That's the intended outcome of the incentive structure of startup compensation. Sometimes more than half of your expected compensation at a startup is in equit

That's the intended outcome of the incentive structure of startup compensation. Sometimes more than half of your expected compensation at a startup is in equity upside, either from an IPO or acquisition. If that is to no longer be the expectation, then hiring at startups will be _much_ more challenging because startups cannot generally afford the salaries or benefits that larger companies can offer.