[hugo31370]

Here's the perspective of a founder who has worked for big companies. I don't like the "Us vs Them" logic applied to startups - whether it's employees vs founders or founders vs VCs. Everyone is trying to make money and the reason why the upside is bigger for some is the same as in any other business - because they take more risk.

The founders should get the biggest upside, then investors (and among those the early investors more), then early employees, then all other employees. The founders risk their reputation, personal life, money and often friends' money to start a company. Investors put their money at risk at a stage when it's not clear if the company is going to succeed. And early employees put a bet on a company that can be gone in less than a year.

If you're not an early employee, you shouldn't bear with any corporate risk, which means that you should earn your market salary, no discounts. Because of that, the equity share can't be high because you're not really taking much risk.

Some people are more aggressive taking risks then others and that's why the market works

You say "why enrich other people?". Well, everyone is enriching someone else. If you own resources so valuable that others are willing to pay lots of money for, someone will make you rich. Find a way to make yourself indispensable, as a founder, investor or employee, and someone will make you rich.