Hey everyone,

I wanted to get some honest opinions from people who’ve either worked in startups or been in similar situations.

I recently interviewed with an early-stage digital health startup (US/EU based). The interview went well, and they want me to join their full-stack team.

Here’s the situation:

• They’re building an MVP and targeting completion in ~3–6 months
• Expected commitment: ~20–25 hours/week
• Offered rate: €50/hour
• BUT — payment is fully deferred until they raise funding
• They’re targeting funding around September (currently April)
• Equity is also offered, but capped (details on % not very clear yet)
• Entire team (including senior engineers) is working under the same structure

So basically:
I’d be working for the next ~5+ months with no guaranteed income, hoping they raise funding and then pay accumulated hours.

My situation:

• I have ~5 years of experience (full stack, backend-heavy)
• I run some freelance/agency work, but right now my cash flow is low
• I can take some risk, but I can’t afford to go months without income
• I’m also thinking realistically:
  • MVP ≠ funding
  • Funding ≠ immediate cash payouts
  • Even after MVP, they’ll need users/traction first

My concerns:

• What if funding gets delayed (which is common)?
• What if they prioritize growth/marketing over paying back engineers?
• What if the project drags on beyond the initial timeline?
• Is €50/hr “on paper” actually meaningful if it’s not guaranteed?

What they did offer:

• They increased the rate from €40 → €50
• Reduced hours slightly
• But still no upfront or partial payment

My question to you all:

• Have you taken similar “deferred + equity” roles?
• Did it actually pay off?
• Would you take this risk in my situation?
• If yes, how would you structure your involvement (hours, expectations, etc.)?

I’m trying to balance:

• Not missing a potentially good opportunity vs
• Not putting myself in a financially bad position

Would really appreciate honest feedback from people who’ve been through this.

Thanks