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Harry Stebbings, founder 20VC, says firms of a billion dollars have not been built on five -day working weeks.
20VC
In June, Venture Capitalist Harry Stebbings collided with a waves of the return reaction after calling on European startup founders to increase his working hours – but now he admits that there is a place for the nuance when using his mantra.
Stebbings, founder 20vc, firm that rules $ 650 million, advised the founder on LinkedIn Last month, “7 days a week is a necessary speed to win now” to compete with startups in Silicon Valley and China.
The post became viral, to the surprise of the Stebbing and caused a discussion on whether the hard “working culture in China” is needed – this means that in Europe it is necessary to work from 9am to 9pm six days a week.
The conversation is introduced into a persistent stereotype that is in Europe and the startup scene retractable Behind the US and China, which have produced technological giants Trillion and are known for implementing long working hours.
The United States lives the world’s largest technology firms such as Meta, Google, Amazon and Apple. China, meanwhile, houses such as Baida, Alibaba and the Tent.
“If you want to become a $ 10 billion company in Europe, competing against them (Silicon Valley and China), you can’t do it on Monday to nine-five.”
Harry Stebbings
Founder 20vc
Seven founders and vcs Share why they resist 996 with CNBC to do it at the time.
“What really needs Europe is no more fuss, it is more aggressive funding,” said Sarah Werner, co-founder Husmus.
Speaking in front of CNBC to do this about the fall, Stebbings said he was not ready for the critic he received and that his original post was not extended to the vast majority of people who responded.
“I think that’s all that is wrong with Europe, it’s a reaction,” Stebbings said. “We are fighting against the companies built in the silicone valley, and the speed and ability to move quickly, really determines success, especially in the II.”
He added: “If you go to the valley now and when you go to China, they work seven days a week in the fastest-growing companies. That’s so simple. So, if you want to become a $ 10 billion company in Europe, competing against them, you can’t do it at nine to Friday, from Monday.”
“We have to work more than if -no”
Because companies are building more important products, Stebbings said the bar is higher than before.
“We need to work more than if -because we are working on solving more important problems than if you are,” he said.
But European startups are fighting for access to financing in growth. The State of European Equipment Atomico The 2024 report showed that since 2015, the technological startups of Europe missed almost $ 375 billion in growth, with the founders lost potential $ 300 billion in European investments.
“There is a nuance. I’m not saying Miss dinner with friends or family or just sitting at the table all day.”
Harry Stebbings
Founder 20vc
Husmus Werner said the right level of capital is necessary for the implementation of European startups to work intensively without breaking itself. “If a 10 -year team burns out to keep up with the startup ID with 50 US or Chinese government, the problem is not their endurance, it is their cap.”
However, Stebbings pressed this to bad marketing and said that Europeans are not big funds compared to his American counterparts. “I don’t think this is a lack of access to cash, and in terms of working ethics if you think you can create a $ 10 billion business and work five days a week, then I’m sorry to say you are.”
Some founders even “badly” advised to include the roller coaster in their sites, he added. “It makes me feel bad as I plan to divorce when I get married.”
On the contrary, the Americans are much better telling exciting stories when promoting their business. “I think often in the UK we reduce the ambition.”
996 – “ignorant”
Harry Stebbings on the SXSW panel on “Five things I learned to be an entrepreneur” in London on June 03, 2025.
John Philips | Getty Images Entertainment | Gets the image
Ultimately, Stebbings admitted that he was joking with the 996 “marketing facade”, but this is a more nuanced picture than all the time.
“I think this (996) is very ignorant,” he said. “If you don’t let people break up there and workout at the gym, it’s just a moron.”
Stebbings said 100% dedication is important in the first five years – but that does not mean to give up health, health and family.
“There is a nuance.
Stebbing himself tries to spend as much time with her sick mother, which has scattered sclerosis (MS), including walking with her a marathon every Sunday. He jumps just back to work after.
But he admitted it is unrealistic to expect staff to accept the same attitude.
“One of the most difficult things in the company management – you will never find the one who cares about it as much as you founded … I think it is unwise to count that they will work as hard as you are.”
Suranga Chandratillake, General Partner at the Balderton Capital, earlier in June told CNBC that the focus is the “fetishization of overloading, not a reasonable job … This is myth”.
He said: “California tells stories very well and there are many myths around the concept of how startups look.”
Now, Stebbing agrees with this view and has stated that the culture of the bustle is “excessively” in the States.
“When you go to the WEWORK in San Francisco at 19 o’clock, they are not all working as we see in the social media … They say it overly, if it is not at all, but for 0.01% in the valley, and they work more there.”
