Female Founder Friday: In Conversation with Claudia Radu, Co-Founder of Circe

This week’s Female Founder Friday takes us on a journey of purpose, resilience, and innovation with the inspiring Claudia Radu, co-founder of Circe. A champion of impact-driven ventures and a firm believer in the power of therapy and community, Claudia brings a refreshingly honest and engaging voice to the entrepreneurial space. I, FC, had the pleasure of speaking with Claudia following her win at a Web Summit side event in Lisbon (yes, she won the pitch competition!), and it was a conversation filled with wisdom, laughter, and a few unexpected twists.

FC: Claudia, thank you for joining us! Could you start by sharing your professional background and how it led to founding Circe?

CR: Absolutely! My background is in political economy, and I’ve always been drawn to careers that have a meaningful societal impact. When I was younger, I even wanted to be the Prime Minister of Romania! I started out in the non-profit sector because I wanted to be on the front lines of social good. But I quickly realised the pace of change was frustratingly slow, and that so many of the problems charities try to fix are systemic—often caused by poor business practices.

So I pivoted into the impact startup world. I was part of the founding team at Unrest, the UK’s first accelerator for B2C impact-driven businesses. I designed and delivered over 400 hours of live educational content and grew our community from nothing to over 800 founders, investors, and partners. It was an incredible learning experience and gave me the opportunity to work closely with early-stage founders.

After three years, my husband and I returned from our honeymoon only to find we were both between jobs. We’d both always talked about building something together, and this felt like the right moment. We started with a social media app for teenagers, which we built and sold for a small sum. That gave us a taste for entrepreneurship. Then we launched a reproductive health brand in Romania—but that came to an end after our warehouse burned down, destroying all of our stock. It was a tough moment, but it gave us the clarity and the lessons we needed to build something even more meaningful. That’s how Circe came to life.

FC: That’s quite the journey! What is Circe, and what inspired the idea?

CR: Circe is a digital platform that connects women to online group therapy. The premise is really simple but powerful: users answer a few questions in a short onboarding survey, and we use that data to match them into therapy groups of up to 10 women with shared life experiences. These sessions are always led by a licensed therapist who’s experienced in group work. And between sessions, we provide personalised progress tracking and curated exercises to help users stay engaged and continue growing.

The inspiration really came from our own experiences. Both my co-founder and I have had mental health challenges and benefited from therapy. What many people don’t realise is that group therapy is just as effective as one-to-one for many conditions—there’s seven decades of clinical research to support that. But it’s underutilised, mainly because of the logistical challenges in organising and scaling groups.

We’re building an intelligent matching algorithm—not just buzzword “AI” for the sake of it, but something that deeply considers life experiences and presenting symptoms. For example, I have OCD, and for years I thought I was just anxious and depressed. But those symptoms were rooted in my OCD. So our groups won’t be just for anxiety or depression—they’ll be for women with OCD who present with those symptoms. That nuance is crucial.

FC: That’s a fantastic and much-needed solution. Have you faced any specific challenges so far?

CR: Definitely. We’re still early stage, so we haven’t launched the therapy groups yet, but we’re laser-focused on building our referral infrastructure. We realised quite early on that most people don’t just stumble upon group therapy. They’re referred into it—by GPs, by therapists, by employers, or sometimes by other women’s health brands.

Interestingly, we noticed that referral pathways vary significantly depending on the condition. For example, neurodivergent women often self-diagnose after consuming social media content, then seek out communities or peer support. Women going through hormonal changes like menopause or experiencing maternal mental health challenges usually get referred via their GP. And work-related stress? That’s often dealt with through employers. So, we’re creating ecosystems around each of these themes, preparing to activate them as soon as we’re ready.

FC: What do you think is the main reason people are hesitant about group therapy?

CR: I think the biggest barrier is actually awareness. Most people don’t even know that group therapy exists in a structured, clinical form. Or if they do, they associate it with addiction recovery or something very niche. There’s also a stigma, definitely—people worry about opening up to a group of strangers. That vulnerability feels overwhelming.

But the research is very clear: most participants begin to feel safe and open up properly by the third or fourth session. That’s why the recommended programme length is 12 to 16 sessions—because it takes time for trust to build. Once it does, the healing that happens in those spaces can be incredibly powerful. You’re not just supported by a therapist—you’re validated by others who truly get what you’re going through.

FC: As a female founder, have you experienced any unique challenges?

CR: So far, I’ve been quite fortunate. I work in a female-centric space, so 90% of the people I interact with daily are women. That’s a huge privilege. But I have had experiences where I wasn’t taken seriously—usually because I look younger than I am. There’s a tendency to underestimate young women in business, which is incredibly frustrating, especially when you’ve spent years building up real expertise.

That said, we’re just starting our fundraising journey now. The data tells us women receive a fraction of venture capital, so I’m bracing myself. But I’m also hopeful—I think the more we talk about these disparities, the more we’ll see change.

FC: What advice would you give to young women considering entrepreneurship?

CR: I could write a book on this! First of all, know that imposter syndrome is universal. Everyone feels it—yes, even the most confident men you see on LinkedIn. So do it scared. Don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect pitch—just start. You’ll learn by doing.

Also, be really honest with yourself about what kind of business you want to build. If you want a lifestyle business where you work fewer hours and live comfortably, that’s valid. But if you want a high-growth, venture-backed business, know that it’s going to demand everything from you. It will become your lifestyle. And that’s okay too—as long as you’re clear-eyed about it.

Lastly, surround yourself with people who share your values and energy. Having a strong support network is non-negotiable. This journey will test you, and it’s your people who’ll get you through the tough days.

FC: Incredible insight. Lastly, what’s next for Circe?

CR: We’re heads-down on building the product and making sure our referral partners are ready to go when we launch. But long-term, we’re really aiming to become the leading platform for group therapy. Not just for women’s mental health, but potentially for wider audiences too.

What’s exciting is that our business model actually benefits from scale—unlike many digital health platforms. The more people we match, the better our outcomes become, because we can form more nuanced and targeted groups. So, growth for us isn’t just about revenue—it’s about impact. That’s what makes me leap out of bed every morning.

Claudia is living proof that resilience, clarity, and a deep connection to community can lead to truly innovative impact. With Circe, she and her co-founder are not just building a platform—they’re building a future where women feel seen, supported, and understood.

Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-radu-at-circe/
Company website: https://www.hello-circe.com/

Author: Gideon Stott, Digital Marketing Executive at FounderCatalyst