‘Hardest thing I’ve ever done’: the unseen toll and driving force behind Europe’s tech founders

A survey of over 120 founders in Antler’s European portfolio shared insights into what it really takes to be a tech founder, with 72 per cent saying it was easily the hardest thing they have ever done. 

A March 2025, a survey of 128 founders building tech startups from pre-seed to Series A stages across the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland revealed they are routinely working 80 hour weeks and they sacrifice salary and work-life balance to have a chance of success, according to a new study conducted by Antler, the most active early-stage VC firm in the world. 

Goodbye work-life balance 

The notion that European startups have a better work life balance compared to their North American counterparts is under question. 

Respondents’ biggest sacrifices include managing a work-life balance that allows for time with their families (61 per cent) and salary reductions (36 per cent). 

75 per cent of the founders involved in the study reported working 60+ hours a week, with 19 per cent routinely clocking more than 80 hours a week. 

German founders lead Europe in long work hours

German founders work the hardest in Europe, with 94 per cent working more than 60 hours a week, and 38 per cent working more than 80 hours. They are closely followed by Swedish founders, where 80 per cent of founders do more than 60 hours, and a third (33 per cent) do more than 80 hours. 

Whilst 77 per cent of founders in the UK clock more than 60 hours, only 10 per cent do more than 80 hours - the lowest in all of Europe. 

What keeps founders up at night? 

According to survey respondents, their biggest concerns are:

• Not executing quickly enough (40 per cent).
• Not attracting and retaining customers (24 per cent) 
• Financial runway (18 per cent).

In fact, 62 per cent of founders said their families had expressed concern and confusion about their decision to leave successful careers to build their own companies. 

Mira Gleisbery, co-founder of RespIQ spoke about the isolation of being a founder: 

"You carry the weight of decisions that impact not only your business but also your team and partners.

 I’ve sacrificed mental peace, time away from my family and friends, sleepless nights worrying about cash flow, and the constant pressure to deliver and I have even sacrificed my health at times

This forced me to reevaluate how I approach work and self-care which is now much more balanced."

Fortunately startups love what they do

However, despite these challenges and the impact on their lives, a staggering 98 per cent of founders said they love doing what they do and felt rewarded by their career choice. 

Giving an insight into the ‘outlier mindset’ required to build category-defining tech companies, only 4 per cent of founders said they were motivated by financial reward. Instead, creating real innovation (27 per cent), having a positive impact on the world (22 per cent) and proving they can do something challenging (19 per cent) were the biggest drivers and motivators for European founders. 

Georgina Robinson, co-founder of Gladys shared the challen get of stepping away from a career with established milestones, status, and financial security was a tough decision.

"My family, particularly my parents, initially thought it was a terrible decision to leave a stable and reputable career. And yes, there have been moments of doubt.

But the beauty of the journey is that eventually, people start to see the vision and believe in it when they see it come to fruition. Those challenges and sacrifices are all part of what makes the journey rewarding. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow, and it’s been amazing to see everything fall into place."

Daria Stepanova, co-founder of AIRMO shared that “the sense that what we’re building matters” is what drives the company.

“That if we get this right — if we can truly make methane emissions visible and actionable — we move the needle on climate in a real, measurable way. That’s what gets me up. “

Teo Ortega, co-founder of Family.cards stresses: 

"We’re building technology for people who have been left behind — especially the elderly, who can’t use smartphones or computers.

What drives me is knowing we’re helping them access services that improve their lives: staying connected with family, reducing loneliness, accessing healthcare, and feeling part of the digital world. Our mission isn’t just a statement — it’s visible in every person we help."

Whereas in the US, tech founders are celebrated in Hollywood films and, rightly or wrongly, invited into the White House, in Europe 73 per cent of founders said they didn’t feel like their dedication or commitment received the recognition it deserved. 

Danyal Oezdeuzenciler, co-founder of Capsa AI notes:

“People often see the headlines but not the sleepless nights or personal risks behind them. Founders pour so much into an idea—financially, emotionally, mentally—and the resilience it takes is pretty extraordinary. 

I’ve realised that ignoring burnout doesn’t make you tougher—it just makes you less effective. Setting real boundaries, staying active, and talking with mentors or peers who’ve walked this path has been crucial for keeping my energy and perspective in check.”

Stepanova asserts:

“It's not about applause — it's about support. Founders take on immense responsibility and risk to build something that didn’t exist before. In countries like Germany, for example, there are far fewer benefits of being founders than for the rest of people, even though the demands are often greater.

What would help isn’t more recognition, but more practical systems that reflect the reality and contribution of building a company from the ground up.”

The survey comes at an interesting time, as more and more investment firms are recognising the importance of mental health in startup founders.  Mental health-focused venture capital impact fund Masawa stands out for its efforts to support founders in building healthy organisations by utilising a "Nurture Capital" approach, designed to minimise human capital risk by strengthening leadership effectiveness, team resilience, and social impact.

Further, last year, Cherry Ventures made coaching a core part of its investment approach by launching Copilot—a new program that requires newly-backed founders and key team members to work with an executive coach.

Alan Poensgen, Partner at Antler, comments, 

“In Europe, you are more likely to be an Olympic medalist than the founder of a unicorn company. 

Whilst both require similar levels of ambition, resilience and endurance, founders don’t get the same level of recognition. Olympic gold medal winners aren’t asked about their work-life balance when they step down from the podium. Yet we expect founders to have "normal" lives while they’re trying to achieve something extraordinary.

It’s time to change perceptions about what it really takes to be a founder, and give these outliers the recognition they deserve. A new generation of founders is emerging who have the potential to do just that.”