If you’re not careful, though, an acquistion inquiry will fractal into a long distracting back-and-forth. Most big companies have professionals whose full-time job is to learn about startups and try to acquire them at competitive prices – affectionately referred to as Corp Dev. The asymmetry here is why the Pocket Guide of Essential YC Advice flatly says “Don’t talk to corp dev.” This is an oversimplification, but the plausibility of any deal will indeed hinge not on the M&A folks, but on a champion – a product leader or founder who wants you on their team.