01
Startup Mentoring & Growth
Helping founders validate customer needs, refine their business models, develop go-to-market strategies, identify growth opportunities and customer acquisition channels, gain traction and prepare for fundraising.
For accelerators · VCs · corporates · innovation programs
Turning startup potential into growth.
I partner with accelerators, VCs, corporates and innovation organizations to help startups grow, unlock new opportunities and build more connected innovation ecosystems.
Combining hands-on expertise in growth, go-to-market and commercialization with global accelerator experience, I support organizations from startup selection to founder development and ecosystem activation.
Who I work with
- Accelerators & Incubators
- Venture Capital Firms
- Corporate Innovation Teams
- Universities & Innovation Hubs
- Government & Public Programs
What I do
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Startup Selection & Evaluation
Assessing and ranking startups on market potential, technology, innovation, team strength and commercial viability, including founder interviews and selection for accelerator and investment programs.
03
Program Design & Delivery
Designing and delivering accelerator programs that combine practical startup methodologies, expert mentorship and hands-on support to help founders validate ideas, accelerate growth and become investor-ready.
04
Ecosystem Activation & Partnerships
Building connections between startups, corporates, investors and innovation organizations to create opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Organizations I’ve worked with
Case studies
Selected work.
2080 Ventures · Entrepreneur in Residence
From the first cohort to 12+ programs: building and scaling a global accelerator from the ground up
The challenge
Scaling an early-stage accelerator into a global platform supporting pre-seed and seed tech founders across the US, MENA, Asia and the CIS, while designing and delivering high-quality accelerator programs for corporate, government and ecosystem partners across multiple markets.
My role
Joining during the accelerator’s early days, I spent four years supporting startup selection, conducting founder interviews and evaluating teams on technology, market potential and investment readiness. I also mentored founders 1:1 and delivered workshops on customer discovery, go-to-market and growth.
The result
Over four years, the accelerator expanded to dozens of programs, supporting hundreds of startups across international markets. Many participating founders went on to raise funds, grow their startups and enter new markets, while the team continued scaling its work with corporate and government partners.
Impact
12+Accelerator programs
150+Founders mentored 1:1
700+Applications evaluated
1,800+Workshop participants
Seedstars
FIWAM Growth Program
Accelerating fintech growth and financial inclusion
Co-developed go-to-market and growth learning tracks for fintech startups, then delivered practical workshops across Asia, MENA and Africa, helping founders refine their business models, reach customers and explore new growth opportunities.
Google for Startups × UN
WFP Innovation Accelerator
Helping social-impact startups grow and scale
Delivered mentorship and workshops on user acquisition, go-to-market and growth strategy, helping social-impact founders validate customer needs, develop acquisition strategies and build more scalable business models.
United Nations CTCN
Climate-Tech Innovation Program
Turning climate innovation into viable businesses
Mentored researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs in a MENA climate-tech innovation program, helping teams apply lean startup methods, validate business models and explore commercialization opportunities for emerging technologies.
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Athlete365 Business Accelerator
Helping Olympians become entrepreneurs
Mentored a former Olympian over six months, from developing an initial business idea to customer research, MVP development, sales and marketing strategy, and preparation for Demo Day and investor pitching.
Misk Launchpad
Saudi Arabia
Taking startups from idea to MVP
Across three accelerator cohorts, mentored early-stage founders on customer discovery, business model validation, go-to-market and growth, helping teams turn ideas into viable products and, in some cases, acquire their first paying customers.
Plug and Play
Accelerator
Helping startups turn pricing into a growth driver
Delivered a practical pricing workshop and 1:1 office hours for accelerator startups, helping founders rethink their pricing models, sharpen their value propositions and explore monetization strategies.
28Digital · Corporate & Open Innovation
Turning corporate challenges into innovation opportunities
The challenge
28Digital has a strong European network across corporates, startups, research and investors. The challenge was turning that breadth into clear, commercial propositions around real corporate innovation needs and creating a stronger path from conversation to concrete opportunity.
My role
Building the commercial function and working with corporate innovation leaders across Europe to identify strategic challenges, scout startups and emerging technologies, unlock research commercialization opportunities, and develop open innovation partnerships at scale.
The result
The work created a clearer path from corporate challenge to innovation project: sharpening commercial propositions, generating qualified conversations and developing concrete opportunities across technology scouting, startup collaboration, research commercialization and open innovation.
What partners say
“Katya was instrumental in shaping our accelerator program. Her contribution brought structure, clarity, and energy to our founders’ journey.”
Program Lead, 2080 Ventures
“Katya designed and delivered high-impact programs, always adapting to the startups’ real needs. Founders left every session more confident and focused.”
Innovation Lead, Rockstart
“We were particularly impressed by Katya’s ability to deliver actionable insights, her dynamic energy, and her genuine attention to each startup’s unique needs.”
MENA Programs Lead, Seedstars
“Katya equipped founders with practical strategies and tools, helping them gain the confidence and skills to succeed in the global markets.”
Director, GSMA
How I work
- Step 1SelectFind the strongest founders
- Step 2DesignBuild the program around them
- Step 3GrowMentor from idea to traction
- Step 4ConnectActivate the ecosystem around them
Let’s build stronger innovation ecosystems.
Whether you’re designing a new accelerator, supporting a startup portfolio or looking to activate your innovation network, I’d love to explore how we can collaborate.
Contact
Let’s talk.
Tell me about your program, portfolio or innovation initiative, or book a discovery call straight into my calendar.