When considering an 'acqui-hire' where the product itself gets abandoned, another factor to consider is the value of a 'gelled team'. (I'm surprised this isn't

When considering an 'acqui-hire' where the product itself gets abandoned, another factor to consider is the value of a 'gelled team'. (I'm surprised this isn't mentioned in the discussion at Dixon's original post.) While in any acquisition there's a massive risk -- perhaps >50%? -- that the group won't thrive in the new corporate environment, they have at least, via their prior delivery of a competent product with some traction, shown that they can work together to create something real. Picking the same N number of people off the street, even N great people, might not fit together productively with even a 50% chance.