Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?
Mellow: In Germany, 18 million people suffer from psychological stress every year. Of these, only 19 percent seek professional help. The topic of mental health is still surrounded by numerous stigmas. Anyone who dares to seek help is faced with another problem. In one of the richest countries in the world, receiving professional support for mental health issues quickly and easily is not a given. Coaching therefore plays an important role. It is scientifically proven that coaching helps reduce psychological stress and address problems preventively.
Here we are Mellow We are an innovative online coaching platform. We finally make finding and booking coaching easy. Instead of tediously searching for the right coach using a search engine, users can quickly and easily find the right coach with Mellow. Intelligent matching ensures the perfect match between coachee and coach.
Easy access to coaching
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Mellow: So far, no one has succeeded in establishing a modern and innovative platform like Mellow in the B2C market. Existing solutions are only available in the B2B market, thus excluding a large portion of society from easy access to coaching.
Easy booking, an all-in-one offering, and especially our coach matching are what set us apart. This combination is unique and makes Mellow so innovative.
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Mellow: We both come from startup environments and were able to gain valuable experience and insights there, some of it from the platform and healthcare sectors. This is where our fascination with entrepreneurship arose. In 2021, we faced the challenge of hiring a coach ourselves. Finding a coach was more difficult than we thought, and finding the right and suitable one was almost impossible. We abandoned the process several times and quickly realized: There has to be a better way! This is how the idea for Mellow was born.
We want to make access to coaching as easy as possible and thereby strengthen mental health among the population. We founded Mellow in mid-2022, and our platform has been online since the end of 2022.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Mellow: Despite our startup experience, founding a company always presents us with new challenges. With just two people, resources are very limited, and prioritizing correctly is crucial. We're trying to automate a large portion of our processes, which creates room for further growth and allows us to improve a little bit every day.
First financing round planned
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Mellow: We have big plans for 2023. We want to further improve the Mellow platform and, in parallel, are working on collaborations with exciting companies. In the coming months, we also plan to launch our first Financing round We are helped by the fact that we are eligible for investment funding.
Our current focus is on German-speaking countries and the B2C sector. We aim to become the leading provider of coaching in this segment. We are also conducting initial pilot projects in the B2B sector. It is becoming increasingly important for companies to support the mental health of their employees. Our platform can be used worldwide, and we plan to expand our international presence in the coming years.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Mellow: Munich has developed into a fantastic location for founding a company in recent years. There are numerous programs and platforms to support startups and founders. We have strong universities and there are many events and opportunities for exchange. Munich now boasts a unique network of founders, investors, and supporters. All in all, the perfect conditions for young startups.
“Strong potential to become a shooting star”
Munich Startup: Hidden champion or shooting star?
Mellow: Strong potential to become a shooting star: With our innovative coaching solution, we entered a rapidly growing market in 2022. All studies and analyses show that acceptance and willingness to invest in mental health will continue to rise significantly in the coming years. At the same time, our offering is already being readily used by many coaches, coachees, and companies. It's an exciting time, and we're looking forward to the years ahead.
