Good luck investing in private companies with $100k. The only way us serfs can get access to those opportunities is to chain our futures to the company and go work for them. Also means we can't diversify our portfolio like the VCs can.
You can diversify by investing in public markets, where you have actual liquidity. I've made more off of the Facebook stock I bought after the IPO than I have from any of the startups I worked for. One did have a "successful" exit, meaning the returns were positive, though nothing to write home about. I would've been better investing that money into Apple or AMD. All the people complaining about their worthless stock options need to realize that generally, the investors all got screwed, too.
The whole thesis of VC funds is to invest in many companies and have a few home runs drive returns. VC-backed companies failing is just the cost of doing business in a random extremistan world. For programmers it's as you say - either nothing, or at best "nothing to write home about". Unless you win the lottery.
Yep, I understand. I've worked for 5 startups in roughly 20 years. Only one had any real success, resulting in that "okay" outcome. I have more than enough capital to meet accredited investor status, and wouldn't invest in a private company again. (I have in the past and know I'll never see that money again.)
