How to Build a Compensation Package
summary
Survey of 573 respondents shows concrete pay bands: early-stage CTOs average ~£160k base and ~£279k equity, Series A ~£183–190k base and ~£321–400k equity, Series B ~£200k base and ~£377k equity, scale-up survey median ~£207k base and ~£643k equity (Albany benchmark higher). Bonus prevalence is surprisingly low (single-digit percent at Series A/B/C in the survey). Vesting is typically 4-year vesting with 1-year cliff and women/non-binary report ~7% higher base but ~66% less equity. Negotiation rule: value equity by cash equivalent, aim for equity value often 2x base minimum.
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chapters (22)
- 0:00Introduction and speaker background
- 1:03Purpose of compensation transparency
- 2:47Survey methodology and demographics
- 4:54Key survey findings and market insights
- 7:23Components of compensation packages
- 9:12CTO archetypes by company stage
- 11:19Early stage CTO compensation
- 12:22Growth stage CTO compensation
- 14:11Scale-up CTO compensation
- 16:17Equity and long-term incentives
- 17:22Regional compensation differences
- 17:42Gender disparities in compensation
- 18:46Tips for benchmarking compensation
- 19:27Negotiation strategies and equity value
- 21:12Strike price and equity upside
- 21:54Leaver clauses and stock options
- 23:21Q&A: Compensation review cycles
- 24:47Q&A: Equity cash value calculation
- 25:29Q&A: CTO vs VP of engineering roles
- 27:16Q&A: CTO job market trends
- 28:41Q&A: Bonus determination metrics
- 29:27Closing remarks and thanks
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