Every single startup since maybe 1980 that is not borderline criminal has faced at least one incumbent that is better funded and has, frankly, more talent with better experience.
The reason they sometimes win is huge structural or incentive issues in the large companies. And they don't win often.
AMD has failed to fix the problem for years. Is it because the business structure doesn't incentivize it? Is it because the company's entrenched culture is opposed to compensation that might attract the right talent (often out of "fairness")? Is it because there's some internal owner for the function that keeps fucking up but for political reasons the CEO won't replace them and no one else can work on the thing?
Any of these are possible. I have seen - personally witnessed - all of these and more at large companies. We don't know the reason, but we can sort of guess as to the shape of it.
The reason they sometimes win is huge structural or incentive issues in the large companies. And they don't win often.
AMD has failed to fix the problem for years. Is it because the business structure doesn't incentivize it? Is it because the company's entrenched culture is opposed to compensation that might attract the right talent (often out of "fairness")? Is it because there's some internal owner for the function that keeps fucking up but for political reasons the CEO won't replace them and no one else can work on the thing?
Any of these are possible. I have seen - personally witnessed - all of these and more at large companies. We don't know the reason, but we can sort of guess as to the shape of it.