"by the time you're concerned about 8% equity, you've basically already 'made it' in the sense that you have likely have enough capital to start " Nope! haven'

"by the time you're concerned about 8% equity, you've basically already 'made it' in the sense that you have likely have enough capital to start " Nope! haven't made it. "This project seems to be clearly aiming people who have ambition and competence, but minimal to no current resources or connections; the goal being to get them to where that is no longer the case -- helping them to reach their potential" hi, that's me! "It's hard to call anything at all exploitative if it succeeds in getting people from that critical nothing to something point" i see the value of taking people from nothing to critical mass i.e - YC. in case of pioneers - i might be nothing now but highly unlikely - i will be nothing for the next 8 years! imho, this 5 + 3% won't select for the best of people! I would totally judge a person who lock herself in this 8 year contract! that's just me