In his latest book, "Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great," Eric Ries examines why companies often lose their core mission as they scale. Ries, known for his influential work "The Lean Startup," argues that financial pressures, termed "financial gravity," gradually pull organizations away from their founding values. This pressure is particularly acute in sectors like fintech and AI, where rapid growth and investor expectations can lead to compromises that alter a company's original mission. Ries highlights the importance of maintaining mission integrity, citing examples like Cloudflare, which stayed true to its mission by prioritizing an encrypted internet over short-term profits. He suggests that companies should embed mission protection into their structure to withstand external pressures. As AI and crypto industries continue to evolve, Ries's insights underscore the need for companies to balance growth with adherence to their foundational values.