Having been imprisoned when he turned to crime to support his family, Scott Lang honed his computer skills inside, and was then hired by Tony Stark in the companys design department. And under Tonys direction, Scott even installed a new security system in Avengers Mansion. It was only when Scotts daughter, Cassie, became sick that Scott returned to burglary and stole the Ant-Man suit. That employment history could prove to be a link to the wider MCU. In The Winter Soldier, Nick Fury mentions that Tony provided repulsor technology so S.H.I.E.L.D. could construct their next-generation helicarriers. Some of that work could have been done by a young engineer named Scott Lang. And through that work with S.H.I.E.L.D., Scott could have come to Pyms attention, given that the synopsis describes Pym as Scotts mentor. With S.H.I.E.L.D. gone and Stark Industries likely in some hot water because of the events of Age Of Ultron, that could mean Scott falls on hard times as well as Pym, setting the stage for the events of this film.
Percival Constantine is the author of several novels and short stories, including the Vanguard superhero series, and regularly writes and comments on movies, comics, and other pop culture. More information can be found at his website, PercivalConstantine.com