Originally published on rohitraj.tech
Carta says 1.5% for hire #1, dropping to 0.33% by hire #5. Pave median is 1%. AI talent pressure pushed the floor up since March 2026. Honest 2026 numbers — plus the $0-equity alternative most pre-seed founders should default to.
Read the full version with code samples, diagrams, and architecture details: Founding Engineer Equity 2026 — How Much to Negotiate (India)
More engineering notes: rohitraj.tech/en/notes
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