Have you actually worked for google? Where do you get your information? Not everyone works 80 hours a week there, and plenty of smart people have walked through its halls, left to do their own thing, and sometimes even came back after their company was acquired. It's not a dead end, like you seem to suggest.

Also, are you familiar with the term, "the sum is greater than the parts?" Pooling resources and talent is often more effective than trying to do everything on your own.