Learning is the new

collaboration!

At Mentessa, we believe in a world where equal opportunity is not a privilege, but a standard. As an impact-driven startup, we are committed to building the workplace of the future: connected, inclusive, and human. Our mission is simple yet bold — to replace silos with a culture of connected learning, where every person can thrive, learn, and grow.

As seen in

OUR MISSION

Empowering

collaborative culture

Mentessa transforms organizational culture by empowering teams to move beyond individual contributions, unlocking collective innovation through AI-driven technology. With the diligence and sustainability of technology we enable seamless collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skill-based mentoring, ensuring every employee can engage fully and thrive, regardless of role or background.

Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to reduce inequalities, Mentessa champions connected, inclusive workplaces where continuous learning and impactful innovation drive lasting cultural change.

For knowledge transfer between generations
For equal career opportunities beyond gender
For closing the skills gap through individual guidance
For real human connection despite work from home in hybrid teams
For a strong economy through silo-free innovation and a collaborative culture

Recognized for our impact

Our efforts have been acknowledges numerous times:

Best of Technology Award by WirtschaftsWoche and Handelsblatt 2024 & 2023
Featured in Sifted Future of Work Report
Featured in the German AI Landscape
Endorsed by the NASDAQ for creating equal opportunities in the workplace
DUP Unternehmer Awards
UNLEASH Top Startup
HR Tech Awards - Best Culture Building Tool 2023
Brandon Hall Excellence Award - Best Social Learning 2022
Milestone Makers Alumni
Founder Institute Top 50
Co-funded by the European Union

Our Vision:

The silo-free workplace

We envision workplaces as inclusive, collaborative learning communities—where everyone contributes actively to collective outcomes. Mentessa transforms everyday interactions into meaningful learning opportunities, guiding users seamlessly from onboarding to offboarding and cultivating vibrant, results-oriented workplaces.

Do you want to help our mission?

About Tina Ruseva

Dr. Tina Ruseva is more than the visionary entrepreneur behind Mentessa— she is one of the most prominent voices for the future of work,. A workplace activist, speaker, author, and advocate for impact entrepreneurship, Tina has spent her career championing equal opportunities in the workplace. Her journey from immigrant to a social entrepreneur is a powerful testament to what’s possible when people are seen for their potential — not just their pedigree.

With a PhD in Computer Science and an MBA in Innovation, Tina combines deep technical knowledge with visionary leadership. Before founding Mentessa, she worked across startups and corporates, where she saw first-hand how much talent gets lost in silos and how little informal knowledge is truly shared.

Mentessa is her answer to this — a platform built on her belief that learning should be social, inclusive, and lifelong.

Tina is a regular speaker on the future of work, AI, and female leadership. She has been recognized by NASDAQ, featured in leading media across Europe, and awarded multiple industry prizes for innovation and culture-building. But for Tina, impact matters more than accolades — and Mentessa is how she pays it forward.

Initiator

of the Big & Growing New Work Festival

Founder & President

of the German National New Work Association

Alumni

Fraunhofer Gesellschaft e.V.

Member of the Advisory Board

of multiple NGOs, BFC among others

Author

at HAUFE

The Story

behind Mentessa

Mentessa was founded in 2019 by Dr. Tina Ruseva, a tech entrepreneur and author with a vision: to make career growth accessible to all. Coming from a background where opportunities weren’t handed out but earned, Tina knew the power of connection and learning firsthand. After years of mentoring others, she realized the gap: talented people often lacked the access, not the ability. Mentessa was born to close that gap — with technology that is high-tech and high-human.

01.

An idea was born

Tina had spent years as both a mentor and a mentee, and it was an experience in her last job that gave birth to the idea of Mentessa. Being faced with the challenge of connecting entrepreneurs with diverse backgrounds and changing needs in a mentoring program, she realized the need for a solution.

02.

Mentessa was founded

Tina quits her job and joins Wayra Germany, the innovation hub by Telefonica. Mentessa graduates from the Founder Institute in Munich and wins its first customers and awards. Its first birthday party is canceled because of the pandemic.

03.

Growing the vision

The new world of work makes it clear that knowledge exchange and meaningful connection are not just for mentoring programs. Mentessa is selected by NASDAQ Milestone Makers – as one of 10 impact startups that strive to create equal opportunities for everyone in the workplace (SDGs 8, 9, 10, 11).

04.

Where we are today

Today, Mentessa operates on three continents, with global customers from corporate HR to NGOs. Where the future works.

The people backing us

We are backed by investors from Sofia to Leipzig. Like us they are committed to building a better future of work.

We are hiring!

The world is changing. Prepare for the unknown by digitally upskilling your talent. Mentessa gives you an engaging platform for sustainable and seamless mentorship, onboarding, and retention. Do you want to get ready for the biggest digital business transformation?