Diverse Discoveries

On International Women's Day join Karina and Katya in a candid conversation as they delve into their personal journeys to embracing feminism. Reflecting on how their views on gender have evolved over the years, they discuss why at some point they perceived feminism as something unpleasant and why they now proudly call themselves feminists. Credits Hosted by Karina Arushtova and Katya Didenko Edited by Katya Didenko Music by Blue Dot Sessions Tune into 'Diverse Discoveries' podcast: https://bit.ly/diverse_discoveries Join the conversation or be our guest: diversediscoveriespodcast@gmail.com

Join us as we connect with Coming Out, an LGBTQIA+ organisation in Russia advocating for equitable rights and inclusion. We spoke with Masha and Igor from Coming Out about what motivated them to launch this initiative, including their backgrounds in HR and passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. With restrictive Russian laws further marginalising queer communities, we discuss Coming Out's work empowering LGBTQIA+ individuals through career services, psychological consultations, and guidance for organisations seeking to become more inclusive. Touching on politics, alienation, and the importance of empathy, this episode was recorded before the latest Russian law, which recognised the "international movement 'LGBTQIA+'" to be an extremist organisation and effectively banned it, which makes the work of Coming Out even more urgent. Credits Guest: Masha Tiunova and Igor Achikov, consultants from ComingOut LGBTQ+ group Hosted by Karina Arushtova and Katya Didenko Edited by Uliana Bazhenova Music by Blue Dot Sessions

‘RiverZen‘ is an AI-powered app for women, designed to support emotional and psychological comfort during menstruation. With a target audience ages 25-45 in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the app focuses on providing personalized insights, breathing techniques, and lifestyle suggestions tied to each phase of a woman's cycle.Lola from Belarus, who is a founder of ‘RiverZen‘ and ICTA Coach, shared her personal experience with distress related to menstruation and what tools might help to understand it and maintain it more effectively. Lola and Karina also discussed how to create an inclusive environment to talk openly about women's health issues. Tune into 'Diverse Discoveries' podcast: https://bit.ly/diversediscoveries-public Join the conversation or be our guest: diversediscoveriespodcast@gmail.com Credits Guest: Lola Koktysh, founder of ‘RiverZen‘ Hosted by Karina Arushtova Edited by Karina Arushtova and Katya Didenko Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Look behind the scenes of building Take Care — a tool for supporting women’s mental health. We sat down with Emma Terchenko and Natalia Kiselnikova and talked about finding a way to your audience in a new country. In this episode we discuss mental health and its stigmatisation, mental health apps and professional treatment. And the perks of being a professional psychologist and a startuper at the same time. Listen to Diverse Discoveries podcast: https://bit.ly/diversediscoveries-public Want to be a guest? Contact us at diversediscoveriespodcast@gmail.com Credits Guest: Natalia Kiselnikova and Emma Terchenko, Founders of Take Care Hosted by Katya Didenko and Uliana Bazhenova Edited by Katya Didenko Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Step into the avant-garde world of Remont – an independent art association, a touchstone for contemporary artistic practice in Serbia. Discover the principles of horizontality and gender equality that govern its operations, and how they've navigated the complexities of cultural politics both locally and in the broader Western Balkan region. A unique blend of art, society, and left-wing politics: explore the people and passions fuelling the Remont initiative. Credits Guest: Marija Radoš and Jelena Mijić from Remont Hosted by Katya Didenko and Karina Arushtova Edited by Katya Didenko Music by Blue Dot Sessions Tune into 'Diverse Discoveries' podcast: https://bit.ly/diversediscoveries-public Join the conversation or be our guest: diversediscoveriespodcast@gmail.com

Embark on a captivating journey with Blanka Šupe, the visionary behind Haos Space — a transformative co-working and community hub in Belgrade. Unveil the inspiring story of Haos' inception, its team, and the thriving environment it fosters for startup founders, IT professionals, and creatives with a global mindset. Listen to Diverse Discoveries podcast: https://bit.ly/diversediscoveries-public Want to be a guest? Contact us at diversediscoveriespodcast@gmail.com Credits Guest: Blanka Šupe, Founder of Haos Space Hosted by Karina Arushtova and Katya Didenko Edited by Uliana Bazhenova Music by Blue Dot Sessions

In this episode, Karina and Uliana interview Masha Plotkina — CEO of ‘Quinky‘ startup. They discuss the daily life of a female founder of a Sextech startup.Masha met her co-founder, Neo, at the Antler program in Amsterdam and secured €100,000 to launch their Gen Z-focused Sextech startup. Hear about their journey from conception to realisation. Learn more about ‘Diverse Discoveries’ podcast: https://bit.ly/diversediscoveries-public If you want to be our guest, please, email us at diversediscoveriespodcast@gmail.com Credits Guest: Masha Plotkina, founder of ‘Quinky‘ Hosted by Karina Arushtova and Uliana Bazhenova. Edited by Katya Didenko. The music for is episode is created by Blue Dot Sessions.