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2008 Startup Compensation Survey

2008compstudy
The latest version of this annual comp study compiled by J. Robert Scott in collaboration with Wilmer Hale, Ernst & Young and Prof. Noam Wasserman at HBS is out.  If you haven’t heard of this report before, I’ve been writing about it for a while.  It is by far the best source of compensation data for startups.  The report is a result of a survey of 340 venture-backed startups in the US.  The report details compensation for the top 10 or so executives and cuts the data by geography, revenue, headcount, industry segment and more and includes ranges for salary, bonus and equity.  You won’t find a better source.

In 2008, base salaries are up about 5% over 2007 but bonus payouts remain flat.  Equity compensation is hard to assess on average, but it looks like it’s about the same or slightly less.

You can get a summary of the report from the comp study website.  The unabridge report is very detailed (70+ pages).  If you’re interested in a copy, email me email Noam who will send you one if you commit to participate in the next survey.

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Categorised as: Management, Startups

  • http://www.altgate.com/ fnazeeri

    Something I’ve been hearing a lot from people about this report is, “I can’t wait to see next year’s version!”

    Don’t hold your breath.

    I don’t think next year’s report will show dramatic differences. Why? Survival bias. Basically the survey doesn’t pick up executives that were fired and not replaced or those at companies that disappeared. Of those that survive, you’ll see some impact on cash bonus and perhaps some dilution to equity, but it won’t be dramatic.

    You see this a lot in hedge fund and stock indices. For example, AIG used to be part of the DOW 30 but was dropped after they imploded and replaced by Kraft. So yes, the DOW is down 35% or something this year, but that’s a lot less than if it still included AIG. We’ll see the same thing with next year startup compensation studies.

  • JR

    Thx, great data.

  • http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/teaching-english-in-taiwan-experience-life-in-taiwan-as-an-english-teacher-1423243.html Teaching English in Taiwan

    Insightful read. I have stumbled and twittered this for my friends. Others no doubt will like it like I did.