Founder Real Talk feat. Dr. Willy Das - Founder Mental Health
✨ Founder Real Talk: Founder Mental Health — featuring Dr. Willy Das
📅 Date & Time
When: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM PT (doors 6:00 / program 6:30)
Location: Plug and Play Tech Center — Sunnyvale, CA
📣 Why this event matters
Founders don’t get a manual for what it feels like to run a startup. Pressure, isolation, burnout, and constant decision-making aren’t just “part of the job” — they quietly erode judgment, creativity, and team health.
This special edition of Founder Real Talk centers the hard but essential conversation about mental health for founders: how to recognize burnout early, how to build personal and organizational resilience, what practical supports actually work, and how the broader ecosystem (co-founders, executives, investors, and boards) can responsibly show up.
This conversation is for anyone who leads, hires, advises, or funds founders and wants concrete, evidence-based strategies to protect wellbeing while scaling responsibly.
🔎 What we’ll dig into
We’ll keep it practical and short on fluff — expect tangible takeaways:
Real signals of founder burnout and decision fatigue (what to look for, and when to act)
Practical coping strategies founders can use immediately (schedules, boundaries, and clinical resources)
Building a culture that normalizes care — how to support founders and teams without stigma
Systems-level practices (investor check-ins, board governance, and mental-health friendly KPIs)
When and how to get clinical help — therapy, coaching, and peer networks that actually move the needle
Tools and frameworks for measuring and improving founder wellbeing over time
This is a “no-BS” conversation with actionable next steps, peer stories, and practical frameworks — plus time to connect with others who care about this problem.
👥 Format
Short, moderated conversation featuring Dr. Willy Das followed by an intimate audience Q&A and networking.
Expect 60–75 minutes of programming + dedicated time afterward for connection.
The room will be intentionally small to keep the conversation candid and useful.
🎤 Featured speakers
Dr. Willy Das, Ph.D. — Senior Research Scientist & Curriculum Innovation Manager, Lehigh West / Lehigh University. Dr. Das researches and mentors at the intersection of entrepreneurship, wellbeing, and leadership — translating academic insights into practical support for founders and innovation communities.
Charlie Olson - is the co-founder and CEO of Pando. Pando was founded after Charlie and his co-founder, Eric Lax, graduated from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business in 2017. Since inception Pando has signed hundreds of professional athletes and entrepreneurs into income pools and has raised $20M+ from top VCs. Charlie is also a Senior Advisor to Wind River Capital, a boutique investment bank specializing in working with venture-backed companies. Prior to his time at the GSB, Charlie worked with Bob Grady at Cheyenne Capital, a private equity firm based out of Jackson, WY. Concurrently, Charlie worked in search fund investing for Professor David Dodson and was a speechwriter and policy analyst for two governors. Charlie also holds two other degrees from Stanford, including a B.A. in International Relations and an M.A. in US History. Charlie was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30.
Stephen Bulfer — CEO & Co-Founder, Titanium Labs | Chief Innovation Officer & Chief Deal Maker, [Stealth Company] | Founding Principal, High Altitude Capital. Stephen is a product-driven entrepreneur and technologist with 25+ years building and scaling tech businesses. He’s CEO and Co-Founder of Titanium Labs, a venture studio/residency that blends entrepreneurship, wellness, and community for founders. He’s also CIO & Chief Deal Maker at a private-equity-backed DevOps platform for Salesforce teams, and invests through High Altitude Capital and Titanium Labs, focusing on real estate, AI, data science, and early-stage ventures. Previously he founded StreamLoan (acquired 2022), led U.S. expansion for PriceHubble, and ran technology and strategy at Deloitte advising Fortune 500 clients. He holds a dual MBA from Columbia and UC Berkeley.
Nina Horne, M.P.P., CMT-P is a science-driven social entrepreneur and mental health innovator dedicated to transforming how care, connection, and emotional well-being are delivered worldwide. As Co-Founder and CPO of Really Global, she leads the creation of a global mental health marketplace designed to bring effective, affordable care to millions through an evidence- based, human-centered model of behavioral change. A long-time meditation teacher with over thirty years of personal practice, Nina bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and entrepreneurship to design systems that cultivate resilience and compassion at scale. She previously founded Samara Family Services, an integrative mental health company serving families navigating complex emotional and behavioral needs, and has advised the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, United Nations, and National Science Foundation on evidence-based policy innovation. Formerly an academic textbook publisher for leading publishing houses, she grounds her work in evidence-based practices and the science of human flourishing. Nina’s career spans two decades of building cross-sector coalitions, shaping national initiatives, and mentoring emerging leaders through the Clinton Foundation and Therapists in Tech. Her work embodies the integration of science, mindfulness, and innovation to make emotional wellness a global public good.
💡 Who should attend
Founders and co-founders navigating growth and personal wellbeing
Early execs and people leaders responsible for culture & retention
Investors, advisors, and board members who want to support sustainable leadership
Founders curious about evidence-backed approaches to resilience, stress management, and long-term performance
🎟 Tickets
$10 Early Bird (limited)
$20 General Admission
$30 Last Call (3 days before)
Snacks, drinks, and a small group networking reception are included.
🧭 Presented by
Sway x Wisdom Partners
🔗 Want to be considered for a brief founder spotlight?
Reply with a 2-line pitch: (1) Company & stage, (2) one mental-health or leadership challenge you want the panel to tackle. We’ll select a few founders for compact live advice.