Seems like VCs get all the diversification benefits while startup employees usually end up with nothing. How about creating pools of startup equity? This would lower upside but increase chances of an actual payout - great for people later in their careers or with families.<p>What I have in mind is a service that lets people pool some portion of their equity grants. The service would show what startups are "available" and you would only pool with startups you are interested in, say a minimum of 10 per pool. Valuation would be handled either via stated price (e.g. I'll trade 10 shares of MyCo for 15 shares of YourCo) or some other mechanism. Each pool would be managed via a third party escrow holder/fiduciary of some sort.