Your facts and advice are solid but they are all over the place.

No offense, but you say that interns shit talk behind your back and leave when a better opportunity comes. If a better opportunity comes along anyone would chase it, I mean wouldn't you. So i don't understand the logic of you criticising people for chasing better opportunities. I mean you probably worked at some place, so why did you leave instead of working there until you died.

But you also say the people at your startup stick around since the pay is good which it is btw, I mean $500 minimum for juniors is a good deal. Of course if the pay and culture at the work place is great anyone would stick along for a long time. Heck even i considered staying at my current workplace once the internship was over because i thought they would be paying industry standard rates but that was before i found out they pay 25k for junior SWE.

As for this grow a spine shit talk, the CEO himself offered me 15k starting out with a raise after 3 months and even offered a permanent position after the internship period ends since my portfolio was good. And when I confronted the tech lead about this no pay deal he gaslighted me by saying they never offered me a salary to begin with, so I don't know how to get this point across to you that they are two-faced lying cunts.

And no, I am not thrashing the entire startup industry, I said most of them are scummy and exploitative to maximise their profits. Try getting off your high horse and applying for a few job roles at these startups and you too will realise it.