Current undergrad and grad-level work in CS is somewhere between useless and really useless. I would say the MS means nothing in your situation, plus or minus.
If the seasoned guy is seasoned in current tech, and by startup you're talking about like a 20-person deal, then it might be worth a shot.
BUT...
If by startup, you mean folding tables for desks, everybody crammed in one room, 5 employees, then no, not the senior guy. He can't hang in that scene.
You want someone who currently writes code (code code, not someone who says they know Wordpress or CSS). Find someone who can admin a server, who contributes to GitHub, someone who gets shit done. The management piece can come later. The person you need in a 5-person startup is different from who you need at 15 or 20.
If the seasoned guy is seasoned in current tech, and by startup you're talking about like a 20-person deal, then it might be worth a shot.
BUT...
If by startup, you mean folding tables for desks, everybody crammed in one room, 5 employees, then no, not the senior guy. He can't hang in that scene.
You want someone who currently writes code (code code, not someone who says they know Wordpress or CSS). Find someone who can admin a server, who contributes to GitHub, someone who gets shit done. The management piece can come later. The person you need in a 5-person startup is different from who you need at 15 or 20.