what is an option pool 
an option pool consists of shares of stock reserved for employees of a private company the option pool is a way of attracting talented employees to a startup company if the employees help the company do well enough to go public they will be compensated with stock employees who get into the startup early will usually receive a greater percentage of the option pool than employees who arrive later the initial size of the option pool may decrease with subsequent rounds of funding because of investors ownership demands the creation of an option pool will commonly dilute the founders share in the company because investors angels and venture capitalists often insist on it 