Not likely... The process of sponsoring a visa applicant can be costly and must be completed by a us citizen. There are significant cost to this as well. If they find out, you will be blacklisted and never gain citizenship
Containers seem to be heading more in the direction of VMs. Which would compartmentalize the services of a given application, but then you might need a separate container for a given app. I don't know if you can completely get away from the problem of shipping code to new environments without configuration/customization.
That's any job. You have to take risks and ask for what you want to get it in life. If this guy is being offered equity it's a fair bet the company is very interested in him, more-so then a regular hire. To quote Zombieland: 'Time to nut up, or shut up.'
You just got out of college and you got some equity and you don't think its enough? Wow... If were the founder I'd wonder what a recent grad had to offer to get any equity at all... Even if you got 1% or 2% the company would have to be worth hundreds of millions for you to see big money... and if its going that good then option and stock grants will be available to good employees. Don't try to hit a home run on your first time at bat. If you don't strike out... you're doing better than most.
However, I think you're looking at this the wrong way. Most startups fail.. you should be angling for more base and not worry about the equity at this point... get the experience and add it to your portfolio and look to your next job when this company tanks
