How InTempo is Helping People Overcome Anxiety
Meet Our Alumni
Welcome to another edition of Meet Our Alumni, where we highlight the inspiring founders. Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Alina, the founder of InTempo and an alumna of our Female Startup Pre-accelerator program, supported by the Visa Foundation, and now her startup is making waves in the mental health space by combining music, technology, and self-care ✨
Anxiety is one of the biggest mental health challenges of our time, affecting millions of people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people struggling with anxiety disorders is continuously increasing. In Poland alone, one in four people has experienced a mental health disorder at some point in their life, and nearly 8% in the last 12 months alone. That’s a huge part of the population navigating stress and anxiety, often without the right tools or support. The need for accessible and innovative solutions is more urgent than ever, and that’s exactly where InTempo comes in.
🎙️ Hi Alina! Let’s start with an introduction. Can you tell us about InTempo?
Alina: Hi! InTempo is a rhythm-based musical app combined with a tactile pad designed to combat stress and panic attacks. We help users assess their mental state and with the knowledge of their preferred music taste we tailor their musical therapy. Think of it as a self-care tool that supports your mental health.
🎙️How does the technology behind InTempo work? What innovations have you introduced?
Alina: For the latest version of InTempo, we’re implementing machine learning to guarantee personalisation. Users define their mental state (whether it’s a stressful situation, irritation, or a feeling of an impending panic attack) and set the music genres they listen to. Based on this, InTempo suggests the tempo, music tracks, their length, and the number of tracks for the music session.
The main goal is to determine what emotional level a person is at at the moment and help him or her to go up, if desired, or to release tension and go down a little with the help of music & rhythm playback.
Our slogan for this new version is “Save space for your highs and lows.” The app will learn from users’ interactions, refining recommendations over time. Right now, we’re focusing on the mobile app and smartwatch integration, with plans to introduce an updated version of our tactile pad later.
🎙️What inspired you to start InTempo?
Alina: Solving a personal problem! I came up with the idea for InTempo during a panic attack — I was in the city, listening to music in a public place. I fully focused on reproducing the rhythm of a song I had a strong emotional connection with (one of my all-time favourites), and as I tapped along, I started feeling my body again. It helped me shift attention away from the stressful situation and ground myself. That’s when I realised how powerful rhythm and music could be as a tool for self-regulation.
Literally the same week, I submitted this idea in the form of a text as an application for an international competition. Out of 2,600 global entries, mine made it to the top six. That’s when I knew this concept had real potential.
🎙️Every startup faces hurdles. What were your biggest challenges in the early days?
Alina: Oh, there were plenty! InTempo wasn’t originally meant to become a startup, it started out as a design concept for the Lexus Design Award in Japan. The goal was to tackle a specific problem and, as part of the competition, we had to bring the concept to life somehow, even if just as a mockup.
So, within a week, we pulled together a team. But to be honest, not everyone was the right fit, and that was our first real challenge.
Moving from a pure idea to a startup was also a complicated process because I had no experience in music tech, healthcare, business, or startups. That early stage felt very lonely and full of confusion. Especially that I knew I had a cool idea in my hands, but no idea what to do with it.
🎙️Was there a moment when you felt InTempo was really taking off?
Alina: Yes, every time we moved from one competition to another, or got accepted into a startup program, it felt like a green light to keep going! Those moments of recognition really pushed us forward. And honestly, hearing feedback from our users (even if they were just beta testers for the very first version) was incredibly motivating, no matter how critical they were.
🎙️What led you to join Huge Thing? What were your expectations?
Alina: I saw an announcement about the accelerator on the Telegram messenger and immediately thought of applying because it was aimed at startups with female founders. Plus, I was curious to see how our idea would be received in Poland. Before the program we were considering focusing exclusively on Western Europe and the US (the app is free for Ukrainians worldwide). And since we had previously only participated in incubation programs and hackathons, our expectations for the program were high.
