Beyond the obvious rationale behind acquihires... they're good for the startup ecosystem because the reality is that not everyone can be an Instagram. They're

Beyond the obvious rationale behind acquihires... they're good for the startup ecosystem because the reality is that not everyone can be an Instagram. They're usually a great deal for the founders and the company so it's win-win situation unless of course your definition of success is a billion dollar exit. Not to mention the learning curve and challenges that entrepreneur experience and overcome which in my opinion is priceless.