2) Acquisition: Stayed with the company for a year until they changed their minds and discarded what we had built, (this was the dotcom era, but we weren't a dotcom). I put the money in the bank.
3) Acquisition: Again, after I left for my next startup. Money went to the bank.
4) Acquisition: Stayed around for 3+ years until the PHBs took over cmopletely. Went to another startup. Put the money in the bank.
I've been amazingly lucky with my startups. Financially, each one made my life more comfortable, built a nest egg, helped pay for my kids' education. I keep saying "this is my last startup", but I keep going back. I am now in a position that I could "retire", but I'm at startup #5. This is my last one, this time for sure. If/when I do retire, I'll still be hacking interesting software, even if it's not for a company.