IT HR Due Diligence

Wondering if anyone has experience with small IT startup and associated HR retention? Wondering what the level of compensation is to retain start up IT entrepreneurs whose products are purchased by a large enterprise or financed through a venture capital firm? What type of compensation is offered (in general) for retaining founders of small IT start ups? After all, they possess a high order of magnitude in terms of sweat equity and core knowledge of what they have sold.