Startups have never been able to offer the same sizable salaries as big tech companies. Now with companies like Meta and OpenAI willing to pay million-dollar salaries amid the AI race — the compensation divide has grown even larger.

Early-stage startups are not doomed though. If they develop a compensation strategy that is generous, fair, and flexible, they can offer competitive compensation packages and give themselves room to adjust their approach as they grow, according to founders and experts who were onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.

Startups shouldn’t try to compete with big tech companies anyway, Yin Wu, the co-founder and CEO of equity management software Pulley, said on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt in October. She added that a stable tech company and a startup don’t general

See Full Page