GROWNi

What GROWNi does

GROWNi is a Slovak nonprofit online platform operated under the Leaf organization that connects individuals with personal and professional development opportunities including mentoring, volunteering, jobs, internships, and educational programs. As of the input data, the platform serves 20,336 registered users, 592 verified mentors, and 1,701 organizations, with 3,129 active opportunities listed and 5,244 personality questionnaires completed. The product surface comprises five core modules: a self-knowledge assessment suite of 17 scientifically-validated instruments (Big Five, Holland career interests, Schwartz values, Kohlberg moral development, Kegan adult development, attachment styles, and entrepreneurship assessments) that generate personalized recommendations; a mentorship marketplace with online and in-person sessions; a job and internship board; a volunteering marketplace; an educational events directory; and an ATS plus TalentBase module for organizational customers. A selective 6-month Mentoring Network pre svetové Slovensko program targets Slovak professionals worldwide.

The platform is built on Firebase with ImageKit for media management, and an MCP connect endpoint for AI assistant integration is referenced in the footer, though no proprietary AI models or training pipelines are disclosed. Revenue mechanics are entirely donation-based for individual users: one-time donations and monthly contributions of €12, €24, or €96 are processed via the DARUJME.sk platform, and the Slovak 2% tax-deduction mechanism is offered as an alternative giving channel. Individual users access all core features for free, and no public pricing exists for organizational services. The platform's distribution is web-only (growni.sk), restricted to Slovakia, and its go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer self-registration with community-led organic growth driven by word-of-mouth, a content blog, an email newsletter, and partner endorsements from named Slovak institutions including Tatra banka, IBM, Bloomreach, and government ministries (MIRRI, MHSR).

The customer base is fragmented and long-tailed, spanning nonprofits (Mládež ulice, Teach for Slovakia, Domov sociálnych služieb), enterprises (Accenture, NOVIDEA, Front Row), and startups (Dataswans, BeeHuman, Lifestarter), with no publicly disclosed revenue, funding rounds, or institutional investors. Founded in 2020 with 11–50 employees, GROWNi is positioned as a community-driven initiative focused on improving Slovakia by linking professionals with those seeking growth, rather than a venture-backed commercial entity.

Name

GROWNi

Legal name

GROWNi

Website

https://growni.sk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GROWNi is a Slovak nonprofit platform connecting 20,336 users with mentoring, volunteering, jobs, and education through 592 mentors and 1,701 organizations, featuring 17 validated personality assessments and an ATS for organizational use, funded by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Career Development Platform

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Career development platform
• Mentorship matching platform
• Volunteer opportunity marketplace
• Personality assessment platform
• Professional networking platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Piestany

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Support: GROWNi operates primarily on donations and community support. Options include one-time donations and monthly contributions of 12€, 24€, or 96€ through DARUJME.sk platform. Additionally, users can support through 2% tax donation (2% z dane) mechanism common in Slovakia for nonprofits.
2. Free Platform Access: Core platform services are free for individual users - registration, mentoring matching, job postings, volunteering opportunities, and self-discovery tests are provided at no cost to users.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

GROWNi is a free Slovak online platform that connects individuals with mentoring, volunteering, job, internship, and educational opportunities, while providing 17 scientifically-validated personality and self-assessment tests that generate personalized recommendations. The platform also serves organizations (companies, nonprofits, schools, public institutions) that can post opportunities, find talent, and manage recruitment through an integrated Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and TalentBase database.

