But also remember that risk isn't just about actual money, it's also about opportunity costs. If you join a startup that gets acquired but before your shares v

But also remember that risk isn't just about actual money, it's also about opportunity costs. If you join a startup that gets acquired but before your shares vest (or with preferences that kill the value of your shares), it's true that you still got paid well above an average non-programmer salary. But it's also true that you could have spent those years working for a much bigger salary at a big company. Or worked 35 hours a week and had a lot more fun with a significant other or friends. Or started your own company that might have turned into something you totally owned. There are certainly startups where the net dollar value that the engineering team turned down by not working at Google is as much risk as all the investors put in as cash.