Kyle J. Russell
Eugene Klishevich is an Eastern European tech entrepreneur, now based in Silicon Valley. He’s not merely building a startup; he’s committed to addressing society’s most pressing issues. Eugene’s entrepreneurial endeavors have been exceptionally novel and impactful, ranging from a platform for realizing socially important initiatives to a FemTech device tackling the challenge of the pleasure gap. His current venture, Moodmate.me, is an AI-powered app aimed at boosting mental resilience.
Eugene is more than just a founder; he’s a visionary on a mission, leveraging cutting-edge technology to build companies that benefit people’s lives. In the following conversation, he reveals the driving forces behind his motivations and shares his approach to creating meaningful change through technology and entrepreneurship.
Q: To get started, please tell us what inspired your entrepreneurial journey.
A: Back in my small Eastern European country, Belarus, I was studying math. Even though I highly enjoyed it and was a student with the highest GPA for the first two years, I eventually realized that I didn’t want to follow the classical scientific path I had considered. Instead, I was captivated by the world of software which was increasingly consuming the world. My father, who is a small business owner, was an example and inspiration for me too. These influences prompted me to experiment with small software products that I built with my friends. While working on my first true product, I realized that I could use software not only to build mobile games but to tackle issues that were really disturbing me— as in the preservation and support of our declining national culture.
Q: Developing national culture sounds like a super ambitious goal.
A: Yes, it was, and I realized that I couldn’t do it on my own, you know. I was a green, inexperienced, and pretty resourceless dude at that time. So, the solution for me was that if I couldn’t contribute to substantial change on my own, I needed to engage others. This is how I unearthed the ancient Belarusian principle of “talaka.” In Belarusian culture, “talaka” is a tradition where community members come together to help each other with big tasks, like harvesting crops or building houses. It’s all about cooperation and strengthening community ties. So, I took the forgotten principle of “talaka” and decided to digitize it.
Q: How effective was this approach of blending ancient principles with new technology?
To connect people, I started a crowdsourcing platform and later a crowdfunding platform. I named the company Talaka to match its mission. These ultimately allowed Belarusians to propose their ideas and initiatives, find collaborators, and work together to improve their communities and, ultimately, the country. The “talaka” principle resonated with people; they liked it, and the technological platform made it easy for them to start and participate in thousands of socially important initiatives. These included publishing books in the national language, restoring the country’s landmarks, supporting local entrepreneurs, making cities more accessible and ecological, and many others. All in all, the platform engaged more than 3% of the country’s citizens, teaching them the power of collective action and helping them realize that they could change the world around them for the better. This all happened in the early 2010s, when these kinds of tools were still pretty novel. For instance, one of the most famous crowdfunding platforms had only been around for two years. It was an eye-opening experience for me when I realized that technology could help bring about change.
Q: 3% of the population is massive—that’s like one in every thirty-three people in the country! How did you manage to build that without prior experience in developing tech products?
A: At that time, everything I knew, I learned from experience while building it, sometimes at the cost of making rookie mistakes. But it was an incredible boost for me professionally, and after building it, nothing could scare me away from starting a company. People sometimes ask if I still use my math training. While it may not have direct applications, I believe that studying math has been very beneficial for me as an entrepreneur. Mathematicians thrive on solving problems, and that mindset has been invaluable in my business endeavors. Q: So, it’s no surprise they named you Innovator of the Decade in your country. Can you tell me the story behind this?
A: Sure. Well, I was named Innovator of the Decade by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, an American government-funded media outlet that broadcasts news in Eastern Europe and is one of the most famous independent media sources in my country. In 2020, they recognized various individuals for their contributions to Belarus’s development across different sectors, and I was included. Essentially, they highlighted the use of technology to engage communities and nurture positive change that I brought to the country during my 7-year tenure working on Talaka.
Q: How and why did you transition into health technology after that?
A: Working on Talaka revealed two things to me. First, technology can address challenging and massive issues. Second, I find meaning and enjoyment in work that helps people. The health technology (HealthTech) space encompasses both massive challenges and opportunities to do good. More specifically, my first HealthTech company was a result of my friendship with a neuroscientist and a sexologist. Through discussions about startups and exchanging ideas, we founded S Tech Lab, a company behind a FemTech product addressing the “pleasure gap” which is the statistical disparity in peak pleasure frequency between women and men during intimacy. As a co-founder, I helped develop both an educational app and an EEG biofeedback headband. This hardware scans brain activity and provides real-time feedback, training the brain and body to achieve states conducive to reaching the heights of sensual pleasure. Q: That sounds pretty innovative! How is the company progressing now?
A: It’s currently in the R&D stage and running trials with promising results. For the past couple of years, I haven’t been involved in day-to-day operations, as the challenges of COVID-19 and unrest in Eastern Europe led me to focus on the mental health field.
Q: I assume you’re referring to your current company, Moodmate, which focuses on boosting mental resilience so that people are ready for whatever comes their way.
A: Exactly! 2020 was super hard, not only because of COVID-19 but also because of political turmoil in my country. To support my compatriots, I launched several small, volunteer online products. Unexpectedly, one gained high traction— a hundred thousand users joined in a week. This mental health product made me realize the high demand for mental health support. Moreover, observing how people used it regularly for months helped me recognize the value of our approach—training through real-life simulations to develop constructive responses to life’s setbacks, both minor and major. I decided this was worth sharing globally, not just within my country. I raised a venture round from a VC fund and angel investors and began developing and promoting it in the American market.
Q: I know Moodmate, your mental health company, is actively employing AI. Could you elaborate on how it works?
A: We initially started with a scripted chatbot that performed well, but the rapid AI developments over the past year have opened up immense new possibilities. Leveraging our team’s expertise and the technology we’ve built so far, we’re now focusing on developing an AI therapist capable of providing human-like talk therapy to anyone. Currently, one in five US residents experiences mental health issues, but therapy provided by human professionals is often prohibitively expensive and not easily accessible for many. This is where AI has high potential for therapeutic applications and can help enhance the well-being of the entire country. It’s an incredibly exciting project to work on. After all, the happier people are around me, the happier I am myself! So, this all makes perfect sense to me. Q: To wrap up, I’d like to ask about any historical or current figures you admire who have influenced you.
A: Different people have inspired me at various stages of my life. Currently, while I’m in the US, I’ve been eagerly immersing myself in American culture and its various nuances. One historical figure who has become a great inspiration for me is Benjamin Franklin. His personality resonates with me immensely.
Franklin was an entrepreneur not just in business, but in all possible fields of life—science, community involvement, personal life, and politics. He applied his playful, entrepreneurial, and flexible approach to everything he did. This is the kind of attitude I’m trying to cultivate in myself—being an entrepreneur not only in work but in every aspect of life. It’s truly inspiring.
Q: Wow, you are a fascinating person, Eugene. I feel like not just entrepreneurs, but everyone could find something inspiring in your story. Thank you for sitting down with me. You can connect with Eugene on LinkedIn
