Startup founders are staying active, but burnout remains widespread: Survey

Earlier this week, over 150 founders, investors, and startup leaders gathered at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru’s Yelahanka, swapping boardrooms for badminton courts. It was the eighth edition of the Bertelsmann Badminton Championship (BBC), organised by venture capital firm Bertelsmann India Investments (BII).

Executives from Accel, Blume Ventures, Innoven Capital, Titan Capital, Aavishkaar Capital, Ascent Capital, Stellaris, and Cactus Partners, alongside founders from startups such as Univest, Handpickd, Fairdeal, Inito, and CureBay, came together for one consistent goal: “Rally For Health”.

Every year, the venture capital firm organises the championship around the same theme. The reason?

“As the startup ecosystem has evolved, we’re also entering what is effectively our second decade as a venture capital industry,” said Pankaj Makkar, Managing Director, Bertelsmann India Investments. “Building companies and investing in them is an intense rat race. People often neglect their own health while focusing on creating businesses.”

Makkar believes that while India’s startup ecosystem has produced unicorns and too many IPO-bound startups over the past two decades, the personal cost of building them often goes unnoticed.

“That’s why, over the last year or so, we’ve been focusing on “Rally for Health.” It isn’t a one-year campaign for us. It’s something we want founders and investors to embrace as a lifelong mindset,” he adds.

He says, the goal is for the startup ecosystem to thrive for the next 50, 60, or even 100 years, and that requires the people building it to remain healthy for the long term.

Beyond networking

Makkar says there are primarily three kinds of people who come to the event every year.

The first are loyalists—they love the format and return every year.

The second are people who genuinely care about fitness, whether they win or lose doesn’t matter. The concept itself appeals to them.

The third group consists of people who simply want to try something new. They come thinking, “Let’s see what this is all about,” he says.

But beyond the 80 to 100 people who participate, what really matters is the awareness the event creates, says Makkar.

“It’s about reaching hundreds of thousands of people and nudging even a small percentage toward healthier habits,” he adds.

“I'm not asking people to completely transform their lifestyles overnight. But even small behavioural changes matter. I’m also seeing much greater awareness around health among startup founders today. It has become far more top of mind than it was earlier.”

The yearly event is designed to encourage founders and ecosystem builders to prioritise their health over the long run.

As part of that effort, the firm also introduced the inaugural BII Founder Wellness Survey to understand how founders, investors, and other startup ecosystem participants manage their physical and mental well-being while building and supporting businesses.

A pulse check

Alongside the championship, which featured 87 teams, Bertelsmann India Investments tried to understand the health habits of the people building these startups.

To find that out, the firm conducted its inaugural Founder Wellness Survey during the event, gathering responses from 50 founders, investors, and startup ecosystem participants.

Nearly 88% of respondents said they work at least 50 hours a week, while 78% agreed, or somewhat agreed, that long working hours are necessary to build a successful company.

The findings also point towards growing pressure on recovery, with more than two in five respondents (41%) reporting sleeping five to six hours or less each night, while 71% said they experience burnout at least a few times every year.

At the same time, the survey revealed some interesting trends.

Around 68% of respondents said they spend at least 30 minutes on physical activity every day, showing many are making a conscious effort to stay fit despite demanding schedules.

But only 22% said physical fitness is formally built into their company culture, suggesting that wellness continues to be managed primarily at an individual level.

“The Bertelsmann Badminton Championship is a valuable reminder that building enduring companies also requires founders and investors to make time for their own health and well-being,” said Abhishek Mittal, Partner at Aavishkaar Capital.

“The event created a rare space for the ecosystem to step away from everyday business pressures, connect through sport and strengthen relationships in an informal and energising environment. Initiatives such as ‘Rally for Health’ can play an important role in making wellness a more consistent part of the entrepreneurial journey,” he added.

The findings echo the message behind BII’s ‘Rally for Health’ campaign: while many founders and investors are making conscious efforts to stay active, building enduring companies will require the startup ecosystem to move beyond individual discipline and create stronger organisational support for fitness and long-term wellbeing.

As conversations around founder and investor well-being wrapped up, the championship concluded on a competitive note, with Varun Agarwal and Sanatha Kumar of Stride Ventures emerging as the winners. Sameer Mansukhani of Innoven Capital finished as runner-up.

(The copy has been updated)