EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP
Former SpaceX welder who once knew nothing about the company now holds shares worth over $1 million
A former SpaceX welder, Juan Hernandez, saw his decade-old stock grant blossom into over $1 million following the company's IPO. Initially hired as a contract worker, Hernandez received $10,000 in stock, which he largely overlooked until its significant appreciation. He continues to work, crediting his immigrant background and strong work ethic for his success.
He joined as a welder, thought it was just another job. That job got him a Rs 10 crore jackpot in 10 years. Thanks to SpaceX IPO
Juan Hernandez joined SpaceX as a welder in 2015, viewing it as just another job opportunity. Along with his employment, he received company stock that he initially paid little attention to. Following SpaceX's historic IPO, his roughly 6,500 shares are now worth nearly Rs 10 crore. Hernandez, who later moved to Blue Origin, says he plans to keep working and use his experience to teach his children about investing and long-term financial planning.
From $2 per share to a $1.75 trillion giant: How Elon Musk's SpaceX could make employees millionaires overnight
SpaceX IPO: SpaceX employees are set for a major financial boost. As the company prepares for its public listing, stock grants are now worth millions. This wealth transfer is reaching engineers, welders, and other staff. Many workers who held onto their shares will see their fortunes change dramatically. This event marks a significant moment for employee wealth creation in the tech sector.
LTTS CEO Amit Chadha's FY26 remuneration drops 17% to Rs 15 crore
L&T Technology Services CEO Amit Chadha received Rs 14.96 crore in FY26, a 17.4% decrease. CFO Rajeev Gupta's pay also saw a dip. The company reported a 6.75% profit rise for January-March FY26. Full fiscal year profit was Rs 1,279.2 crore. Large deal bookings exceeded USD 850 million.
UpGrad to acquire Unacademy for Rs 2,055 crore, 90% below peak valuation
After on-again, off-again talks, Ronnie Screwvala-run edtech firm UpGrad is acquiring UpGrad in a cut price deal. UpGrad is also raising an internal round of approximately Rs 375 crore from existing backers such as Temasek, which is a common investor across both companies, as per people in the know.
RSU vs ESOP: Which is better for you as employee? Pros and cons explained
From vesting-day perquisite taxes to a 40% US estate levy that most Indian professionals never see coming, your employer’s stock is not the safe reward it feels like.
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Founder offering only Rs 5000 for Content Head role sparks Internet outrage: 'Our housemaid earns more.....'
A startup founder is facing severe online criticism. The founder advertised a full-time Content Head role with a salary of ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 per month. This offer has sparked outrage on social media. Many believe the compensation is unreasonably low for the responsibilities involved. The incident highlights concerns about fair pay and ethical hiring practices in the startup ecosystem.
Slice eyes $50-100 million funding at lower valuation, sharpens digital bank pitch
The small finance bank has held discussions with VC funds and other investors at a time when fintech sector has come under increasing regulatory scrutiny.
Visa processing startup Atlys announces Esop buyback worth Rs 4 crore
Atlys conducted its first Esop buyback worth Rs 4 crore, allowing eligible employees to sell up to 25% of their vested stock options. The scheme was open to eligible staff across all roles and teams. This comes closely after Atlys raised $36 million in a round led by Susquehanna Asia VC in March.
Dhan in talks to acquire Elevation Capital-backed Infinyte Club in cash and equity deal
Founded in 2023 by Ankita Tandon and Joylita Saldanha, Infinyte Club offers wealth management tools targeted at startup employees and operators, including access to private market investment opportunities and liquidity for employee stock ownership plans (Esops).
New income-tax act takes effect today
New tax rules and budget changes begin April 1. Higher taxes on speculative stock trades will curb risky bets. Lower taxes on overseas travel packages and remittances for medical and education will benefit many. A new Income-tax Act simplifies filings. Changes also affect virtual digital assets and employee stock options.
Ather Energy rolls out Esops worth Rs 22.4 crore
In September 2025, Ather had granted 12.7 lakh Esops worth Rs 70.9 crore to employees, senior management, and key personnel. In the third quarter (Q3FY26) the company reported a 50.2% year-on-year (YoY) rise in operating revenue to Rs 953.6 crore, its highest-ever, aided by strong festive demand and higher vehicle sales volumes.
