This is the craziest corporate battle no one talks about:
In 2020, Rivian started stealing Tesla's employees & raised $12 BILLION to dethrone Elon Musk.
When Elon found out, he took matters into his own hands.
His response? A message to Rivian they'd never forget: 🧵
Picture this: It's 2020.
Tesla dominates the EV market. No competitor comes close.
But behind the scenes, a new player is plotting something that would shake the entire industry.
Their name?
Rivian:
And they were just another EV startup.
They had a bold vision: Build the world's most advanced electric trucks.
And they had the backing to do it - raising a staggering $12 BILLION.
But money wasn't enough. They needed something else...
They needed Tesla's secret sauce:
The brilliant minds behind Tesla's revolutionary technology.
So Rivian launched a systematic hiring campaign:
They started actively recruiting Tesla's talent.
But that was just the beginning...
The numbers were staggering:
178 Tesla employees were hired by Rivian.
70 of them moved DIRECTLY from Tesla to Rivian.
No transition period. No cooling off.
Something wasn't adding up...
Tesla discovered something concerning:
These weren't random hires.
The lawsuit alleged Rivian was specifically targeting employees with access to Tesla's sensitive information.
The focus areas included:
• Battery technology
• Manufacturing processes
• Charging networks
According to Tesla's description:
Some employees were accused of taking confidential files before leaving.
These weren't just any files.
They contained Tesla's proprietary technology information.
The company took immediate action.
Tesla's response?
A massive lawsuit that would expose what they believed was happening.
Tesla alleged that Rivian was orchestrating "an alarming pattern" of hiring and trade secret misappropriation.
The message was clear:
This wouldn't be tolerated.
The lawsuit revealed specific details:
Multiple Tesla employees had moved to Rivian.
Tesla claimed they were using insider knowledge.
The allegations painted a picture of coordinated recruitment.
But Rivian didn't back down.
They called Tesla's claims "baseless" and denied any wrongdoing.
The battle lines were drawn.
The stage was set for a major corporate legal battle.
And this time? The stakes were significant.
The lawsuit would determine if trade secrets were stolen.
Both companies had much to lose - or gain.
The future of their relationship hung in the balance.
For 4 years, the legal battle continued.
Multiple court hearings.
Failed settlement attempts.
Evidence presented by both sides.
Until November 2024, when something changed...
Tesla and Rivian reached a conditional settlement.
The terms remain confidential.
But one thing's clear: The message about protecting trade secrets was received.
The industry took notice.
Rivian developed different battery technology.
They chose to use 4695 cells from LG Energy Solutions.
Sometimes the biggest battles in business aren't about winning.
They're about protecting what's yours.
This story illustrates a bigger shift in tech:
The race isn't just about products anymore.
It's about building programmable businesses.
And there's a transformation happening that most executives miss:
AI and APIs are becoming the new competitive advantage.
They're not just integration tools.
They're the foundation of automation, scalability, and innovation.
Just like Tesla's battery tech, they're changing entire industries.
But here's the challenge:
Most Fortune 100 executives are overwhelmed by the pace of change.
They know APIs are crucial, but struggle to:
• Understand the implications
• Stay ahead of innovations
• Make strategic decisions
That's why we built @APIdaysGlobal:
The world’s leading conference series on APIs and automation.
Where top tech companies like @Stripe, @Twilio, & @GoogleCloudTech share real transformations and frameworks that shape our future.
Here's what makes it a can't miss:
At APIdays, you'll discover:
• Frameworks to future-proof your tech strategy
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Ready to create the future...?
@APIDaysGlobal is leading the charge...
And now's the time to get involved!
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DM me “API” to discuss upcoming opportunities:
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• Join our 300K+ community
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I am Baptiste Parravicini:
• Tech entrepreneur & API visionary
• Co-founder of apidays, world's leading API conference
• Passionate about AI integration & tech for the greater good
Follow for insights on how APIs are connecting our future
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