" many startups strive to be better than that" Better than what? Are you implying that an environment where forming close personal relationships with coworkers

" many startups strive to be better than that" Better than what? Are you implying that an environment where forming close personal relationships with coworkers is a requirement is distincly "better"? Perhaps in your case, as described in your last paragraph, you would find that to be better for you. But I don't think it is undeniably better in all cases, for all people. Many startups are actually remote only and I don't think they would accept that they are somehow inferior for it.