Miranchuk says a close friend helped her through postnatal depression after her second child, and asks what a mother does without that support.
On August 27, 2023, David Leichner published an interview with Natallia Miranchuk, founder and CEO of Soula, in Authority Magazine's series on women leading the artificial intelligence industry. The magazine describes Soula as an AI-powered care solution for all stages of maternity. In the interview, Miranchuk says her own postnatal depression led her to build it.
How Postnatal Depression Led to Soula
Natallia Miranchuk says she worked for over 15 years in maternity wellbeing and care. She managed a collaborative educational project with hospitals and worked with families as a doula. When she became a mother for the second time, she struggled with postnatal depression, even with all her knowledge and experience.
She told Authority Magazine that a close friend helped her through it. That raised a question for her:
"But what if a woman doesn’t have such a person nearby?"
AI seemed a perfect solution to her because it would be easy to integrate into mothers’ lives and it can learn.
She Calls the Chatbot a Safe Space for Mothers
Natallia calls the main project an ethical chatbot that supports women and gives guidance at all stages of maternity. The team is working on making it proactive, so it can start a dialogue and answer questions.
"We want Soula to be a safe space, where a mother can voice her concerns and receive a factual reply and support, telling her that it’s absolutely okay to feel lonely, to have fears and doubts."
She states the limits of the product:
"It’s important to say that Soula is not a medical application and does not intend to replace pregnancy and maternity professionals."
The chatbot is the point of first contact for a mother with a question. The team worked with real-life doulas, who became mentors and experts supplying the right sources and insights.
Investors and Mentors She Names
In the interview, Natallia names Natalia Vodianova, a supermodel and investor who became her mentor, and Katerina Domankova, a model and mentor she calls the first person to invest in Soula. Silvia Pareti invested in Soula and shares advice, and Andrei Kulik and Andrey Mikhaylyuk are mentors, she says.
Her Advice for Women in AI
Natallia gives five pieces of advice. They include learning the industry in detail, having a mentor with an AI background, paying extra attention to the AI part of fundraising, and building a strong network. The fifth:
"Don’t forget to reward yourself for all your achievements."
About Soula
Soula is an AI-powered care solution for all stages of maternity, according to Authority Magazine. Natallia Miranchuk is Founder and CEO of Soula.
Media contact: n.miranchuk@soula.care · soula.care
Sources
- David Leichner, Wisdom From The Women Leading The AI Industry, with Natallia Miranchuk Of Soula, Authority Magazine (Medium), August 27, 2023.