools that allow software developers to write code using natural language prompts. This innovative approach is part of a broader trend known as "vibe coding," a term popularized by Andrej Karpathy, co-founder of OpenAI. Karpathy describes vibe coding as the ability for developers to "fully give in to the vibes" and write code without being constrained by traditional coding practices.

Founded in 2021 and based in Silicon Valley, Windsurf has garnered significant attention and investment, securing over $200 million in venture capital funding. According to data from PitchBook, the company was valued at approximately $1.25 billion during a funding round last year, with notable investments from General Catalyst, Greenoaks, and Kleiner Perkins.

As the tech industry evolves, revenue per employee has emerged as a critical metric for investors, particularly in the wake of rapid growth experienced by many companies during the pandemic. Mohan noted that maintaining a smaller team can often lead to improved productivity and innovation. "If we can crack actually being a fairly sizable company but still operate as if we're a startup," he stated, "that's the dream." Currently, Windsurf employs around 170 individuals, and its website features more than 30 job openings, including positions for software engineers and recruiters.

Mohan also emphasizes that keeping the team size low is not merely a financial strategy; it is also a means to mitigate internal conflicts. He explained that an increase in headcount can often lead to workplace politics that detract from productivity. "Hiring for teams where there are already enough people often leads to 'weird politics,'" he explained, adding that when employees do not have enough meaningful work to occupy them, they may create issues that can bog down the entire organization.

This distraction, he insists, can slow down progress more than it aids in achieving goals. As such, he has established a hiring philosophy that encourages adding new team members only when there is a clear and pressing need, such as when team members are vocally expressing that they are overwhelmed and require additional support. "Hiring should only happen when everyones just almost raising their hands and being like, 'I'm dying, we need one more person,'" Mohan concluded. While Windsurf was unable to provide additional comments to Business Insider, Mohan's vision reflects a growing trend among startups aiming for sustainable growth through lean operational models.