Growth-hacking was the entrepreneurial mantra of the early 21st century, and it has led to the creation of tech giants and entirely new business sectors. At that time, growth rates were at the heart of most venture capital conversations.

Fortunately, times have changed and the era of ‘move fast and break things’ is over. Customers prefer companies that address economic, social, and environmental issues, knowing that the technologies of tomorrow will deeply impact our lives. Tech start-ups cannot ignore the societal impacts of their innovations anymore.

In addition, VCs are sensitive not only to market size and product viability, but also to the unintended consequences of new businesses, and even more to understand whether founders demonstrate awareness on this issue.

The best leaders of tomorrow will be aware and the technology of the potential impacts of their startups and plan for them from day one. If founders aspire to create a truly transformative tech company, they should articulate a value framework orientated toward societal impact, not just financial achievements.

Looking at the visionary companies across various industries that had endured for a long time, we see that they have demonstrated a deep commitment to a core set of values that provided them with a sense of purpose and a clear understanding of the role they played in the broader business ecosystem and in society.

Certainly, all accepted profitability as the core of sustainability, but that was not what motivated or guided them in their evolution. The best businesses are intrinsically aligned with the long-term interests of society.

Very few early-stage companies think critically about the strategic principles needed to survive. Few companies from the tech boom of the mid-2000s had the foresight to prepare their pace in anticipation of the long journey that lay ahead.

Start-ups must embrace long-term adaptable strategies. Founders with long-term vision will recognise that they need to make transitions beyond a highly successful first act. What was once novel becomes a commodity over time. Successful companies anticipate that they will go through maturation cycles that require a systemic transition.

In the early stages, most of the key decisions are made by a small group of individuals who have the will and drive to steer the company. However, while a good founding team can create a great company, an enduring company requires a system of leadership that must be implemented very early in its history. It enables the delegation and distribution of decision-making throughout the organisation.

A key transition point for founders comes when they can build a strong team that runs itself, freeing them up to focus on making sure that the culture, mission, and values are in the spirit of the growing organisation.

The sooner founders implement a leadership system, the sooner they can empower all others at every level of the company.

By thinking about sustainability in the long run, developing clarity about the value they create for society, and implementing an adequate system of leadership as elements of their strategy, the current generation of high-growth companies could create unique competitive advantages, leveraging the adaptive capacity that will enable them to transition as markets evolve, and allowing them to build superior products and services while creating value for themselves and the society.