4.9/5
Mentoring Quality Score
Participants rated the quality of mentoring exceptionally high.
We create Female Ecosystem for a Gender-balanced World
The Why
According to the World Economic Forum’s most recent Global Gender Gap Report, if progress towards gender parity continues at the same average pace seen between 2006 and 2023, the overall global gender gap is projected to close in 131 years.
In the startup arena in particular, male leaders and all-male teams continue to predominantly hold sway. Findings from the European Investment Fund and Invest Europe indicate that out of every 100 entrepreneurs funded by venture capital in Europe, 78 are part of all-male teams.
However, compelling evidence from McKinsey & Company’s Diversity Matters Even More report reveals that companies with greater female representation in executive positions tend to be more successful and profitable. Additionally, research published by the Peterson Institute for International Economics affirms that companies with at least 30% women in leadership roles experience a notable 15% increase in profitability compared to those without.
There is much work ahead to secure gender parity in the workplace, and we all need to continue pushing for greater gender diversity and inclusivity.
The What
We at ATHENEXA have made it our mission to help close the gender gap through the implementation of woman-to-woman reciprocal mentoring.
The ATHENEXA Reciprocal Mentoring Program fosters social exchange by bringing together mentors and mentees as co-learners and co-mentors, working together to inspire profound and lasting change for both themselves and the organization. Through our mentoring program, participants become part of a female ecosystem to reap the benefits of mutual support and guidance.
We are offering an unconventional approach to mentoring. We want to transform the conventional hierarchical and traditional mentoring model into a collaborative connection that emphasizes collective intelligence, development and mutual learning through the exchange of knowledge and experiences across companies.
Through our reciprocal mentoring program, we aim to accelerate leadership development while helping close the gender gap.
The How
Program
The ATHENEXA Reciprocal Mentoring Program is targeted at female professionals – or any individuals identifying as women – across companies. The expected duration of a co-mentoring journey is approximately 6 months. We commit to full program implementation as well as active involvement.
Platform
We provide the space where female professionals across companies can sign up, connect, learn and draw inspiration from each other.
Onboarding
Participants are first queried about their strengths, areas of expertise, and aspirations for expanding their knowledge and enhancing their skills.
Matching
Using the data collected during the onboarding phase, a personalized matching algorithm pairs the program participants to facilitate the most effective and mutually beneficial co-learning and co-mentoring experience.
Training
As proper preparation and setting expectations are crucial for success, we provide specific training for co-mentors before they begin their co-mentoring journey.
Reciprocal Mentoring
This is where the magic happens. The co-mentoring journey we facilitate comprises three phases: discovery, development, and consolidation.
Retrospective Evaluation
Prior to initiating the co-mentoring process, participants are required to conduct a self-assessment. Throughout the journey, bilateral feedback is provided. Upon completion, co-mentors revisit their initial self-assessment, enabling us to measure the qualitative and quantitative impact of the co-mentoring journey. Subsequently, we follow up on the participants’ career advancements.
Female Ecosystem
Our ultimate goal is to establish a nurturing network accessible to female professionals and leaders at any point in their careers.
Meet Our Founder
Dora Iranyi
Founder
From an early age, she demonstrated a natural ability to connect deeply with others, keenly observing their strengths and challenges to help them grow both personally and professionally. Guided by her natural empathy and desire to empower others, she pursued a university degree and master in Psychology complemented by a master in Coaching. This educational background laid the groundwork for her impactful career in Human Resources, where she progressed to senior leadership roles, including HR Director and Board member at a prominent multinational company in Spain. Her true calling has always been to find meaningful ways to support employees in their leadership journeys. Motivated by this purpose, she founded her own leadership consultancy, 4Dvelopment, focusing on Conscious Leadership Training Programs and Mentoring that transforms organizational cultures.
Recognizing the specific challenges faced by women in the workplace, she pioneered targeted workshops tailored to their unique needs. Driven by the ambition to create a lasting impact, she launched ATHENEXA, a Reciprocal Mentoring Program for women to enable them to co-learn, collaborate, and authentically elevate each other’s potential.
The Brand
The female mentorship program was born from a deep commitment to empowering women in their professional journeys and leadership growth. The name ATHENEXA combines Athena, the greek goddess known as the first mentor, renowned for her wisdom, courage, and leadership, with Nexa, meaning connection.
Through this mentoring program, women develop essential skills and support each other by sharing experiences and strategies to overcome challenges often faced in the workplace. It’s about fostering real opportunities and meaningful relationships that help women thrive, pursue leadership roles, and claim their decision-making place in the corporate world.
The Impact
High-quality mentoring • High IMPACT
Reciprocal Mentoring Program 2025-226 results: our participants rated the experience highly and would recommend it to others.
8.5/10
NPS
A strong indicator of satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.
Measurable Growth • Lasting IMPACT
Our reciprocal mentoring program fosters confidence, clarity, and capability, empowering women to lead with greater impact.
80%+
CONFIDENCE
Increased overall self-confidence, greater confidence in decision making, and a stronger voice in professional environments.
65%+
CLARITY & DIRECTION
Clearer professional goals and better understanding of their own leadership.
50%+
READINESS & CAPABILITY
Increased readiness for new challenges and improved ability to navigate complex situations.
Women leading the program with more confidence, clearer directions and the capability to lead in complexity
Stories that matter • Human IMPACT
La capacidad de potenciar nuestras propias habilidades desde la reflexión objetiva que aporta un mentor. Mejora en la seguridad en comunicar en ambientes ejecutivos.
Conectar con mujeres fuera de mi entorno habitual me ha dado nuevas perspectivas y la sensación de pertenecer a una comunidad que impulsa, inspira y acompaña; este sistema de apoyo me ha ayudado a poder gestionar los temas desde otra mirada y a incrementar la confianza en mí misma.
Un espacio seguro donde sentirse libre para compartir dificultades del entorno laboral en posiciones de liderazgo femenino. En este espacio, he obtenido versiones diferentes a la mía que han enriquecido mi visión y han generado amplitud en mi toma de decisiones.
Confidence in future decisions and the empathy to know that other women also go through the same difficult decisions which can torn us apart between work and day to day life. The programme certainly has brought gratitude and empowerment to continue in my personal and professional growth.
The highlight for me was to be able to exchange with someone outside of my industry, and practice mentoring without fear of judgment or gossip. The framework helped give structure to the meetings, and make them effective. I truly enjoyed the experience, and the mentoring came at a time I really needed this type of support.
Why Work With Us
We
- provide reciprocal mentoring program connecting companies across diverse industries and sectors
- present an innovative yet effective approach to mentoring
- commit to fully implementing and actively engaging in the program
- use a distinctive, data-driven algorithm for optimal matching
- support local, compliant diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies, alongside the UN 2030 Sustainability Goal for Gender Equality
Join our Waiting List
If you want your company to be part of our reciprocal mentoring program across companies from different sectors, join the waiting list.