Just to be clear, no one was "excluded from early investments".  Bitcoin has been open to everyone since it launched.  Just like investing in Intel in the 1970s-1980s would've paid off.  Or Google in the early 2000s, or Apple in the 1990s or 1980s.  Or IBM in the 1930s etc. 

As far as "investments" goes, it seems like only during the last year or so have many people been calling buying and using the currency an "investment". 

:-)