Helen Andrews cuts straight to it: Startups stay male-dominated because they're obsessed with one thing—getting off the ground. Once they grow, add HR, benefits, structure… suddenly women show up in much larger numbers. "It's simple demographics and observation: five guys in a garage? Mostly men. Turn it into a real institution with policies, teams, and support systems? Women thrive there." She argues mission-driven, high-risk, all-in environments naturally attract fewer women—until the chaos gets tamed and the company professionalizes. Brutal honesty or oversimplification? Do you see the same pattern in startups you've worked at or followed?