> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://apidoc.cufinder.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Founder Departure

> A founder left the company.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Signal key" icon="code">
    `founder_departure`
  </Card>

  <Card title="Category" icon="category">
    People
  </Card>

  <Card title="Source" icon="world">
    Person Professional Network profile (title), left-company attribution.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

A founder left the company.

## When it fires

<Card title="Trigger condition" icon="bolt">
  `employee_departed` AND the old title contains founder, co-founder, or cofounder. Priority escalated.
</Card>

## Magnitude

Hyper-priority, founder exits reshape company direction.

<Note>
  For the full bucket definitions used across percentage-based signals, see [Magnitude buckets](/buying-signals/concepts/magnitude-buckets).
</Note>

## Why it matters

This is a major signal and we escalate its priority, since founder exits reshape company direction. A founder leaving often marks a leadership transition, an acquisition aftermath, or a strategic inflection, all of which change how and what the company buys.

## How to read it

<CardGroup cols={1}>
  <Card title="Major inflection">
    Founder exits mark significant transitions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="M&A aftermath">
    Founders often leave after an acquisition vests.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Direction change">
    New leadership may redirect strategy and spend.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Outreach playbook

<Tip>
  Escalate. Investigate the cause; founder exits often follow acquisitions.
</Tip>

## Related signals

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="C-Suite Departure" href="/buying-signals/signals/people/c-suite-departure">
    A C-level executive left the company.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Leadership Churn Spike" href="/buying-signals/signals/people/leadership-churn-spike">
    Multiple senior leaders departed in a short window.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Acquired Signal" href="/buying-signals/signals/composite/acquired-signal">
    A company was acquired.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

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