Having co-founded and built startups in South Africa, Nigeria, Switzerland and Singapore, done business in Silicon Valley and countless  countries, I have decided that what I love most about the tech startup world is its universal language and values, wherever one goes.

Now, as an advisor working with multiple startups and investors mostly across the EMEA region, I am loving that cross-cultural teams are increasingly becoming the norm rather than the exception, facilitated by this universal language.

Startups with diverse, cross-cultural teams often have a competitive edge. According to a McKinsey report, companies with high cultural diversity are 36% more profitable than those with less diversity. Cross-cultural teams can enhance a startup’s problem-solving abilities and creativity. Research has shown that diverse teams often outperform homogeneous ones in terms of innovation and creative output.

The rise of remote work, especially accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has made it easier for startups to build cross-cultural teams by hiring talent from different countries and cultures. Many startups actively seek diverse talent from around the world.

For startups that aim to operate in global markets and attract international talent, cross-cultural teams are becoming more prevalent. As startups grow and expand internationally, they often need to build cross-cultural teams to effectively operate in new markets, even if they didn’t start that way. Team members from various backgrounds can also provide nuanced understanding of local market dynamics.

By language, I don’t just mean the startup jargon such as value prop, scalability, defensibility, competitive advantage and addressable market, but rather a set of values that define the startup culture, which I have tried to list below:

1. Innovation and Creativity: Pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and finding novel solutions to problems
2. Customer Focus: Putting the customer at the centre of everything and prioritising their needs and experiences
3. Agility and Adaptability: The ability to move quickly, pivot when necessary, and respond to change
4. Integrity and Transparency: Emphasising honesty, ethical behaviour, and open communication
5. Growth Mindset: Valuing continuous learning, personal development, and embracing challenges
6. Teamwork and Collaboration: Fostering a culture of cooperation and collective effort
7. Accountability: Taking ownership of decisions, actions, and outcomes is a common value
8. Passion and Commitment: Enthusiasm for the mission and dedication to achieving goals
9. Data-Driven Decision Making: Basing decisions on data rather than gut feelings
10. Sustainability and Social Responsibility: Incorporating values related to environmental and social impact
11. Diversity and Inclusion: Valuing different perspectives and creating an inclusive environment
12.  Risk Taking and Resilience: The willingness to take calculated risks and bounce back from setbacks

It is this truly great culture, and the fact that it is shared universally, that for me, makes the startup world so unique and attractive.