Indian American tech founder Daksh Gupta faced backlash after a social media post about his startup’s intense work culture went viral. Gupta, the CEO of San Francisco-based AI startup Greptile, shared on X that the company’s typical workdays start at 9 am and end at 11 pm, with employees working Saturdays and sometimes Sundays in a high-stress environment with no work-life balance.
Following the post, which garnered 1.6 million views and over 2,000 likes, Gupta received a mix of positive and negative feedback, with the post sparking discussions on Reddit. When reached out to for comment, Gupta explained that he aimed to be transparent with potential hires about the demanding work environment to avoid hiring individuals seeking work-life balance.
Greptile, which builds codebase AI for software companies, has raised $5.3 million in funding and is backed by prominent investors. Gupta faced criticism, including racial attacks, with some accusing him of exploiting workers based on his Indian heritage. Gupta clarified that his intense work culture stems from his San Francisco upbringing rather than his ethnicity and emphasized that Greptile employees willingly joined the startup for the opportunity to work on a challenging project.
While Gupta acknowledges the intense work culture may not be suitable for everyone, he believes it is necessary for an early-stage startup like Greptile. Despite receiving death threats and job applications in response to the controversy, Gupta remains focused on building a successful technology company and hiring individuals who thrive in high-pressure environments.
Moving forward, Greptile’s goal is to create a product that resonates with customers and surpasses competitors. Gupta’s experience highlights the importance of transparency in recruiting and the challenges of balancing work intensity with employee well-being in the tech industry.
