Key Lessons From Scaling a Startup During Hypergrowth

Scaling a startup during hypergrowth requires adaptable operations, user-driven decision-making, controlled speed, resilience to external shocks, and strong founder endurance as business, markets, and personal stakes evolve rapidly.

Cityscoot: A Hypergrowth Journey

Cityscoot was one of the world’s pioneers in free-floating electric scooters. Founded in 2013 and launched in 2016 by Bertrand Fleurose, the company experienced rapid expansion before encountering a series of structural and external shocks.

Drawing from this journey, Bertrand shares key lessons relevant to any founder navigating hypergrowth.

Adaptability Is Critical During Hypergrowth

Product excellence alone is not sufficient when scaling a company rapidly. During hypergrowth, operating models must remain flexible.

Organizations must be able to adjust:

• Cost structures
• Team organization
• Operational processes

When market conditions change abruptly, rigidity becomes a liability.

Real Usage Must Prevail Over Initial Vision

One of the strongest lessons from Cityscoot’s experience is that real-world usage matters more than the original plan.

The most resilient business models are those that evolve continuously based on how users actually behave, rather than clinging to an initial vision that no longer fits reality.

Controlling Speed During the Scale-Up Phase

Speed is a powerful competitive advantage, but it must be managed carefully.

During hypergrowth:

• Expansion must remain deliberate
• Financial commitments should preserve optionality

Overly rigid long-term commitments can quickly turn growth into a breaking point when conditions shift.

Founder Resilience Is Part of the Business Model

Entrepreneurship is not only strategic and operational, it is deeply human.

Leaving one’s company, attempting to regain control, and mobilizing an ecosystem around survival and recovery require emotional endurance. Founder resilience is inseparable from the entrepreneurial journey.