What are the main differences between startup culture and mainstream corporate culture?

Start up cultures are no for a younger more a hip or type of employee expect to see ping-pong tables and catered meals. As far as they do business, I do not have experience working in a start up

startup is many hats not so much micro management. Corporate the opposite.

Startups can have multiple types of cultural "grounding", & "mainstream" culture is more old style worker culture.

Flexibility vs. organized structure.

Startup is WAY MORE fun, work and risk. Mainstream corporate culture just sucks the life out of you.

I would assume (& it's not good to do so) that startup culture has a more open door policy. Your superiors are more approachable, at least in theory. MCC has too much hierarchy/layers & chances are, whatever input might get lost somewhere along the way before it reaches to the top. Startup culture might put off older employees because of the appearance of non-traditional work practices of the younger generation. Can't say I can straddle on both, at least I'm trying. Scrum, Agile, Kanban, might be an alien concept to most employees who work or used to work for at mainstream corporate culture. At least it is to me, but the difference is, I'm aware of it, LOL.

Startup: fast, minimal planning, execution-focused, not much attention to details (we'll figure them out later) - it's all about survival and fast growth within a few months. Mainstream corporate: slow, safe, lots of planning, no clear guidance on execution, everybody keeps waiting for the mass to move, wait for their shares to vest and bonuses to settle, only communicate on meetings, if it's Friday, let's wait until Monday to send that email... As somebody who worked in both, corporates drive me crazy.

Ability to adapt to change and ownership.

Start Up culture can take risks and be hungry. Mainstream knows that its a marathon and not a sprint.