Rethinking How Startups Can Change The World at Scale

Jasmin Assulin
CEO and Co-founder, deidei

The world needs an inclusion metamorphosis.

Slush believes that entrepreneurship is the most efficient way to change the world at scale. To do that, we need companies to be built by a diverse set of individuals. After all, people solve problems they themselves face – and each one of us has the potential to transform the future as we know it. But are we using all of our problem-solving potential? Are we including everyone needed at the table?

Here’s how you can set up the foundations for inclusion development and scale it into the core of your company.

Over the years, we’ve seen that the startup and tech ecosystem has significant room for improvement when it comes to inclusion and diversity. While discussions around DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) have gained more attention than ever, progress remains stagnant — or worse, regressive. Let’s take a closer look through a few examples:

• In 2022, 87% of all VC funding in Europe is still raised by men-only founding teams, 1% of all funding raised by women-only teams, and 1.4% of European unicorns are made up of entirely minority ethnic entrepreneurs. (State Of European Tech 2022)
• In 2024 all-women teams raised 4.9% of pre-seed funding, but their share continued to decline at later stages, receiving just 1.7% of funding at Series B and beyond. In addition, the overall pool of European tech workers has grown, yet the gender split remains the same. Today, women account for 34% of tech talent in Europe, down from 35% in 2015(State of European Tech 2024)
• In 2021, 38% of women and 56% of ethnic minority respondents experienced discrimination while working in European tech (State of European Tech 2021)
• In 2020, 77% of Black/African/Caribbean respondents didn’t  feel that the European tech ecosystem provides equal opportunities for all in (State of European Tech 2020)
• In 2022, women made up 15% of venture capital general partners in the EU (European Women in VC report 2022)
• Young, international, and LGBTQ+ groups report more negative experiences in the Finnish startup ecosystem (Experiences of inappropriate behaviour and practices in the Finnish startup industry 2024) 

While there are no easy fixes to complex, structural problems, the startup and tech ecosystem has the power to bring hope back. 

Metamorphosis refers to a significant, transformative change in a company’s structure, culture, strategy, or operations. It’s a shift that goes beyond incremental improvements, fundamentally altering how the ecosystem and its companies operate, adapt to market conditions, or position themselves for the future.

Inclusion plays an important role in all of this. Inclusion metamorphosis is not just about performative surface-level changes. It’s a deep, ongoing commitment to both personal and organizational growth that challenges biases, redefines norms, and actively works to eliminate barriers to enable equal opportunities and outcomes. 

Inclusion metamorphosis is key in getting thrilled about the future again. We need that to be able to see more founders and builders from diverse backgrounds developing world-changing ideas that can change the world at scale. To get there, we need to rethink how to set up and scale inclusion development within startups and across the entire ecosystem.

Embedding inclusion into the fabric of a startup can set forerunners apart from the rest. Forward-thinking companies don’t merely view DEI as a compliance measure or a box-ticking exercise. Instead, they recognize it as a driver of growth, success, and long-term sustainability – a part of everyday organizational development that benefits both people and businesses.

Every startup operates within its own unique context and has specific needs. However, there are proven best practices for establishing strong foundations for inclusion development that can be adapted to various operating environments.

DEI is a complex area of social sustainability, requiring additional expertise and support to ensure it is implemented and operationalized in practice, not just in theory. Companies that have set up a solid foundation for inclusion development usually have these things in place:

1. Grasp of Company’s Maturity.

One important aspect is to understand your current maturity stage. For example – is your startup only focused on hygiene-level mandatory compliance? Is DEI on the agenda of the company, but actions reactive and without a connection to the core business strategy? Are you already doing proactive, strategic inclusion development? Or do you already have all the strategic foundations in place, and can focus on scaling inclusion development? While there are different frameworks for organizations’ DEI maturity, here is one you can benchmark.

2. Leadership Buy-in.

DEI is often outsourced to people operations or voluntary employees. However, this includes a risk of DEI staying in isolated pockets of the company. Leadership buy-in and commitment are crucial for successful inclusion development. To build buy-in, make sure your leadership understands DEI’s connection to your core business.

3. Connection to Core Business Strategy.

Treating DEI as a standalone initiative rarely delivers meaningful outcomes. Companies that connect DEI to their ‘why’ and core strategy discover the value it can bring to their business. This alignment also provides the clarity and focus needed to drive effective inclusion development.

