Standard Vesting (4-year, 1-year cliff)

Biological Parallel

Perennial plants evolved time-vesting long before Silicon Valley: a willow sapling invests 3-5 years building root systems before flowering, and if uprooted in year two, it loses all reproductive potential despite massive energy investment. The 'one-year cliff' mirrors seed germination—no growth until the plant commits to breaking dormancy, then gradual resource accumulation. This biological vesting schedule prevents premature reproduction (flowering in year one produces tiny, non-viable seeds) and ensures only plants that survive multiple seasons—proving site quality and their own resilience—get to pass genes forward.