"People refer to those things as their mistakes, but I think it's more accurate to say that they help to reduce choices and align the [company's] direction with the right path." --Jon Kayyem
You don't have to pay any of the money back, the government won't ask for equity in your business, and you keep full control of the intellectual property that you develop. Venture investors--if you can find any--will not be so kind.
Due to the high volume of questions received, the CareerDoctor cannot answer all queries on an individual basis. Look for an answer to your question published in this column soon! Thank you!