The reason startups get large amounts of funding is because they are expected to grow exponentially. Tech debt mills cannot grow exponentially. They grow quick

The reason startups get large amounts of funding is because they are expected to grow exponentially. Tech debt mills cannot grow exponentially. They grow quickly for a couple of years, then stop growing once the accrued tech debt slows down growth. Once the 10xers/rockstar/ninjas that "got shit done" for years are asked to make things work for that missing "5% of the time", they will look for another job and disappear. Tech debt mills should not be treated as startups. They are small or medium businesses that are not prepared for exponential growth, and as such, do not deserve startup-level funding. The obsession over "getting shit done" and "shipping" are traits of tech debt mills. Sustainable growth and a long-term vision beats tech debt mill mentality.