Today, we're launching The Startup Employee Equity Report 2026, the next step following last month's launch of Equitybee Benchmark. In @EquityBee 's dataset, 54% of recent startup new-hire grants required at least $50,000 in pre-tax cash to exercise in full. 17% required at least $250,000, nearly twice the median annual salary advertised in @StartupJobs ($141,869). These figures exclude taxes and transaction costs. The report explores how new-hire grants differ across roles and companies, alongside the costs employees may face when exercising them. For employees, understanding those costs starts with the strike price and potential taxes. The decision also depends on how long they have to act and how much of their available capital would be tied to one private company with no guaranteed liquidity. We're sharing the findings to give employees more context for these conversations, before an exercise deadline arrives. Read the full report: equitybee.com/benchmark/the-… - - The Startup Employee Equity Report 2026 provides market context based on Equitybee platform data and third-party company information. It is not investment, financial, tax, legal, or compensation advice. Data is presented as is, has not been independently verified, and may not reflect the broader startup market. FMV-based grant amounts are comparison measures, not ownership or future value; observed associations do not establish causation. Equitybee executes private financing contracts (PFCs). PFCs could limit your profits. PFCs are brokered by Equitybee Securities LLC, member FINRA.

Companies benchmark your equity. Now you can too. Salary benchmarks have existed for years. Companies and HR teams have also had access to tools for comparing equity grants. Meanwhile, startup employees have often been expected to evaluate one of the most important parts of their compensation with very little context. Equitybee Benchmark is helping close that information gap. It is a free tool that helps U.S. startup employees explore how joining option grants compare across roles, seniority levels, departments and company stages. Built from: 📊 9,000+ verified joining option grants submitted through Equitybee. 📊 2,500+ U.S. startup companies represented. 📊 Coverage from Seed through Pre-IPO. Built for employees. Available for free. Explore Equitybee Benchmark for free: equitybee.com/startup-equity… -- Equitybee Benchmark provides market context based exclusively on Equitybee platform data. It is not financial, tax, legal, or compensation advice. The data is presented as is and has not been independently verified; it may not reflect the broader startup market.

We partnered with “A Life After Layoff” YouTube channel who discusses the REAL costs of being laid off. One substantial cost is the amount you need to come up with to keep your hard-earned equity. That’s why most startup employees walk away from their equity - and miss out on a life changing opportunity. Equitybee is here to help! Get the funding you need to exercise your stock options with no out-of-pocket costs. Click the link learn more >> equitybee.com/

That moment you realize… The startup you left made an exit and you never exercised your stock options. Equitybee helps you participate in your company’s future success - without paying a dime out of pocket. Learn more >> equitybee.com/employees

That moment you realize… The startup you left made an exit and you never exercised your stock options. Equitybee helps you participate in your company’s future success - without paying a dime out of pocket. Learn more >> equitybee.com/employees

Don't leave your equity behind >> equitybee.com/

YouTuber Joshua Fluke talks about the realities of working in tech. Here’s one reality startup employees face: Exercising stock options can be expensive, sometimes significantly so. Equitybee helps startup employees exercise their options with no out-of-pocket costs, including taxes. Thanks Joshua for partnering with us on this important subject!  Ready to take control of your equity? >> lnkd.in/duCa2qBe

Only 20% of the employees who get funded through Equitybee are women. The more important question is why ❓ Michelle Kaiser, our VP of Sales, breaks down what the data actually shows, and the 3 questions every woman should ask before leaving a startup. Watch 👇

⏰ Stock Options Unlocked Episode 10 – Stock Option Myth Busters Think you know how stock options work? Let’s test that. 👀 From IPO lockups to secondary sales,  some of the most common beliefs are flat-out wrong. The details matter more than the hype. 👉 Follow for more myth-busting.

⏰ Stock Options Unlocked - Episode 9 Taxes can take a big bite out of your equity, unless you plan ahead. 🧠 Early exercise, ISO vs. NSO, AMT… it’s complicated, but it matters. Smart planning can mean keeping more of what you earn. ⚠️ Equity bee is not a tax authority, Always consult a tax professional.

⏰ Episode 8 - Not All Stock Options Are the Same ISOs. NSOs. Sounds similar, but they’re very different. Taxes, eligibility, and timing can seriously impact your outcome. Before you exercise, make sure you know what you hold. 📌 Next up on Stock option Unlocked: tax planning.

International Women’s Day 💜 Today we celebrate the women of Equitybee,  the ones who lead, build, solve, decide, and deliver. You raise standards. You take ownership. You drive real outcomes. To every woman in tech and startups, Your presence isn’t symbolic. Your work speaks for itself. And this industry is stronger because of you. Proud to build alongside you. Today and every day. #InternationalWomensDay #WomenInTech #Startups

Real people, Real reviews 🌟

Real people, Real reviews 🌟

Will 2026 be the biggest year ever for new tech millionaires? 2026 could be the year some of the largest private tech companies finally go public. Think SpaceX, OpenAI, Stripe, Databricks, Anthropic, Canva, Scale AI, and others. What makes this potential IPO wave different is not hype. It’s math. Many of today’s IPO candidates are: • Bigger • More mature • Private for far longer • Employing significantly more people before liquidity arrives That combination matters. Even a small number of IPOs could translate into employee wealth at a scale we have not seen before. But for employees, IPOs are not just upside moments. They are decision moments. Questions show up fast: • When to exercise • How taxes will apply • What concentration risk looks like • Whether you are prepared before the window tightens 📩 The new edition of Options to Ownership is out now >> linkedin.com/feed/update/urn… “Will 2026 be the biggest year ever for new tech millionaires?”

We helped someone exercise his stock options. What happened next changed a lot more than his life. Watch till the end 👀 Facing an options decision?Let’s talk 🐝 lnkd.in/dZGxTVC3

🎯 Equitybee Pro Tip #3: Your grant letter shows the number of shares - but not the full story. Here’s how to actually understand what your equity is worth >>