Hey kiddo. I will share my career history with you. I'm not sure if it will apply in today's market or not. I started at a startup and had lots of good times and made some life long friends. It wasn't about the money at that time, it was the love of the game. Coding for hours on end then sleeping next to desk in sleeping bag so I could get right back to work when I woke up. Offers from other companies came and went but my loyalty to my fellow coders was top priority. After the company went public I was able to write my own ticket there. Today I am retired at forty-five years of age. My family and I live a nice comfortable life + I have lots of loyal and g great friends from the trenches that stay in touch. But like I said this is just my experience, today's market might be a total different ballgame. Good Luck to you and yours.
Main reason the American government takes its sweet time to selectively choose which startup to help is lack of knowledge by the old cronies in charge. They simple are scared of it due to the lack of understanding and overwhelming desire to maintain status quo. If they are reinsured something is going to be used to benefit commerce, then good. If it's going to be used to allow younger citizens to combine, organise and execute ideas- bad. Simple as that. China sees the idealistic trend of the America youth and wish to embrace it, where old cronies what to stifle it.
I like how you mentioned fdroid. I am a loyal user. I use Firefox klar. + Duckduckgo.com for all net activities. 100% private and 0 adds and 0 tracking.
I'm still not sold on this idea. I ask why help John/Jan Doe Net Shopper protect their data? If Net Shopper X is that concerned about said issue a little research and implementation a Net Shopper X can privately and securely shop. However my constituents feel it's our obligation to use our skills and knowledge to help Net Shopper X because they are to stupid to do it themselves. Like a Shepard needs to protect the sheep from the wolves. So at this time its still just conversions rather then actions in my circle.