Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. With tech IPOs plunging from 65 in 2021 to just 30 in 2024, investors who are anxious for ...

Building a company from the ground up is a risky (but hopefully rewarding) endeavor for founders. In exchange for the founders’ efforts and devotion to the success of the company, the founders take a ...

OpenAI co-founder and former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever had $4 billion worth of vested equity in OpenAI in November 2023, according to text messages from chief operating officer Brad Lightcap that ...

This explains the legal and strategic differences between ESOPs and Sweat Equity. The key takeaway is that ESOPs suit long-term retention, while Sweat Equity fits exceptional, one-time ...

OpenAI has already given $80 billion in vested equity, which, along with the employee stock grant pool, comprises about 26% ...

Even as equity skepticism is growing among startup teams, founders continue to see ownership as the foundation of trust, motivation, and shared success. Cake Equity reports that despite rising ...

Equity payments at startup companies offer the potential for a big payout, but they're also much riskier and more tax-complex than salaries are.