CompStudy Team

World's leading authority on life science & tech startup executive compensation

[CompStudy Team @compstudy]

WEBINAR Friday 2/3: Reviewing 2016 CompStudy Exec #Compensation Survey results & takeaways for Tech & LS cos: https://t.co/6IkOCCR3Ew

[CompStudy Team @compstudy]

Tune in now to the CompStudy Life Sciences Webinar: https://t.co/6IkOCCR3Ew

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Keep it simple with equity awards - easier for employees to understand; assume everyone on team will find out everyone's stakes - #compstudy

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Milestone-based vesting: Sounds gr8, but only fits whn clear division of labor, objective milestones, pivot won't make obsolete - #compstudy

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Growing companies hit an inflection point where employees can't afford to pay for restricted stock & shift to options instead - #compstudy

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

In 2016, tech startups had greatest year-over-year comp increase in decade; "talent being rewarded, supply constrained" - #compstudy webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Most outside directors get .25%-.5%, except in earliest-stage co's; in tech, almost no outside directors get cash comp - #compstudy webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

"The smaller you can keep your board for longer, the better, because adding and replacing board members is hard" - #compstudy annual webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

CEO S. Newby: Problem when early-stage director underestimates fiduciary respon'ty & need to pay close attention to financials - #compstudy

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

VC Steve Murray: Startup is a sailboat rather than motorboat -- have to tack and adjust sails, etc. - #compstudy annual webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

VC Steve Murray: "Best independent directors fell in love with the company" - more impt than best resume/name - #compstudy annual webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Outside directors: Crimson Hexagon A-round investors insisted on having independent director - w/ signif SW-co exp'c - #compstudy webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

VC Steve Murray: "CFO is not a revenue or product position, so founders discount it" (esp tech founders); can help manage board - #compstudy

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

CEO Stephanie Newby: Need real CFO earlier if founder isn't good at fundraising; "can get away w/ part-time one" - #compstudy annual webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

VP/Head of Eng'g: 85% were non-founders - early challenge = drive MVP devt, later = drive substantive long-term product - #compstudy webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

"VP-Sales cash comp is more correlated with FTEs than revenues, equity grants more correlated with revenues than FTEs" - #compstudy webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Non-founder startup VP-Sales salaries: $117K (1-20 FTEs), $180K (21-75 FTEs), $200K (76+ FTEs); equity: .9%->1.0%->.5% - #compstudy webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Non-founder startup CEOs attained an average of 61.5% of target bonuses (5-year average: 66%) - #compstudy annual webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Very diff pattern with non-founder startup CEO equity stakes: constant 5% across all three stages of evolution - #compstudy annual webinar

[Noam Wasserman @noamwass]

Non-founder startup CEO salaries: $230K (1-20 FTEs), $275K (21-75 FTEs), $300K (76+ FTEs) - #compstudy annual webinar

[WilmerHale @WilmerHale]

Join us! @compstudy survey webinars start soon—learn abt exec comp trends for #tech (at 12p) & #lifesciences (at 2p) https://t.co/24wYHGiC8A