Net Present Value is always an interesting calculation... You can run the math on YC companies relatively easily: http://www.businessinsider.com/startup-odds-o

Net Present Value is always an interesting calculation... You can run the math on YC companies relatively easily: http://www.businessinsider.com/startup-odds-of-success-2013-5 http://www.businessinsider.com/startup-odds-of-success-2013-... "37 of the 511 companies that have gone through the Y Combinator program over the past 5 years have either sold for, or are now worth, more than $40 million."