Job or Start up are the only option as a software engineer ?

Either after completing graduation or being in IT for a decade, most common thing you have seen is people are looking for package of 1Cr or looking to start something of their own. Literally anything else you have heard of? if they still want to continue in IT.

Mostly not right. Reason we all know, that we are working in highly glamorous world and it comes with expenses so to cope up with that you go from hike to hike or job switch to job switch.
When you try all that or if you come up with something else you start something of own your own.

But is there anything else you can do other than above two? YES. most people don’t think that there are many layer in between a employee and a employer, and you can find many other things based on your domain. But to do those other thing you need to be an expert in your domain, Not Best there is but just an expert who knows how to get things done.
if you manage to do that then you can provide your services to company and the employer, you won’t be an employee of any organisation nor you need to start a company to do that.

Being in community can take you long way. Services again can be of any kind, it could be just the seminars of the things you have done and tried or actual knowledge transfer.

This 3rd option is only for those who are dedicated in their work and not just blindly following the 9-5 routine. if you can learn even one skill you can sell it.