> What prevents a founder from walking away and getting a job exactly?

He/she can do that but the sacrifices are greater compared to just being an employee.

> go get a soul-crushing treadmill job and watch the fruits of your labour flow elsewhere

I am from India, I have seen abject poverty. I know it's a privilege to take such risks, my original point was focussed more on HN demographics not the poor people who I know cannot take such risks. Poor people who cannot take such risks is a totally different conversation