Some thoughts provoked by trying to avoid the conundrum of saying founders are "exploited":
I don't have a citation, but you can look at Marx's comments in Capital on how capitalism (as a system) disciplines the owners of firms, i.e. Capitalists. Founders—possessing an ownership stake which predominates their interests over and above any wage—are at best a fraction of the Capital class. Maybe what you mean is that their will is subjugated to social imperatives of the class? Would it help then to say that Bourgeoise freedom is (beyond legal rights of citizens and humans) principally the freedom of a wealthy consumer? Or perhaps the freedom of disproportionate power in society. In another sense, even capitalists are not free under capitalism. However, they lack the necessary class interests to be a historical force capable of changing that situation.
Another quick footnote: I suspect the most important contradictions of class position for tech workers are (a) created by payment in equity/stock, and (b) created by the potential to become founders thanks to venture capital. Maybe these dynamics or potentialities (rather than simply static class positions) might be useful for your analysis.
Some thoughts provoked by trying to avoid the conundrum of saying founders are "exploited":
I don't have a citation, but you can look at Marx's comments in Capital on how capitalism (as a system) disciplines the owners of firms, i.e. Capitalists. Founders—possessing an ownership stake which predominates their interests over and above any wage—are at best a fraction of the Capital class. Maybe what you mean is that their will is subjugated to social imperatives of the class? Would it help then to say that Bourgeoise freedom is (beyond legal rights of citizens and humans) principally the freedom of a wealthy consumer? Or perhaps the freedom of disproportionate power in society. In another sense, even capitalists are not free under capitalism. However, they lack the necessary class interests to be a historical force capable of changing that situation.
Another quick footnote: I suspect the most important contradictions of class position for tech workers are (a) created by payment in equity/stock, and (b) created by the potential to become founders thanks to venture capital. Maybe these dynamics or potentialities (rather than simply static class positions) might be useful for your analysis.