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| Getty images; Tyler Le |
Across San Francisco’s startup scene, a quiet cultural shift is underway. Many young founders in their 20s are turning away from alcohol entirely, or cutting back drastically, in favor of a lifestyle they describe as healthier, sharper, and more aligned with the relentless pace of building a company. For them, social drinking is giving way to sparkling water and early bedtimes all in service of what they call “lock-in” mode.
When Jackson Stokes, 26, cofounder of TrainLoop, attended a recent dinner with other tech founders, most at the table nursed a single drink for the entire evening. When a friend unexpectedly ordered a round of shots, the mood shifted.
“I don’t think it was received very well,” Stokes recalled. “It was a Friday night, but this wasn’t the kind of night we wanted. At this stage, we want to wake up early, clear-headed, and ready to work the next morning.”
This mindset mirrors a larger national pattern. According to Bank of America analysts, alcohol consumption in the United States is projected to fall 1% year-over-year in 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year of decline. Young adults are leading this trend: Gallup reported in 2023 that only 62% of Americans under 35 drink, down from 72% two decades ago.
In Silicon Valley, the drop in drinking seems amplified by the region’s famously intense startup culture. Long hours and high-pressure schedules leave little space for hangovers, and the influence of health-focused figures like longevity entrepreneur Bryan Johnson and neuroscientist Andrew Huberman is steering many founders toward cutting out vices altogether.
In conversations with nine founders, almost all said they had either quit alcohol or reduced it to rare, intentional moments perhaps a single drink at a monthly networking event or a casual sip in another city. Several admitted they might indulge when visiting New York, but in San Francisco, sobriety was the default.
This doesn’t mean no founders in the Valley drink regularly, but among certain circles, abstaining has become a badge of seriousness a signal of dedication to the grind.
Chris Pisarski, cofounder of Crustdata and part of Y Combinator’s Fall 2024 batch, noticed it immediately at accelerator events.
“There’s always the option to drink, but the bar is usually empty,” he said. “It surprised me at first.”
Pisarski, who says he has one glass of wine a month, is not fully sober but keeps alcohol rare. This “sober-ish” approach was common in the group minimal consumption, always weighed against the need to stay focused.
Several founders described the culture in terms of “locking in.” Boris Skurikhin, cofounder of Docket and also a YC alum, said younger peers often made an explicit pact to avoid any social activity that might distract from work.
“It’s about dedicating yourself to long hours and giving up anything that pulls you away from that,” Skurikhin said. “Some went fully sober for months just to keep their momentum.”
For some, this approach is as much about branding as it is about health. Miranda Nover, cofounder of Fort, noted that in competitive sectors like AI or B2B SaaS, abstaining can project an image of relentless discipline.
“You were showing that you’re in the office six days a week until 9 p.m., no drinking, no partying just work,” Nover said. She believes the tide may shift as the importance of founder visibility and consumer connection grows, but for now, the “no alcohol” signal still resonates.
Cyril Gorlla, cofounder of CTGT, takes an even harder stance, calling alcohol “poison” and treating his body “like a temple.” Working 80- to 90-hour weeks, he says, leaves no room for anything that dulls his edge.
This health-driven mindset runs deep. Founders talked about their supplement regimens, displayed data from their Oura sleep rings, and cited Bryan Johnson’s decision to quit even a daily three-ounce glass of wine not for moral reasons, but because it contained 71 calories.
Kieran White, cofounder of Curo, has been sober since before he launched his company. He likens the role of a founder to that of a professional athlete.
“You always have to perform at your best,” White said.
His cofounder, Andrew Porter, still enjoys an occasional IPA, but only in specific contexts VC mixers, investor dinners, and never on a whim.
“I’m in grind mode right now,” Porter said.
Geography plays its role too. California’s health-conscious culture, especially in cities like San Francisco, sets a different tone than nightlife-heavy hubs like New York or London. Porter admits he drinks more on trips to New York. White said the drinking culture in his native UK is far more social and ingrained. Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, CEO of Artisan, abstains entirely while in the Valley.
The result is a far cry from the early Facebook-era image of Silicon Valley as a playground for wild, after-hours parties. Today’s young founders are more likely to be found at a house party sipping LaCroix than downing shots.
Chloe Samaha, cofounder of Bond, said she still attends these gatherings, but the drink of choice for many is sparkling water.
Gorlla compares this evolution to the intellectual salons of the Prohibition era in the 1920s.
“It’s like a meeting of the minds,” he said. “A lot gets done in these spaces. I’ve met people at sober parties who later became part of my team.”
In the Valley of 2025, the message is clear: the startup grind demands clarity, stamina, and self-discipline and for many of its rising stars, that starts with saying no to the drink.
