I've worked in both and have even been in a company that went through from startup stage to established company stage (IPO'd). I've been working in this field p

I've worked in both and have even been in a company that went through from startup stage to established company stage (IPO'd). I've been working in this field professionally for about 12 years, and more as side projects as a student before that. Short answer, try both. People who think they prefer one over the other and never having worked in both, owe it to themselves to try different environments, over the years. You should be well aware that whatever choice you're making now is not permanent. In any industry and particularly in Silicon Valley, most people make a jump on average every few years (5 years or so seems like a good length). I just think that there is enough experience and knowledge to gain from both types of environments that you shouldn't just think of one better than another.