mat = nan(10, 5);
start_rows = [3,5,1,7,2];

% How to avoid that loop
for idx = 1 : numel(start_rows)
    mat(start_rows(idx):end, idx) = 1;
end

(1:size(mat,1)).'+ mat >= start_rows;

(1:size(mat,1)).'+ 0*mat >= start_rows;             % option 1
(1:size(mat,1)).'+ zeros(size(mat)) >= start_rows;  % option 2