> They could be outspent and out marketed by established companies and end up working for them.
Or established companies can simply steal their ideas and try to bury them in legal bullshit—like Ford, etc tried to do :
* https://thehustle.co/windshield-wiper-inventor-robert-kearns...
* https://www.autonews.com/article/20081002/ZZZ_SPECIAL/810029...
* https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/how-robert-kea...