We would certainly compensate employees. I didn't feel it appropriate to disclose every last detail regarding the arrangement in a thread which is only tangentially-related to the OP.

This was my idea. I am a developer in my company. We are a flat structure. We have a lot of respect for each other. I am on a standup with the CEO every day. We all believe in our product and would happily participate in whatever activity brings it to market more quickly. We do not hire or retain the kind of talent that would flatly refuse to participate in experimental projects like this. At least not without some sort of initial conversation about why it's not a good fit for a particular individual.

I certainly see how someone might share your perspective. I used to work for a souless megacorp and I could have easily found myself telling my former employer to "go fuck themselves" if a proposal similar to this was imposed upon me.