Just curious, how many concerned engineers reading this message board are thinking to start their own thing rather than looking for another safe job at a big corp, that will lead in 8 years (2000, 2008, now, 2024...) to the same outcome?
With your severance and the idea you've been developing during weekends, gather few fellow engineers that got some departure funds and give it a shot for half a year. SD can become a real tech hub if more would have the courage to try. I guess all the complains about incompetent management are in vain if you seek to walk the same path in the future.