If a startup is a marriage, do you really want to marry these people? Do you see this as a quick exit (acquisition) or a longer slog? If you want in, get a law

If a startup is a marriage, do you really want to marry these people? Do you see this as a quick exit (acquisition) or a longer slog? If you want in, get a lawyer who specializes in startups (partnership agreements). They will tell you what your rights are regarding IP (varies by state), advise on how to negotiate for equity, and determine if your cofounders have committed any crime. For instance, if they knowingly misrepresented themselves to the accelerator in order to gain funding (keeping in mind IANAL) they may have committed fraud (regardless of what they call it).