My company allotted ESOPs worth Rs 6 lakh. Should I hold or sell?
ET Wealth Reader's Query: I am 38 years old and work in the private sector. My company recently introduced an employee stock ownership plan and I’ve been allotted shares worth Rs.6 lakh. Should I sell the ESOPs and diversify, or hold them to benefit from my company’s future growth?
Mahindra to give Rs 400-500 cr ESOPs to 23,000 employees
In an industry-first initiative, Mahindra & Mahindra is launching a one-time Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) for about 23,000 employees, including factory floor workers, as a reward for their contribution to the company's growth journey, Group CEO & MD Anish Shah said.
ESOPs fables hide risky ends
Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are gaining traction as a tool for wealth redistribution, but their effectiveness varies. While ESOPs can align company and worker interests, they also carry risks such as shielding underperformance and exposing workers to concentrated risk, especially in volatile sectors like technology. Policymakers should be cautious about promoting ESOPs without considering these potential downsides.
IPO-bound Swiggy announces fifth Esop plan worth $65 million
Swiggy has cumulatively enabled over Rs 1,000 crore of Esops liquidity over the five events, benefiting more than 3,200 employees. Girish Menon, head of HR at Swiggy said, the latest Esop event is to acknowledge employees’ contributions and the food platform’s commitment to sharing its success and growth with them.
The Sleep Company rolls out second tranche of Rs 2.4 crore ESOP buyback for employees
“The Sleep Company introduced its ESOP programme three years ago, with the goal of providing employees with consistent wealth creation opportunities. We strongly believe that every employee must be rewarded for their contribution to the growth and success of the company and thus employees across the board will get the same amount of ESOP under the current plan,” Priyanka Salot, cofounder, The Sleep Company, said in the statement.
Leadership by fraction: The trend of fractional CXOs
Fractional CEOs are a new trend in leadership where experienced people with specialized skills choose to work with multiple companies instead of a single one. This model has been used for professional services such as law and audit for years, but the question today is can this be an option for hitherto dedicated leadership roles across domains? There are clear benefits for companies in terms of reduced cost and hiring errors, as well as the ability to build both depth and scale.
What should NRIs know about ESOPs?
The employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is critical for the growth of the company-employee relationship. Since a company's success is a collective effort of the whole workforce, ESOP plays a vital role in nurturing the stability of this relationship.
Agritech startup WayCool Foods to provide Esops worth up to Rs 400 crore
The company recently said that it has given out Esops worth Rs 250 crore for all 1,500 employees on the back of strong growth.
Razorpay announces $10 million ESOP sale involving all employees
All existing and former employees of the company who hold vested stocks will be eligible to sell up to 33% of their vested ESOP shares
Meesho undertakes ESOP buyback worth $5 mn
The total worth of the latest ESOP re-purchasing programme is expected to be approximately USD 5 million, it added.
Eco Survey flags 'disproportionate dwarfism' of Indian banks, calls upon PSBs to become efficient
Flagging 'disproportionate dwarfism' of banks, Economic Survey called upon PSBs to become efficient.
ESOP for public sector bank employees mooted
Employees in PSBs are paid in fixed salaries all these years which according to the Survey does not encourage risk-taking and innovation. The Survey said that these banks which control 70% of the market share in Indian banking, lag considerably in performance metrics when compared to their peers.
Startups seek clarity on key tax issues
The companies raised these issues during a recent meeting with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and senior tax officials, according to a member who took part in the meeting. Startups that deal with global technology companies registered outside India claim they pay more taxes on their revenues.
Finance ministry may look into taxation of employee stock ownership plans
FinMin plans to review the entire framework to make the compensation tool attractive for employees.
Flipkart delivers $100m Esops to a chosen few
Esop distribution took place as part of the company’s annual performance assessment programme.
UrbanClap facilitates ESOP sale worth Rs 18 crore
The ESOP sale marks the second such event by the firm in under two years — the previous one was in July 2017.
OYO approves new ESOP plan with additional benefits
The ESOP will be administered by a compensation committee formed by the board of directors, which will establish procedures for the administration of the scheme, according to the plan document, a copy of which is with ET.
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