Apart from the knowledge base, the program gave me one of the most inspiring mentors I have ever had (Lola Onipko) and a circle of fellow female founders. We remain in contact still, and it’s truly remarkable!
🎙️How did the program impact InTempo’s development?
Alina: Demo Day at Google for Startups was a great incentive for our development, and ironically, so was the fact that we did not receive the 10k grant! It actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Instead of getting comfortable, we went all-in on securing other grants and funding. That drive led us to win a grant from Seeds of Bravery.
🎙️As a Ukrainian founder, how has the current situation in Ukraine affected InTempo?
Alina: In fact, the events in Ukraine constantly affect our startup. Because no matter how used you are to rocket attacks and drone shootdowns, it still affects your well-being and mental health. Also, the backend developer of our first version joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and we couldn’t find a replacement for a very long time.
At the same time, this situation gives us a constant incentive to develop InTempo because the startup will be highly relevant for Ukrainians.
🎙️Your app was tested at the Ukrainian State Medical and Social Center for War Veterans. Can you share more?
Alina: The initial testing had its challenges, mainly because of how the focus group was selected. But any failure is an experience, and now we know what to implement in the new version to make the experience positive and more personalized for war veterans.
🎙️What’s been your experience as a female founder?
Alina: So far, I have not seen any significant difficulties or obstacles due to my gender. Perhaps it’s because the idea that I’m trying to implement and convey to users has no gender in itself.
Stress is a phenomenon you don’t get used to if you live in a big city and have ambitions. But music unites people regardless of age, nationality, religion, and other differences because our whole body reacts to the rhythm and tempo of music tracks. This has been repeatedly proven by science.
🎙️ What’s your top advice for startup founders?
Alina: Find a core team that genuinely cares about the idea — not just the financial potential. It’s hard, but it makes all the difference. A small, dedicated team beats a large, indifferent one any day.
Also, my mentor once told me: “Do things that don’t scale.” Look up Paul Graham’s essay on this — it’s a game-changer.
Find a core team that genuinely cares about the idea and its impact, not just the financial potential. This is extremely difficult to do, but it is possible. Your team can consist of only 3–4 people, but here, quality far outweighs quantity.
And another tip I can share that my recent mentor advised us to do is “Do Things that Don’t Scale”. Look up Paul Graham’s (the Founder of Y Combinator) essay on this, to figure out what it means :)
🎙️ Do you feel that your startup has already achieved success, or is there more to come?
Alina: There is a lot of work to be done! Our upcoming release this spring is a massive step toward realizing our vision and solving the users’ problem! The first version was too crude and contained many minor flaws, both in terms of functionality and user experience. Now we are gaining knowledge and, after testing InTempo with very different focus groups, we understand more clearly what our users need.
We’re working hard to make InTempo a tool that genuinely helps people feel heard, more confident and in control.
You can follow our journey at our instagram or website :)
Our following plans are launching the app’s second version and getting a musical partnership. We are considering different ways to obtain the collaboration, whether it would be local Ukrainian musical labels, musicians & bands, or Universal Music Group/Warner Chapell Music. Currently, we are open to any musical-related offers!
🎙️ Thank you for your time Alina! Is there anything you would like to add at the end?
Alina: I sincerely wish all other startups and inspired people who just want to start their own startup — believe in your idea! And don’t give up if the first version doesn’t work out if you can’t assemble a team or get funding. Just try again!
🎙️ Alina, thank you for sharing your journey with us! We’re inspired by your resilience and passion for making mental health support more accessible. We’ll be cheering for you and InTempo as you continue to grow and make an impact!
We know that great ideas need the right environment to grow. If you’re a female founder looking for the support, knowledge, and connections to take your startup to the next level, applications are now open for our Female Founders Fundraising Academy, supported by Visa Foundation!
Join a community of driven entrepreneurs, gain access to expert mentorship, and get the tools you need to fundraise successfully. Apply now and take the next step in your startup journey!
