Maria Szandrach, Co-founder and CEO of Mentalyc

Maria is an experienced entrepreneur with over 10 years of experience and a MSc degree from London Business School. She co-founded Mentalyc as her third startup (the previous ones were solving problems in the Mental Health and Insurance industries). As a teenager, Maria went to therapy for an eating disorder. She switched therapists 5 times before she eventually recovered. She devoted her career to making therapy more effective and efficient. Nowadays Maria spends most of her days talking to clinicians, other entrepreneurs, and decision-makers in various mental health organizations. She had a deep insight into what is happening in the industry, especially when it comes to tools and technologies available to clinicians. She regularly reads academic papers and publications regarding new treatments and therapies and follows the newest advancements in AI that could empower clinical work. As an experienced entrepreneur and ex-McKinsey consultant, she has a unique perspective and deep understanding of what is possible and economically viable when it comes to the future of technology in mental health. As an ex-patient, she deeply values therapeutic relationships and therapy as such. She aims at making clinical work more rewarding and less stressful, the connection between clients and clinicians less disturbed, and the intuitively applied interventions recognized for their therapeutic impact.