Meet DeepL: How mentorship empowers women to grow and lead

At DeepL, learning doesn’t just happen through formal training programs—it happens through people. Through conversations, trust and shared experiences.

Our mentoring program brings that culture to life. It’s not about hierarchy or having all the answers. It’s about mutual growth, building confidence and creating spaces where people can lead authentically.

For Women’s Month, we spoke with Atrayee De, Legal Counsel in our Go-to-Market Legal function, about what mentorship means to her, how it supports women in tech, and why lifting each other up is one of the most powerful drivers of growth.

Meet Atrayee

Hi, I’m Atrayee De, a first-generation lawyer originally from India, now living and working in the UK. Throughout my career, I’ve bridged different worlds and perspectives.

As Legal Counsel within DeepL’s Go-to-Market Legal group, I work at the intersection of emerging tech and complex legal challenges. From navigating the frontiers of AI and evolving data privacy landscapes, to structuring commercial contracts at scale, I help ensure we innovate with integrity. My role is about turning DeepL’s cutting-edge technology into sustainable, compliant global growth.

What motivated you to become a mentor?

Mentoring isn’t a side project for me, it’s a core part of how I show up at work. It's also a huge part of our culture at DeepL.

In frontier spaces like AI, data privacy and technology law, uncertainty is a constant. Navigating that space can sometimes feel like a solo mission. That’s why I’ve always been passionate about mentoring, because I know how valuable it is to have someone in your corner.

I’m especially passionate about Diversity & Inclusion initiatives. I want to use my experiences to help create environments where others feel encouraged to take up space. For me, it’s about building a culture of Miteinander — where we win by lifting each other up.

Mentorship is not about giving someone the right answers. It’s about helping them build the confidence to lead in rooms where there might not be another voice like theirs. That’s how we learn faster, grow stronger and move forward together.

What does mentorship mean to you beyond career guidance?

It’s about winning together on a human level.

Beyond career ladders and progression plans, mentorship creates a space where you can drop your professional guard. It builds resilience in high-pressure environments, and helps you navigate organisational change without losing your authentic voice.

It’s a partnership. We both walk away sharper and more grounded, regardless of title.

What's one thing that mentoring has taught you, personally or professionally?

That vulnerability is a leadership superpower.

In tech and legal roles, we’re often expected to be the “source of truth”. But mentoring has shown me that saying, “I don’t know,  let’s figure it out together,” builds deeper trust.

It’s made me a more empathetic listener, and a more flexible thinker. And that carries over into everything I do.

What advice would you give to women who are early in their careers?

Be a Pioniere (one of DeepL’s core values, and Italian for pioneer). Don’t wait for the perfect moment to take a seat at the table; the perfect moment doesn't exist. Master your craft, but also learn the business. Understand how culture, strategy and customers connect. When you understand the why behind the what, you stop being a support function and start driving the mission.

How can mentorship help create confidence, clarity or a sense of belonging?

Confidence often comes from not feeling alone.

Mentorship creates a safe space for you to validate your instincts and realise that the hurdles you’re facing aren’t personal failures — they’re part of the process.

Knowing someone has your back brings clarity and a sense of belonging. And that sense of belonging gives you the courage to take bigger risks.

Why does supporting other women matter in professional environments?

You can’t build a future you can’t imagine. When women support women, we normalise female leadership in the most technical frontiers of the business, shifting the narrative from "competing for a spot" to "expanding the room". By lifting each other up, the entire organization moves faster and thinks bigger.

At DeepL, this philosophy isn’t just theoretical,  it’s  evident in the collaboration, allyship and mutual support woven into our work at every level. I am constantly inspired by our female leaders and peers, who combine intelligence with deep empathy. Each woman contributes a unique perspective, and learning from and collaborating with them has truly been a highlight of my journey. This experience is a powerful reminder that while our technology is revolutionary, it’s  our community that makes us unstoppable.

What does Women’s History Month mean to you?

For me, Women’s History Month is a time to honor the quiet grit and loud breakthroughs that brought us here. In the fast-moving worlds of technology and law, it’s easy to focus only on the next milestone. This month reminds me that we’re part of a much longer lineage.

It’s about recognizing that while we build world-class technology, the real innovation lies in the diversity of the human spirit behind it. For me, it’s a personal commitment to the women coming up behind me. I want the glass ceilings we navigate today to not just have cracks: I want them gone.

It’s about lifting as we climb. It's a promise to the next generation of women that we won’t just have a seat at the table; we’ll have the absolute freedom to build our own table, lead with our voices, and grow faster than we ever thought possible. We aren’t just advancing a business; we are advancing the potential of every woman who dares to ask, "What’s next?"

For Women’s History Month, Atrayee’s story is a reminder that progress doesn’t happen in isolation.

Mentorship creates the confidence, clarity and belonging that allows women to take up space and lead authentically. And when women support women, we don’t just open doors, we expand the room.

At DeepL, lifting as we climb isn’t a slogan. It’s part of how we grow.

If you’re looking for a place where learning is mutual, growth is continuous, and your voice matters, explore our open roles and join us.