Startup founder sells company for $3.7 billion turning 400 employees into millionaires

Jyoti Bansal sold his startup AppDynamics to Cisco for $3.7 billion in 2017, a decision he called the hardest of his career. This sale turned about 400 employees into millionaires, with many seeing their shares rise to over $1 million. Bansal considered the cultural and financial impact on his nearly 1,200 employees when deciding to sell. He believed the sale reduced risk for employees compared to a potential IPO, which could have taken years to achieve. After the sale, Bansal became CEO of two new software startups. He stated that while the financial gain was significant for him, the well-being of his employees was the primary factor in his decision to sell.