Working in non-diverse teams made me realise that I was looking for female role models in leadership and did not see them.

Emmelie and Natalia the co-founders of MINTD, a company focused on connecting international female talent with companies in Germany and worldwide, with the aim of placing women in STEM and leadership positions. After several years of experience in an environment where women are underrepresented they are creating a solution to promote a more diverse corporate world.

Emmelie and Natalia share insights and their entrepreneurial journey so far as well as their advice and next steps as female founders.

What inspired you to start MINTD? Was there a specific moment or experience that sparked the idea?

Both my co-founder Natalia and myself worked in the tech industry for many years. No matter where we worked, we were often one of the few or even the only women in the team which always bothered us. Because we worked in such environments we wanted to actively change something in the structures and not just become another community only offering events. We did not want to go to women in tech events where women speak to women about women and get a glass of wine for being a woman in tech. You would go back to the office the next day and nothing changed. That motivated us to found MINTD and actively place women in STEM and leadership positions.

What makes your approach unique in connecting international female talent with companies in Germany and worldwide?

As we have experience being the target group, we understand the individual needs and challenges of women in STEM professions and cater to their specific needs. We pay attention to the small details that lead to a good and sustainable match between the women and the companies to ensure long-term career success. Unlike some headhunters who often focus solely on their commission fee, our focus is on creating long-term and fulfilling career opportunities for women in STEM professions. To do this, we have developed a unique matching algorithm that also takes many soft factors into account. We can identify potential and help women to overcome imposter in a safe environment. And unlike other programmes, we also help with the relocation process to Germany. So it's an all-in-one approach.

How did your background in (fin)tech and the challenges you faced in underrepresented environments shape the vision for your company?

 Working in non-diverse teams made me realize that I was looking for female role models in leadership and did not see them. I did not feel well working in pure men dominated teams without multi perspectives. That's why MINTD is not just a recruiting platform, but also supports our talents throughout their entire career path. We are at their side when difficult moments arise, when they need advice on how to behave in certain situations, and so on.

Are there any other female founders or entrepreneurs who have been particularly inspiring to you?

Not one in particular but I was always inspired by strong, leading women that were bolder than others. Unfortunately, these role models were lacking in the tech sector, at least in my specific environment. I therefore had to network in other professional fields. I also really like female entrepreneurs that follow impact driven business ideas.

What do you want young women and girls interested in STEM and entrepreneurship to know about pursuing their dreams?

Unfortunately, gender diversity in STEM is still very low. There is hardly any other occupational field in which there are so few women - at least in Germany. The rate is just 16 per cent. This means that you will unfortunately still very often find yourself in male-dominated environments. This makes it even more important that all women who aspire to a career in STEM stick with it and follow their intuition! Every new woman who decides to pursue this career changes things for the better and contributes new idea in innovative fields.

Is there a quote or mantra that has guided you through your entrepreneurial journey? If so, what is it and why does it resonate with you?

It’s a simple, but efficient quote: Just do it! Overthinking only makes you slow and causes you to constantly take unnecessary side paths. In the end, this can kill your startup.

Thank you Emmelie and Natalia for the Interview and insights!