Loyalty in the tech industry has significantly eroded, as evidenced by the recent wave of high-profile departures and acquisitions. The author illustrates this shift through personal anecdotes and industry examples. For instance, after joining an AI startup with high hopes, many employees faced disillusionment when the CEO announced a move to Microsoft, leaving them behind. The article highlights a pattern where tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are circumventing traditional acquisitions by licensing technology and poaching talent, effectively abandoning the original teams that built these innovations. The author points out that this lack of loyalty extends to founders, with examples of co-founders returning to previous companies and CEOs leaving for competitors. This trend raises questions about commitment to employees and investors who took risks early on. The author reflects on a time when being backed by venture capital meant having a loyal partner, contrasting it with today’s environment where VCs fund multiple companies in the same category, treating them as interchangeable bets rather than fostering genuine partnerships. Despite this bleak landscape, the author believes there are still founders who value loyalty and the unspoken oath to their teams. He emphasizes the importance of finding these “missionaries” over “mercenaries” in the current climate. Entrepreneurs need to scrutinize their venture capitalists, asking about their investments in similar companies and the fate of employees at previous ventures. The message is clear: while the oath of loyalty may be gone, recognizing and supporting those who still uphold it is more critical than ever.