Redefining Neurodiversity

Ksenia Golubeva

CBDO and co-founder of AutiHD, advancing AI-powered neurodiversity support.

Editor note

Some founders just talk the talk. Ksenia Golubeva lives and breathes her vision for an inclusive world—one where neurodivergent adults are valued for their true potential, not just forced to ‘fit in.’ After years in the trenches of corporate innovation and startups, Ksenia co-founded AutiHD with a mission that’s miles deeper than most. We were drawn to her fearless honesty about what most solutions get wrong and how personal stories fuel real change. In this interview, you'll see how her early encounters with autistic creativity and her partnership with co-founder Joël flipped the script on what support means. If you care about building impact that lasts, her insights on listening—really listening—to the people you serve will stick with you for days. As Ksenia reminds us, "Inclusion isn’t just opening the door. It’s making sure there’s space to grow."

A Purpose-Driven Path

You’ve had an extraordinary journey driving startup innovation across Eastern Europe. What moments convinced you to move from advising hundreds of startups to launching AutiHD—what pulled you into building for neurodiversity personally?

I spent years helping large companies run pilots with startups, always in search of that next big thing. What hit me time and again was how little true purpose I saw in so much of the tech world. Far too many projects optimized profits or processes, but barely touched real human lives.

AutiHD wasn’t born from a pitch deck or a brainstorm session. It came out of actually listening to people—hearing directly about their frustrations, their daily battles, the ways society kept misunderstanding or underserving them. My co-founder Joël and I kept talking to autistic and ADHD adults, and with each story, I realized there was a massive gap between existing solutions and what’s actually needed. That depth of need and the chance to create more inclusive possibilities—those moments drew me in, and honestly, they’ve never let me go. Even now, I keep those voices at the center of every decision we make.

Your commitment to neurodiversity began long before AutiHD. Can you share how your early experiences, like your journalism project, shaped your conviction to champion neurodivergent adults?

Back when I was a journalism student, I worked on a story about a community supporting children with autism. I was blown away by their talent. Some kids played jazz on the piano with such natural skill, others drew like professionals. But what struck me in a harder way was how the system handled them. There’s this relentless pressure to make these kids 'convenient,' to fit them into a standard mold instead of nurturing what makes them shine.

Many years later, I moved to Luxembourg and met Joël. He flipped my preconceptions about autism on their head—he’s witty, driven, and just doesn't fit any of those movie stereotypes. His experiences showed me how, even across time and borders, the challenges don’t change much. Adults still get boxed by ideas that never really fit them. So for me, this journey is about pushing not just for awareness, but for truly seeing neurodivergent people as they are—and building things that work with their strengths, not against them.

"Inclusion isn’t about opening the door. It’s making sure there’s space to grow."

I was amazed by the talent of these kids—some played piano beautifully.

Closeup of a young hand pressing piano keys, sunlight streaming onto the instrument, capturing a moment of discovery and talent.

A child discovering their voice in music

You’ve seen thousands of startups and launched dozens of pilots. How did all those experiences distill into the way you approach building AutiHD?

My biggest learning is that you don’t start with your own ideas, not if you want to make a difference. Too many projects are built in isolation from real people’s pain points—they’re solutions looking for a problem, not the other way around.

Those years in corporate innovation taught me that no matter how good your tech, if it doesn’t solve a real, everyday challenge, it won’t matter. At AutiHD, everything starts with conversations. We don’t just run user interviews—we keep our development loop open to daily feedback. What’s powerful is seeing how this approach naturally keeps us grounded and adaptive. Real life is messy, and staying connected with our users lets us stay relevant and honest about what works and what doesn’t.

After moving to Luxembourg, the same challenges stared back at me.

A winding street in Luxembourg city at dusk, historic buildings bordering a lively plaza. Evening lights create a sense of both hope and complexity.

Adapting to life in a new country

"For me, AutiHD started with people—really hearing their challenges."

What’s one myth or misconception about neurodivergent adults that still shocks you?

I think the idea that neurodivergence is a 'childhood problem' is still holding back real progress. Society doesn’t realize these challenges are lifelong, and that most of the real barriers happen in adulthood—in jobs, relationships, just trying to live fully. That mindset needs to change, and fast.

The real struggle begins once you leave school—adulthood isn’t easier.

A sunlight-filled modern workspace with a single empty chair in focus at a meeting table, suggesting potential and absence, symbolizing the untapped talent and the barriers neurodivergent adults face after childhood.

Space to belong

Building Mindory: AI for Real Needs

Mindory stands out for its transparency around AI and user control. How do you ensure that neurodivergent users feel safe and empowered with your technology?

Trust is everything for us—if our users aren’t in control, they won’t use what we build. Mindory’s AI personalizes the support journey, but every recommendation or reminder comes with context. We trace every nudge, every suggestion, back to its trigger—be it stress detected from sleep data, a pattern in calendar events, or even background noise levels. Our users can opt in or out of any data use, and we’re strict with GDPR to the letter.

We see explainable AI as the only way forward for neurodivergence support. Transparency allows users to actually understand, and adjust, the way the app responds to them. It’s a relationship, not just another black box.

Our AI recommendations are always explainable—a trust builder.

Smartphone on a kitchen table, displaying an app that tracks stress. The interface is clear, with vibrant color-coded indicators, beside a notebook and a relaxing mug—evoking calm and control.

Making stress visible, not overwhelming

What signals from your earliest users have shaped Mindory’s most significant product decisions so far?

