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Kodiak AI (KDK) raises top exec salaries, adds large RSUs and cancels CFO option

Filing Impact
(Moderate)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Kodiak AI, Inc. updated compensation for its top executives. Effective July 1, 2026, CEO Don Burnette’s base salary increases from $425,000 to $525,000, and his annual bonus opportunity rises from 80% to 100% of base salary. CFO Surajit Datta and COO Michael Wiesinger each see base salary increases from $400,000 to $450,000.

The Compensation Committee also approved time‑based restricted stock unit grants under the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan with intended grant-date values of $7,000,000 for Burnette and $2,500,000 each for Datta and Wiesinger, vesting quarterly over four years with a six‑month cliff and continued service requirements.

Separately, the company and Datta agreed to cancel a stock option for 2,035,915 shares at an exercise price of $8.88 per share granted in August 2025. In consideration, Datta receives 563,063 time‑based RSUs vesting quarterly over four years from the original option vesting start date, subject to a one‑year cliff and continued service.

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Insights

Kodiak AI rebalances executive pay toward stock-based incentives.

Kodiak AI increases cash pay for its CEO, CFO, and COO while layering in sizable restricted stock unit (RSU) grants. RSUs vest over four years with cliffs, tying a large portion of compensation to ongoing employment and future share performance.

The cancellation of Surajit Datta’s option for 2,035,915 shares at an $8.88 exercise price in exchange for 563,063 RSUs shifts his equity package from leveraged options to full‑value shares. This reduces strike‑price risk for the executive and may alter potential dilution patterns relative to the original option.

These are governance and incentive-structure changes rather than operational developments. Their practical impact will emerge over the four‑year vesting periods as equity awards expense through the income statement and as any vested shares enter the company’s share base.

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
CEO base salary $525,000 per year Don Burnette base salary effective July 1, 2026
CEO bonus opportunity 100% of base salary Annual incentive bonus opportunity, up from 80%
CFO and COO base salaries $450,000 per year Base salaries for Surajit Datta and Michael Wiesinger
CEO RSU grant value $7,000,000 Intended value at grant for Don Burnette RSUs
CFO and COO RSU grant values $2,500,000 each Intended values at grant for Datta and Wiesinger RSUs
Canceled Datta option shares 2,035,915 shares Time-based option canceled at $8.88 per share
Datta option exercise price $8.88 per share Exercise price of canceled option granted August 27, 2025
Datta replacement RSUs 563,063 RSUs Time-based RSUs granted in consideration of option cancellation
restricted stock units financial
"approved grants of time-based restricted stock units under the Company’s 2025 Equity Incentive Plan"
Restricted stock units are a type of company reward where employees are promised shares of stock, but they only fully own these shares after meeting certain conditions, like staying with the company for a set time. They matter because they can become valuable assets and are often used to motivate employees to help the company succeed.
vesting cliff financial
"will vest quarterly over a four-year period, in each case, subject to a six-month vesting cliff"
2025 Equity Incentive Plan financial
"time-based restricted stock units under the Company’s 2025 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2025 Plan”)"
emerging growth company regulatory
"Emerging growth company ý"
An emerging growth company is a recently public or smaller public firm that qualifies for temporary, lighter regulatory and disclosure rules to reduce the cost and effort of being public. For investors, it means the company may provide less historical financial detail and face fewer reporting requirements than larger firms, so it can grow more quickly but also carries higher uncertainty—like buying a promising early-stage product with fewer user reviews.
time-based option financial
"cancel the time-based option to purchase 2,035,915 shares of the Company’s common stock"
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FAQ

How did Kodiak AI (KDK) change its CEO compensation in July 2026?

Kodiak AI raised CEO Don Burnette’s base salary to $525,000 from $425,000 and increased his annual bonus opportunity to 100% of base salary from 80%. He also received time‑based RSUs valued at $7,000,000, vesting over four years.

What salary increases did Kodiak AI (KDK) approve for its CFO and COO?

Kodiak AI increased base salaries for CFO Surajit Datta and COO Michael Wiesinger from $400,000 to $450,000 each, effective July 1, 2026. These adjustments follow a compensation review by an independent consultant and the board’s Compensation Committee.

