Scaling a startup is about much more than increasing headcount or chasing revenue. It’s about evolution — transforming a fast-moving, innovation-driven team into a structured, scalable, and market-leading organization. The transition from startup to scale-up is where many companies falter. More often than not, it’s not due to lack of technology or funding — but because of gaps in leadership and execution.
At VueReal, our journey toward becoming a scale-up company began a couple of years ago, driven by our breakthrough MicroSolid Printing™ technology. To scale effectively, we needed to build more than just great tech — we had to build the right leadership foundation. Here’s what we’ve learned about shaping a leadership team capable of driving rapid and sustainable growth.
From Alley Soccer to the Premier League
The difference between a startup team and a scale-up team is like the contrast between a group of friends playing soccer in an alley and a professional major league organization. In the early days, everyone pitches in wherever needed. But as a company grows, specialized roles and structured leadership become essential for success.
Successfully navigating this shift means identifying leadership gaps early, transitioning responsibilities clearly, and empowering the right people with ownership — all without losing the agility that made the startup successful.
Identify Leadership Gaps Before They Become Bottlenecks
The needs of a prototype-stage company are vastly different from those of a business entering commercialization. Waiting until problems arise is risky. Strategic foresight is key — proactively identifying the leadership roles and competencies required for scale.
This starts with being honest about your own strengths and the role you truly want to play in the future. From there, define what success looks like over the next three years and map the skills and leadership you’ll need to get there. Aligning personal clarity with company goals is a foundational step.
VueReal’s Blueprint for Scale
For VueReal, our scale-up goals were clear:
- Support our customers as they transitioned to production.
- Establish MicroSolid Printing™ as the global industry standard.
To achieve this, we identified four critical leadership roles:
- VP of Engineering – Lead product development, customer support, and quality assurance.
- VP of Semiconductor Engineering – Scale MicroSolid Printing production, develop products, and push next-gen technology forward.
- Chief Commercial Officer – Lead go-to-market efforts and engage key customers to drive adoption.
- VP of Operations – Build the infrastructure, supply chain, and operations needed for global expansion.
These roles weren’t arbitrary — they were defined based on our strategic priorities and the complexity of scaling in deep tech.
What Great Leadership Hires Look Like
Hiring at the scale-up stage isn’t about filling seats — it’s about finding leaders with the rare combination of industry expertise and startup agility. Ideal candidates bring:
- A proven track record of scaling operations in fast-paced environments
- Deep industry knowledge and strong networks
- The ability to thrive in ambiguity and make fast, data-informed decisions
- A long-term, visionary mindset aligned with the company’s future
For example, a VP of Engineering at this stage isn’t just a technical leader — they’re also building an engineering organization, integrating cross-functional teams, and driving product innovation aligned with market needs.
Beyond Experience: Vision and Cultural Fit
Experience alone isn’t enough. Leaders must align with the company’s mission and thrive in its culture. At VueReal, we’re not just improving existing tech — we’re redefining industries like automotive, lighting, and consumer electronics. Our leaders must understand this vision and be excited to lead through transformation.
Take the Chief Commercial Officer role, for instance. It’s not just about sales — it’s about translating complex, cutting-edge innovations into compelling value propositions for global customers and partners.
Timing Matters: Hire with Strategic Intent
Timing is just as important as the hire itself. Bringing leaders in too early can lead to misalignment. Waiting too long can create scale bottlenecks. The ideal time is when:
- Product-market fit is clear and market demand is growing
- The company has secured enough capital to support top-tier talent
- The founding team is nearing its bandwidth limits for managing growth
This inflection point often comes around a Series B or C funding stage — when execution becomes just as important as innovation.
Cross-Functional Synergy is Non-Negotiable
True scale isn’t achieved through isolated brilliance, but through strong cross-functional collaboration. The best leaders don’t operate in silos — they integrate and align across teams. At VueReal, for example, our VP of Semiconductor Engineering and VP of Engineering work hand-in-hand to move our MicroSolid Printing platform from research to scalable production.
Alignment across engineering, operations, and commercial strategy ensures that:
- Product innovations are manufacturable and aligned with market needs
- Commercial strategies reflect technological capabilities
- Operational systems scale alongside the tech
Empower Leaders to Lead
Once the right people are in place, empower them. That means:
- Setting clear strategic goals tied to the company’s vision
- Defining ambitious but achievable KPIs
- Creating a culture of accountability, trust, and ownership
When leaders are empowered, aligned, and supported, they can execute with confidence and drive real results.
Scaling With Intent
The startup-to-scale-up transition is one of the most critical phases in a company’s journey. It’s where ideas become reality — and where leadership defines success.
By building a leadership team with the right mix of experience, adaptability, and alignment, and by fostering a culture of collaboration and ownership, startups can scale with purpose — not just speed.
At VueReal, we’re embracing this phase with intentionality, innovation, and a clear blueprint for growth. As the tech landscape evolves faster than ever, the companies that succeed will be the ones that approach leadership with as much strategy and innovation as they do product development.
Reza Chaji is Founder and CEO at VueReal of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The company was founded in 2016 and now has 70 employees with Series C funding currently at $41.5 million. VueReal created the MicroSolid Printing platform for creating microLED displays and other micro semiconductor devices.