THIS.

Its all about the founders. The VCs don't care, the acquirer doesn't care and largely, the industry doesn't care. I have been at 3 startups and they all feel more like "come change my world" instead of "come change the world".

Equity is so lop-sided that its almost laughable.

I earlier thought that a successful startup exit actually carries weight on one's resume but that's only on the founder's resume.

Nobody cares in SV if you were an EE at a non-unicorn startup with a reasonable exit. After an exit happens, founders still get to keep their badge of honor and propel their careers, not the EEs.