Anima Reviews

If you're considering joining Anima, I strongly recommend reaching out to a former employee to hear about their experience firsthand. At first glance, it’s easy to be impressed by their success story and the image of an "elite" team they promote. However, I urge you to reconsider 10 times before making a decision, as the environment is extremely toxic. The company emphasizes a "family-like" culture, which means blurred boundaries, overworking, and unrealistic expectations. The workload is impossible - one person is doing the job of ten, as hiring standards are extremely strict, and turnover is high. If you reach a point of burnout, the responsibility is shifted onto you for not applying productivity "hacks" like the 90-10 Principle. There have been examples where employees put Anima first in their lives, working 10-12 hours a day, including weekends. When these employees inevitably reach burnout due to the overwhelming workload and lack of support, they are fired, with the company claiming they weren’t passionate about Anima anymore. Anima promotes a "crewmate" culture, where employees are expected to support each other like family. However, this is contradicted when a "crewmate" is let go over the smallest inconvenience, showing a lack of genuine support or loyalty within the team. There’s also a strong sense of exclusivity, with an emphasis on being part of an “elite” team. While they claim to value low-ego collaboration, the reality often suggests otherwise. The management expects you to take 100% accountability for your actions, yet they take very little accountability for their own. During the interview process, they want to know you on a VERY personal level, and later they’ll use that against you. Rather than focusing on understanding your experience during interviews, the approach can feel like an interrogation aimed at finding reasons to disqualify you. Be aware that everything you say during the interview is shared in a Slack channel with the whole company, so there is no privacy for the candidate's information. The environment is fear-driven. A lot of people fear the CEO and are scared for their job, thus a lot of backstabbing happens. Ironically, they're super hyped that they're saving lives, when in fact they're ruining the lives of their employees. If you’re considering joining, I urge you to do your due diligence—speak to former employees, and ensure this environment aligns with your values and needs. Probably, if the company has read this and is sharing this Glassdoor review with their employees, they'll say that I wasn't a good cultural fit and I didn’t understand their passion and dedication in their words - I just don’t get it 😄 That's what they say about everyone that leaves or that they fire.

I joined the company excited by the mission and energised by the potential to contribute to meaningful work in the health tech space. But that enthusiasm quickly gave way to concern, as the reality of the internal culture became clear. While the company presents itself as a place where passionate people thrive, the reality is far more challenging. Burnout is common, turnover is high, and the work environment is structured more around control than trust. Employees are expected to put in long hours, take on responsibilities outside of their role, and regularly justify even the smallest pauses in their day. The message throughout the company is that there's "no room for ego," yet any form of questioning, feedback, or vulnerability is discouraged. Rather than fostering a collaborative, supportive atmosphere, fear and silence take over. Many people keep their heads down to avoid being the next in line for public criticism or sudden dismissal. Despite an intensive interview process, new team members are not given space to grow or settle in. From day one, there's a need to prove yourself constantly—often through daily written check-ins and close monitoring. The high expectations aren't matched with the support or autonomy required to meet them. When challenges inevitably arise, the response is often to shift blame to the individual. There's little evidence of leadership reflecting on whether internal processes, culture, or management style might be part of the issue. Instead, the assumption seems to be that the person wasn’t the right fit—no matter how many times that story repeats. Even in a mission-driven business, how people are treated day to day matters. A company’s culture should support and uplift its team—not leave them feeling undervalued, isolated, or fearful. If you’re considering joining, I strongly recommend speaking with multiple former employees to get a clear picture of what it's really like to work here. No role is worth compromising your wellbeing.