Missed post termination ISO exercise window at a private start up – any realistic options left?

I’m trying to understand if I have any options left here.

I worked at a private US startup and was granted ISO stock options. I was involuntarily terminated in 2025 and recently checked my equity portal, which shows the grant as Forfeited / Expired, with a 90-day post-termination exercise window that ended after my departure.

At the time, I honestly didn’t fully understand the exercise process or that I had to actively pay to convert vested options into shares after leaving.

A few questions:

1. Is this completely final, or do companies ever make exceptions / reopen expired grants?
2. Can a company legally extend the exercise window after expiration by converting ISO → NSO?
3. Could they theoretically reissue similar options, or would current fair market value / compliance rules prevent that?
4. Has anyone successfully gotten a startup to make an exception in a case like this?

I understand they may have no obligation—I’m just trying to understand what’s realistically possible before reaching out.

Thanks.