Techies return ‘home’ as startup dreams turn sour

BENGALURU: Thousands of software professionals who jumped ship to catch the startup wave are turning back to shore, according to staffing firms and technology services companies that are rehiring these engineers.

Lured by attractive employee stock option plans and the thrill of joining a startup team, scores of mid-career professionals had switched from large technology companies such as Wipro, Capgemini and Infosys to join new ventures launched in the boom years since 2014.

But many soon found that several promising ventures didn’t take off, anticipated returns didn’t materialise and the relentless work pressure of startups took a toll.