Startup incubators take a 6% equity stake on average, but most founders I know never asked if that was worth the mentorship. I’ve seen two local startups sign up for the same program—one got office space and warm introductions, the other got a generic pitch deck template. Maybe the math works for some, but I’m skeptical that early-stage founders are good at valuing non-cash help. Is paying with equity for incubation advice actually a fair trade?