Product overview

GROWNi is a personal and professional development platform that connects individuals with mentorship, volunteering, education, and meaningful work opportunities in Slovakia. The platform operates as a unified ecosystem combining multiple modules: a self-knowledge assessment suite (17 personality and career tests), a professional mentorship marketplace with 592 mentors, a job/internship posting board, a volunteering opportunity marketplace, an educational events and programs directory, and an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) for organizations. The TalentBase add-on provides talent database access for organizations. All modules are interconnected through user profiles that enable personalized recommendations based on assessment results.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GROWNi Sebapoznanie (Self-Knowledge Tests) A suite of 17 scientifically-validated personality and self-assessment tests including Big Five, Holland career interests, Schwartz values, Kohlberg moral development, Kegan adult development, attachment styles, and entrepreneurship assessments. Users receive personalized results to guide career, education, and personal growth decisions.
• GROWNi Mentoring Platform A mentorship matching platform connecting mentees with 592 verified professional mentors across various industries including IT, marketing, leadership, project management, and career development. The platform facilitates online and in-person mentoring sessions.
• TalentBase A talent database service for organizations to access and search for qualified candidates, part of the organizational services suite on GROWNi.
• Mentoring Network for World Slovakia A selective 6-month mentorship program connecting 100 Slovak professionals from around the world with mentees, featuring 16+ hours of 1:1 mentoring and group networking activities.
• GROWNi Job Board (Práca) A job and internship marketplace where organizations post opportunities and individuals find meaningful work, flex jobs, and remote positions across Slovakia.
• GROWNi Volunteering Marketplace (Dobrobáza) A volunteering opportunity marketplace connecting individuals with volunteer projects across Slovakia and allowing organizations to find volunteers for their projects.
• GROWNi Education Directory (Vzdelávanie) An educational events, courses, workshops, and scholarship opportunities directory where users can learn from the best and develop their skills.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,336 registered users actively using the platform for personal growth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Tatra bankaminorOthersBanking partner shown in 'Dôverujú nám' (They trust us) section of the website. Nature of partnership not explicitly specified but appears to be organizational support or collaboration.
• NexteriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation and youth development organization visible in trust/partners section. May collaborate on educational programs or student development initiatives.
• IBMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner shown in trust section. May provide technology, mentorship, or organizational support to GROWNi platform.
• BloomreachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company partner visible in trust section. Nature of collaboration not explicitly detailed.
• MIRRIminorOthersResearch/innovation organization (Ministerstvo investícií, regionálneho rozvoja a informatizácie - Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization) partner shown in trust section.
• MHSRminorOthersMinistry of Economy partner (Ministerstvo hospodárstva SR) visible in trust section.
• KontentinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial media management tool provider offering special program for nonprofit community on GROWNi. Blog post 'Kontentino pre komunitu neziskoviek na GROWNi' describes partnership to help nonprofits manage social media.
• NSPminorOthersPartner organization shown in trust section. Identity not explicitly confirmed in available content.
• TISminorOthersPartner organization shown in trust section. Identity not explicitly confirmed in available content.
• LeafcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization operating GROWNi project. The Leaf logo appears in the footer: 'Projekt GROWNi zastrešuje organizácia Leaf'. Leaf is the parent nonprofit organization.
• DARUJME.skcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonation platform used for monthly support contributions. The website directs to DARUJME.sk for recurring donations: 'Darovať mesačne cez DARUJME.sk'

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GoodGym: GoodGym combines running with volunteering, helping users contribute to community projects while getting fit. It is a direct peer to GROWNi's volunteering marketplace, distinguished by its community lifestyle angle but with the same two-sided nonprofit/individual model.
• 100mentors: 100mentors is a mentoring marketplace that connects learners with experienced professionals across geographies. It is comparable to GROWNi on the cross-border mentorship matching mechanic and access-to-experts value proposition.
• Mentorloop: Mentorloop is a mentoring platform that connects employees and mentees inside organizations and across networks. Like GROWNi, it pairs individual talent with vetted mentors and provides tools to manage mentoring programs, making it a direct comparable on the mentoring and people-development side.
• Chronus: Chronus provides mentoring software for businesses, universities, and associations, with program management, matching, and analytics. It is a direct peer to GROWNi's organizational mentoring programs and the new ATS for tracking candidates and program participants.
• ImpactPool: ImpactPool connects professionals with careers and opportunities in the social impact sector, including UN agencies, NGOs, and social enterprises. It is a direct peer to GROWNi's meaningful-work job board, particularly for users seeking purpose-driven placements.
• Graduateland: Graduateland is a career and networking platform for students and recent graduates, combining job listings, mentorship, and content. It is comparable to GROWNi's student-focused 'Stáže' (internships) and 'Young Professionals' segment, including its emphasis on meaningful first-job matching.
• VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch is one of the largest volunteer matching platforms, connecting individuals with nonprofits needing help. It is a direct peer to GROWNi's Dobrovoľníctvo (Volunteering) module, which serves the same two-sided use case of volunteer seekers and nonprofit posters.

Regional players

• Karirer.cz: Karirer.cz is a Czech graduate career platform similar to GROWNi's student and early-career focus. It is a regional comparable operating in a neighboring Central European market, useful for sizing the addressable opportunity if GROWNi expanded from Slovakia into the Czech Republic.
• Profesia.sk: Profesia.sk is the leading Slovak job board and the primary local incumbent for the 'Práca' (Jobs) module. As a regional player, it competes for the same organizations posting roles and candidates searching for jobs in Slovakia, though it lacks GROWNi's mentoring and assessment layers.

Broad incumbents

• LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the dominant professional networking platform with jobs, learning, and mentorship features. It is a broad incumbent whose LinkedIn Learning and job modules overlap with GROWNi's education, jobs, and mentoring offerings, even though GROWNi targets a narrower nonprofit/values-driven segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GROWNi_sk
• Facebookfacebook.com/growni.sk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grownisk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GROWNi