You and I planted a tree together. It looked like it was going to be a nice tree, so we filed a joint application for funding from the city. The application was successful but I left before the funding came through.
Years later, it turns out that this was a bona fide money tree. I think you and the city should put my name on some branches, since I was there in the beginning. If it takes 48 months for the tree to reach maturity, and I was there for the first month, then 1 branch for every 48 of your branches seems fair.
You and I planted a tree together, and applied for funding from the city. You didn't show up for the interview. In the end the application was successful because of the effort of others on the team.
At this point, no one owns the tree. I decide to officially file for ownership of the tree from the city government, paid all the filing fees, and was granted 100% of the tree with all the papers from the government.
5 years later, on the day I am about to sell my tree, you sue me for ownership of the tree. Does that seem fair?
Or let's put this another way.
I go on crunchbase, find 30 startups in Palo Alto, take their team info and write an application to an incubator and put myself as co-founder. I tell these startups about this and some of them decide to just ignore me because it's not worth the effort to tell me to go away.
Years later, one of the startups is about to get sold. I have made zero contributions to the startups, but there is an application saying I had the title of co-founder. I decide I am entitled ownership of the company, because I helped them apply to an incubator. I sue them to block their acquisition.
Years later, it turns out that this was a bona fide money tree. I think you and the city should put my name on some branches, since I was there in the beginning. If it takes 48 months for the tree to reach maturity, and I was there for the first month, then 1 branch for every 48 of your branches seems fair.