negotiation is all about context. Knowing your BATNA is the first step. That will give you a baseline for your negotiation. Like in trading, you only hear about the success stories about top notch negotiators. The reality is much more nuanced than that.
How much luck plays into traction? Since the majority of IT landscape is controlled by few platforms (companies), a BD deal with the dominant player (tier 1 player) is all you need for the big pay day. This is where your connections, network and Influential VC investors can play a big role.
Remember, every decent startup has a good product. But not every one of them has the influential connections to make it as a success. Getting traction is not a fair game. In most scenarios it is a hustle.