What RSU grants did Kodiak AI (KDK) award to its top executives?

Kodiak AI granted time‑based RSUs under its 2025 Equity Incentive Plan with intended values of $7,000,000 for CEO Burnette and $2,500,000 each for CFO Datta and COO Wiesinger. These RSUs vest quarterly over four years, with a six‑month vesting cliff and continued service conditions.

Why did Kodiak AI (KDK) cancel Surajit Datta’s stock option and what replaced it?

Kodiak AI and CFO Surajit Datta mutually canceled an option for 2,035,915 shares at $8.88 per share granted in August 2025. In consideration, Datta received 563,063 time‑based RSUs vesting quarterly over four years from the option’s original vesting start date.

How do the new RSUs for Kodiak AI (KDK) executives vest over time?

Executive RSUs for Burnette, Datta, and Wiesinger vest quarterly over four years, subject to a six‑month vesting cliff and continued service. Datta’s separate 563,063 RSUs vest quarterly over four years from the prior option’s vesting start, with a one‑year vesting cliff and continued service.
false000185313800018531382026-07-012026-07-010001853138us-gaap:CommonClassAMember2026-07-012026-07-010001853138us-gaap:WarrantMember2026-07-012026-07-01

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): July 1, 2026
Kodiak AI, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware

001-41691

98-1592112
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

(Commission File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

1049 Terra Bella Avenue, Mountain View, California

94043
(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)
(650) 209-8005
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class

Trading
Symbol(s)

Name of each
exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

KDK

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Redeemable warrants, each exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $9.28

KDKRW

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2).
Emerging growth company ý
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o



Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
Compensatory Arrangements of Named Executive Officers
On July 1, 2026, Kodiak AI, Inc. (the “Company”), following a review of the Company’s executive compensation program by its independent compensation consultant and the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”), made certain changes to annual compensation for Don Burnette, Chief Executive Officer, Surajit Datta, Chief Financial Officer, and Michael Wiesinger, Chief Operating Officer. The Compensation Committee approved the increase of Mr. Burnette’s base salary from $425,000 to $525,000 and approved an annual incentive bonus opportunity of up to 100% of his base salary, an increase from 80% of his base salary that was previously in effect. In addition, the Compensation Committee approved the increase of Mr. Datta’s base salary from $400,000 to $450,000, and the increase of Mr. Wiesinger’s base salary from $400,000 to $450,000. These changes are effective as of July 1, 2026.
In addition, on July 1, 2026, the Compensation Committee approved grants of time-based restricted stock units under the Company’s 2025 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2025 Plan”) to Messrs. Burnette, Datta and Wiesinger with intended values at grant of $7,000,000, $2,500,000 and $2,500,000, respectively (together, the “Executive RSUs”). The Executive RSUs will vest quarterly over a four-year period, in each case, subject to a six-month vesting cliff and the applicable executive's continued service with the Company through the applicable vesting date.
Cancellation of Datta Option and Award of Restricted Stock Units
On July 1, 2026, the Company and Mr. Datta mutually agreed to cancel the time-based option to purchase 2,035,915 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price per share of $8.88 that was previously granted to Mr. Datta on August 27, 2025, in connection with his commencement of employment (the “Datta Option”). In consideration of the cancellation of the Datta Option, the Compensation Committee approved a grant of 563,063 time-based restricted stock units under the 2025 Plan to Mr. Datta (the “Datta RSUs”). The Datta RSUs will vest quarterly over a four-year period from the vesting commencement date of the Datta Option, subject to a one-year vesting cliff and Mr. Datta’s continued service with the Company through the applicable vesting date.
The foregoing descriptions of the Executive RSUs and the Datta RSUs are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the 2025 Plan and the form of restricted stock unit agreement thereunder, which are filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)Exhibits.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.

Description
104

Cover Page Interactive Data File – the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.



SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
KODIAK AI, INC.






By:
/s/ Surajit Datta


Name:
Surajit Datta


Title:
Chief Financial Officer



Date: July 2, 2026


Filing Exhibits & Attachments

4 documents