Venture Capitalists Debate China’s ‘996’ Work Culture

China‘s notorious “996” work culture is being debated by European startups.

Frequently characterized by relentless schedules from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, the 996 model has found support among some venture capitalists, sparking an intense backlash from founders across Europe.

‘996’ Work Culture

Recently, a contentious discussion erupted on LinkedIn, where industry leaders expressed the need for European startups to adopt a more intense work ethic akin to that seen in Silicon Valley and China.

One particularly vocal advocate, Sebastian Becker, a general partner at Switzerland-based VC firm Redalpine, stated, “40 hours a week won’t cut it. In Silicon Valley, 60-70 hour weeks aren’t the exception — they even have a term for it: 996.”

Becker emphasized that unless European startups embrace this level of dedication, they risk falling behind in the global marketplace.

‘996’ Issues Conceptually

Critics are quick to point out the ramifications of fostering such a culture of overwork.

Tech employees in Europe have already been vocal about their desire to reject job offers that align with the 996 mentality, as evidenced by reports from 2021. This has caused many to walk away from positions, fearing a toxic workplace culture reminiscent of TikTok‘s operations in China.

The New Normal?

Martin Mignot, a partner at Index Ventures in London, noted that the 996 culture has “quietly become the norm” within startups worldwide, emphasizing the competitive nature of today’s tech environment. However, not everyone is on board with this philosophy.

Suranga Chandratillake, general partner at Balderton Capital, believes such claims are outdated. “The European tech market and ecosystem is keeping up today with the U.S. and Asia,” Chandratillake asserted, highlighting the rise of decacorns — companies worth over $10 billion, such as Klarna and Revolut — in Europe as proof of the region’s progress.

The pressure to adopt the 996 culture has ignited a wave of backlash within the European tech community.

Founders and venture capitalists alike have rallied to resist the notion that overworking is synonymous with success.

Chandratillake unequivocally addressed the myth: “It’s about a fetishization of overwork rather than smart work. There’s hard work involved, but there are also periods where they don’t work.”

Unintended Consequences

Nina Mohanty, founder of London-based Bloom Money and a Silicon Valley native, pointed to the “lasting effects and unintended consequences” of adopting an aggressive work culture.

She illustrated her point by referencing Revolut, noting how its aggressive culture has led to an alarmingly high employee turnover rate.

“Their culture was actually cited as one of those reasons,” Mohanty noted.

Another voice resisting the 996 mentality is Noa Khamallah, general partner at Don’t Quit Ventures, who has made it clear that these values clash with both European sensibilities and regulations.

“Europe’s most successful companies— from Spotify to SAP to ASML— didn’t achieve dominance through overwork, but through sustainable innovation cultures,” Khamallah explained.

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