PEOPLE FIRST EQUITY PLANS

Summary from the TLDR Founders newsletter

An employee can earn stock options and still be unable to afford exercising them. Athyna designed its equity plan around that problem, setting aside 20% of the company and granting restricted stock units rather than options employees must purchase. Its plan combines time-based vesting with a liquidity event before shares transfer. Everyone receives a grant, including interns, with amounts varying by role and seniority. The company also walks employees through what they own, what happens if they leave, and how future fundraising changes their percentage.