While India’s start-up landscape has been bustling, there has been a huge discussion about how the people behind these corporates are collapsing mentally due to the stress and intense pressure. According to industry experts, behind the polished pitch decks and big projections, there lies a worrying trend of small things – a slight tremor in the hand reaching for the coffee cup, dark circles poorly concealed, nervousness while discussing the runway. All this points to a mental health crisis brewing in India’s start-up ecosystem.

“Let us be clear – we have created a pressure cooker. In our race to create the next unicorn, we have normalized a culture that pushes founders and their teams to the brink. I watched brilliant minds collapse under the weight of expectations “, promising enterprises imploded not because of market forces, but because their leaders were running amok,” said Raja Kanwar, Chairman and Managing Director, Apollo International Group, a leader with business operations in green energy, logistics and supply chain. The group, told Times Now.

Empirical data corroborates these observations as approximately 75 percent of Indian entrepreneurs have experienced significant stress. Nearly half of employees at most start-ups feel anxious or depressed and the rate of mental health issues among founders is twice or three times higher than the general population. “These are not just statistics; They are a serious indictment of the ecosystem we have created. “Interestingly, the qualities that make entrepreneurs successful – enthusiasm, passion, willingness to take risks – may also make them more vulnerable to mental health challenges,” Kanwar said.

What causes high stress and burnout among start-up personnel?

Experts believe that most corporate employees don’t understand the difference between healthy ambition and self-destructive behavior – and in the fast-paced startup world, dedication is often celebrated without understanding the real issues the individual is facing. Is celebrated. “The tragic case of the founder of Café Coffee Day in 2019 brought this issue into sharp focus. This was not an isolated incident, but the extreme expression of a broader problem. This forced many in the ecosystem to confront an uncomfortable truth: our definition of success may be fundamentally flawed.

Kanwar said that toxic work culture – equating success with sacrifice – encourages more people to do the same. “As investors, we are part of the problem. We often emphasize excessive growth at the expense of sustainable practices. We approve of founders who mistake self-destruction for dedication and claim 100-hour work weeks. It’s time we recognized that a burnt-out founder is a liability, not an asset,” he said.

Mental health should be a priority

Experts say the best way to solve burnout and mental health issues is to first recognize that there is a problem with the work culture. The glorification of extreme work habits needs to be curbed. Mental health should be viewed as a serious topic and work-life balance should be given high priority.

“Your mental health is not negotiable. It is your most valuable asset. I’ve seen too many talented entrepreneurs ruined because they bought into the myth of the invincible founder. set boundaries. Give priority to sleep. Build a support network. And for the love of all that is sacred, take a vacation once in a while. If you recharge your company will not go broke. For the broader ecosystem: We need to change the narrative,” Kanwar said.

According to Kanwar, you can address mental health issues among your employees in a few ways, including:

• Include mental health resources as part of our support packages for portfolio companies
• Host and organize workshops on stress management and work-life balance
• Reduce mental health stigma
• Promote good mental health practices
• Provide an Employee Assistance Program
• Always ask for help.

Get the latest news live on Times Now with breaking news and top headlines on mental health, wellness and more from around the world.