Are startups the closest you can still get to "punk rock in tech"? I would love for the dream of the 90s to still be alive somewhere...
I'm not saying people should not work in startups - they have their place in the industry. But there is nothing "punk rock" about them.
If you want to break rules and work outside the lines, we have come full circle to the 90s - bootstrapped small businesses are the way to go.
Unfortunately... because most of the world has taken their eyes off keeping markets competitive, it's less viable now than it once was, because the table stakes capital requirements are larger.