We obsessively track how people use Mindory and what they ignore, because that tells you so much more than surveys do. Two things are obvious already. First, our AI chat and organiser features have become lifelines—they’re among the most-used, and users keep telling us these tools make the experience less overwhelming. Second, retention matters more than a flashy feature. Our 58% retention rate is a sign that people are finding value—now our focus is on listening to their needs about making notifications gentler and breaking down big tasks into easy starts.

Task management shouldn’t feel like a mountain—it’s about momentum.

A battered notebook lies open on a small kitchen table, packed with colorful sticky notes and half-finished to-dos. There’s a sense of daily striving, practical hope, and small victories.

Organizing life in small steps

"Listening to real-life experience—and iterating step by step—is how we build tools that matter."

How exactly does AI power Mindory today, and what’s your approach to privacy for users who may be wary of digital health tools?

Mindory’s AI works in the background to make sure support is personalized and timely. It monitors stress through a mix of data—how much you’re moving, sleeping, your calendar’s fullness, or even surrounding noise. Then, the app suggests concrete coping strategies like breathing exercises, micro-breaks, or reframing overwhelming tasks. Reminders and tips adapt based on what’s working for each person.

Privacy is fundamental. Everything is opt-in. Our users see what data is collected and why, with the ability to turn anything off. We don’t bury this in settings; it’s right up front. And we store everything in line with the toughest standards—your data stays in Europe, encrypted, with no surprises.

"We measure engagement by lived daily impact, not vanity metrics."

Looking ahead, what's next on the Mindory roadmap—especially beyond the iOS app?

We’re working on an Android launch in 2026, and we’ve already got support for most EU languages. For accessibility, we’re bringing in more customization—users can tweak visuals and get a simplified onboarding experience if they’re feeling overwhelmed by too much at once. The next big problems we’re solving? Helping users with task initiation—breaking everything down into micro-steps, so nothing feels impossible—and making sure notifications support rather than stress. It’s an ongoing process, and we’re in it for the long haul.

We support most EU languages—access at every doorstep.

A close-up of a smartphone resting on a light wooden bench, its screen displaying an app interface for language selection surrounded by icons of EU flags. Sunlight highlights the colorful arrangement, creating a sense of global inclusivity.

Accessible, multilingual support

How do you approach working with employers and institutions seeking to make workplaces genuinely neurodiversity-friendly?

Today, our work with employers happens directly—through workshops, audits, and mentorship. These aren't cookie-cutter sessions. We focus on raising awareness, identifying stress triggers, and helping teams reshape processes from the ground up so autistic and ADHD employees can thrive, not just survive. Over time, we’re building employer-facing features, but right now, education and tailored support are how we move the needle.

Shaping Inclusive Futures

You’re expanding in Europe from a base in Luxembourg—a small but connected hub. What strategies are you using to scale both with healthcare systems and the workplace?

Luxembourg is the ideal lab for us: it’s connected, multilingual, and open to testing new ideas. Feedback comes quickly from both healthcare institutions and end users, making it easy for us to pivot fast and correct mistakes as soon as they pop up.

Our long-term scaling strategy is to win reimbursement—so Mindory can be covered by insurance, not just self-pay. That’s realistic now, because more EU countries are opening up to reimbursing digital health tools, especially those proven to reduce workplace stress or boost wellbeing. We’re documenting evidence—data on stress levels, productivity, and satisfaction—to prove our case, both to insurers and to partners.

We also seek out companies who really value inclusion, showing them how our approach pays off socially and for the bottom line. It’s a dual model: health and workplace, together, not in competition.

"Scaling real impact means moving between healthcare and the workplace—no silos."

Reflecting on your mission, what’s the most powerful learning you’d share with founders trying to balance startup speed and the realities of neurodiversity support?

The most unexpected lesson: nobody fits into a box. We started thinking our users would want the same support—but the more people we listened to, the clearer it became that 'one size fits all' just doesn’t work. What’s a life-saver for one person overwhelms another. Agility matters, but so does humility—adapting as you realize what truly helps, and having the courage to embrace flexibility over uniformity.

We quickly learned—what helps one person can overwhelm another.

A bright open-plan office dotted with desks that each display highly personalized setups—audio headphones, colored timers, tablets with large icons, piles of sticky notes—emphasizing individuality and diversity.

Everyone’s workspace is different

How do you foresee the future of workplace inclusion, and what role could platforms like AutiHD play in bringing this future closer?

I picture the future workplace as practical, flexible, and deeply human. Neurodiversity won’t be ‘a special initiative’—it’ll be part of everything from hiring to daily workflow. Crucially, employers will understand that what goes on outside work—how someone manages stress, organizes their life, builds confidence—flows directly into workplace performance.

That’s why AI-powered platforms like Mindory don’t stop at the office door. They help neurodivergent adults find balance in everyday life, so they can actually bring their best selves to work. I see our platform as a bridge—a daily companion that enables deeper inclusion, not by enforcing sameness, but by unlocking the potential of differences for teams and society.

"Inclusion means giving tools for daily life, not just changing work policies."

From your years catalyzing innovation, what would you prioritize for policymakers and society to do right now for neurodivergent adults?

Start with awareness. As long as we keep seeing neurodivergence as ‘something for kids,’ change remains slow and superficial. We need education programs and policies that normalize different ways of thinking and living.

Access comes close behind: Adults need real, affordable tools, workplace adaptations, and coaching—without fighting red tape or financial hurdles. Digital solutions like Mindory must be reimbursed by insurance if we want impact to scale.

Finally, the workplace itself needs flexibility built in from the start. Options like flexible hours, remote work, and tailored roles should be the norm, not a ‘favor.’ When structural change happens, we all benefit.

It’s time to normalize different ways of thinking—for everyone.