4. Data-Based Understanding About the Current State.

DEI goals and actions cannot be sustainable if they are based on assumptions. Companies need to understand the experiences of diverse demographic groups and identify patterns that enable or hinder inclusion and equity. However, due to restrictions on collecting special category diversity data internally, organizations often need a third-party partner to assess their current DEI state comprehensively.

5. Measurable Goals.

Setting DEI goals may seem simple, but it often requires expertise in DEI theory, practical skills in operational inclusion development, and the use of effective goal-setting frameworks and strategies. Once you set DEI goals, treat them with the same importance as any other strategic business goals.

6. Assigned Responsibility and Resources.

A common pitfall in inclusion development is assuming it will happen organically. Even without a Head of DEI, startups need someone assigned to oversee DEI with realistic resources. While one person can’t integrate DEI across the company alone, they can lead and enable others to embed it within their areas of ownership.

Establishing these foundations doesn’t mean other actions can’t occur simultaneously or deliver quick wins. If you’ve already laid some of these foundations, here are a few additional tips for scaling inclusion across your operations: 

1. Incorporate DEI into Compliance in a Meaningful Way.

New regulations and directives such as CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) are pushing companies to address different kinds of metrics and reporting for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Identify the connections between DEI and CSRD, and leverage compliance to strengthen leadership buy-in and enable the resources needed for inclusion development.

2. Embed Inclusion into both Talent Acquisition & Talent Development. 

While there are many best practices for developing more inclusive talent acquisition, there is less emphasis on developing more equitable talent development practices. Find the right actions and metrics based on your company’s unique needs.

3. Include DEI Metrics into Recurring Metrics.

When you are dealing with any kind of people or performance data e.g. through a pulse survey, an employee engagement survey, or 360 performance reviews, include key DEI metrics that derive from your strategy to track your progress over time.

4. Build Inclusion Competencies in Product Teams.

To build world-changing products, we need more inclusive product development throughout the product lifecycle. To achieve this, product teams must build strong inclusion competencies in both internal collaboration and external deliverables. This includes applying accessibility and inclusive design principles to create better products that serve the full diversity of end users

5. Leverage Generative AI, But Be Critical of Bias.

Generative AI is revolutionizing industries and the way we work, but it’s not immune to bias in areas such as language, applicant tracking, image generation, and empirical data. While AI can streamline processes to support inclusion development, it’s essential to critically examine and address the biases it may perpetuate.

6. Scale Inclusion Learning & Development.

Cookie-cutter DEI training sessions aren’t effective. Startups need scalable foundational DEI learning to establish a common baseline within the company. This can be efficiently achieved e.g. through a combination of high-quality eLearning and reflective in-person roundtable discussions. Beyond basics, DEI learning & development should always be tailored to specific target audiences (e.g., inclusive leadership, product development, recruitment, marketing) to help everyone develop the competencies needed to apply DEI to their core jobs.

7. Global <3 Local.

Drive inclusion development with a unified global strategy, while adapting it to local needs through local goals and actions. Local representatives or teams can help implement DEI operations tailored to local needs.

The ultimate goal is to integrate inclusion into the very core of startups’ operations, creating real-life change in addressing the systemic challenges we face. Achieving this goal requires us to set up, operationalize, and scale inclusion development within startups in a way that can create a metamorphosis in the broader ecosystem. 

Inclusion metamorphosis is key to getting thrilled about the future again. 

In a world full of uncertainties and challenges, we need hope and excitement more than ever. To find solutions to our global and local challenges, we need founders and builders from all walks of life. 

So here’s to a glimpse of hope: this year’s State of European Tech study found that founders with over ten years’ experience say they have seen progress in diversity and inclusion over the past decade – a statement with which participants from underrepresented groups also agreed. In addition, 70% of unicorns nowadays have “underdog founders” such as immigrants, women, and people of color in their teams.  

This all ties back to why my co-founders and I started our company, deidei. We started deidei, because ultimately we want to see a world where our DEI services are no longer needed.

Let’s make that happen.

Jasmin Assulin
CEO & Co-founder, deidei

deidei is a Nordic-based DEI consultancy helping organizations kick-off, operationalize and scale DEI development through data, strategy, learning & development, change facilitation and communications. Read more about deidei’s services from here and reach out [email protected] if you need support with your DEI development.