Yes. Now considering you were wise enough to put in a 4 year vesting with a 1 year cliff that means the employee is going to work 4 years to get that $100k. That amounts to just $25k per year.
Congratulations, you just got a very devoted developer for a measly $25k/year bonus that there's an 80% chance you'll never have to pay up.
And if they don't turn out well in that first year, you don't owe them anything.
After the cliff, let's say they get 0.5% per month. The time they leave decides how much you have to buy them out.
Vesting is a wonderful thing ;)
EDIT: You also have to consider this - "If they're that good that they can singlehandedly build your MVP. What are you offering that they would rather take 20% of yours, than 90% of their own?"
Congratulations, you just got a very devoted developer for a measly $25k/year bonus that there's an 80% chance you'll never have to pay up.
And if they don't turn out well in that first year, you don't owe them anything.
After the cliff, let's say they get 0.5% per month. The time they leave decides how much you have to buy them out.
Vesting is a wonderful thing ;)
EDIT: You also have to consider this - "If they're that good that they can singlehandedly build your MVP. What are you offering that they would rather take 20% of yours, than 90% of their own?"