[Bahamut]

Truth is, YMMV. I have only worked at startups and smaller companies (& a mid-sized non-profit for my first job), and I mentor my junior developers quite frequently on improving code quality & code design. They also get the space to work on features & sink or swim based on their decisions so the lessons hit harder - the responsibilities are great, and they aren't just siloed into maintaining existing code. They also get to see the difference between excellent code & code that they have written.

It is hard to speak for all startups since they're a dime in a dozen.

[radmuzom]

My hypothesis is that working in small companies (or startups) like Fog Creek where the goal of the founder is to be sort of "be happy and make some money at the same time" is going to be a far better experience than the typical company whose goal is "Let's acquire users so that there is potential to display ads which means that I get funding or get acquired". Of course I have no data to back that up.