“Think about Odyssea like Google for the subconscious mind.” In this special Viva Tech 2026 series brought to you by TechUkraine, we sit down with Tania, the Founder and CEO of Odyssea. Odyssea is an innovative AI-powered platform designed to find the root causes of mental struggles by safely navigating the subconscious. Supported by the EU4Innovation East project, Tania shares her transition from corporate AI to clinical hypnotherapy, the challenge of cutting through the “AI chatbot” noise, and her vision for the future of mental well-being.
What is Odyssea and who is it for?
Tania: Think about Odyssea like Google for the subconscious mind. The subconscious drives 95% of our life – meaning our unconscious behaviors, thoughts, and emotions actively create our reality. Yet, no one has truly decoded it.
With Odyssea, we built an AI-powered platform that finds the root causes for mental struggles hidden in the subconscious mind and addresses them by creating lasting transformation.
What was the “aha!” moment or specific pain point that started it all?
Tania: Like every founder, it started with my own journey. I’ve been building AI systems for more than 15 years, back when it wasn’t even called AI yet. About eight years ago, everything looked great on paper – I had an amazing career, family, and daughter. But inside, I was unhappy, lost, and struggling with anxiety. I tried self-help books, meditation, and talk therapy, but I was going in circles until I discovered the power of the subconscious mind.
In parallel with my tech career, I became a certified clinical hypnotherapist and regression therapist. I realized two things. First, my Ikigai (my purpose) was combining AI and subconscious mind therapy. Second, there were no technological solutions that gave us the “why” about our own minds. You can use Google Maps to find any place on Earth, but you can’t find answers to your own internal struggles. ChatGPT just validates what your logical mind already knows. Our AI, on the other hand, is therapeutically trained. It doesn’t just tell you what to do; it asks you deep questions so you can find your own answers within and live up to your highest potential.
What has been your most significant milestone or biggest “win” so far?
Tania: In life, we often count the big wins, but we feel the most joy from the small ones. Receiving daily messages of gratitude from our users—like a mother who overcame anxiety to show up better for her kids, a user who found his fiancé by aligning with his authentic self, or someone who found their purpose and started a business—these are the wins I feel deeply in my heart.
From a business perspective, we recently signed two incredible partnerships with wellness centers in Bali and Singapore. They recognize that healing isn’t just a one-time workshop; people need support when they return to their normal lives. Odyssea helps integrate those experiences, and these partnerships will bring us more than 100,000 customers a year. We’ve also launched “daily micro-actions,” giving users 1-to-3-minute exercises to rewire their subconscious while drinking coffee or commuting. Our users absolutely love it!
What has been your biggest challenge building a startup, and how did you overcome it?
Tania: The biggest challenge right now is distribution. Because marketing is so heavily AI-driven today, there is a lot of noise. As a B2C business relying on social media, cutting through that noise to deliver our message is tough. To counter this, we’ve leaned heavily into human connection. We organize mastermind groups and 21-day challenges where we work on ourselves together, adding a powerful community component.
Another major challenge was overcoming the “AI chatbot” stigma. Initially, people assumed talking to Odyssea was just like talking to ChatGPT. We had to show them our unique value proposition: we don’t ask direct, logical questions. We use images, metaphors, and stories. We ask, “Choose this image,” or “If you were this character, what would you do?” That is how the subconscious actually communicates. We then deliver deeply personalized protocols that span the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual layers of the psyche.
As part of the official Ukrainian delegation at Viva Tech, what are your primary goals and current focus?
Tania: We are currently starting our pre-seed round, so our primary goal is to connect with investors – specifically those who are passionate about mental well-being and using technology for good. VivaTech is an amazing platform for this because our mission aligns so perfectly with the event’s values.
Secondly, we are looking for strategic partners to help with distribution. This includes companies in the well-being space, as well as forward-thinking corporates interested in elevating the mental health and well-being of their employees. We simply can’t wait to give people the opportunity to try Odyssea in person.
Where do you see Odyssea in the next 3 to 5 years?
Tania: My ambition – and personal mission – is for Odyssea to be the leading AI in the world that understands and decodes the human mind, generating personalized, consistent transformational journeys. We are actually building a feature where, if you use the app for more than 30 minutes, it will tell you to close it and go live your life. I want AI to handle the heavy lifting so we can enjoy the simple joys of life – like taking a walk or listening to the birds.
Looking ahead, our ultimate vision is to create a full “video game” mode where people play their way to happiness. When we play, our brains enter a state of trance, neuroplasticity is at its highest, and it’s the absolute perfect time to naturally and joyfully rewire the subconscious mind.
What is one piece of practical advice you would give to an early-stage Ukrainian founder today?
Tania: Fall in love with the problem and be passionate about finding its solution. If you start a company just for titles, numbers, or money, the first major challenges will make you burn out. But if you work out of passion, you will enjoy the journey instead of constantly obsessing over the destination. Living your Ikigai (your purpose) is the key to building a startup. And if you don’t know your purpose yet… you can use Odyssea to find it!
Meet the Team & Support Odyssea
- Connect: Odyssea Website
- Investors & Partners: Odyssea is currently raising its pre-seed round and seeking strategic distribution partners in the corporate wellness and well-being sectors.
This startup showcase was funded by the European Union, co-funded by the French Government with support from Expertise France within the EU4Innovation East project. Its contents are the sole responsibility of TechUkraine and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the French Government or Expertise France.
