--- title: "About Marian Kamenistak — mentor to engineering leaders" description: "Built engineering through Mews Series C. Leadership at Manta, acquired by IBM. 3,400+ mentoring sessions, 3,100+ ELC members across CEE." url: "https://www.marian.coach/about/" lang: "en" image: "https://www.marian.coach/_astro/headshot-clean.BmlOZOT7_Z28oYxY.jpg" --- About # Marian Kamenistak Mentor to CTOs, VPs, and the engineering leaders who report to them. 3,400+ sessions across 17 countries. Based in Prague, working across Europe and North America. [Book a free intro →](https://www.marian.coach/meet)[What mentees say](https://www.marian.coach/testimonials/) **Marian Kamenistak is an engineering leadership mentor** based in Prague. He mentors 1:1 with engineering managers, directors, VPs, and CTOs across Europe and North America. Since 2019 he has run 3,400+ mentoring sessions with 300+ leaders from 17 countries, with an average review score of 9.17 out of 10. ![Marian Kamenistak, engineering leadership mentor, celebrating a mentee win](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/portrait-energy.BbDUthbN_ZegiuL.webp) Background ## Been in the seat. One road, from hands on the keyboard to the room that builds Europe's next leaders. 1. Age 11 ### Programming since age 11 Hands dirty with code since I was 11, long before the computer science degree made it official. The craft came first. It still does. ![Sinclair ZX Spectrum logo](https://www.marian.coach/images/clients/zx-spectrum.png) 2. Top 3% ### Toptal top 3% developer Screened into the top 3% of developers worldwide on Toptal. For a while I was one of the top developers in Central Europe. ![Toptal logo](https://www.marian.coach/images/clients/toptal.png) 3. Bay Area![San Francisco Bay Area badge with the Golden Gate Bridge](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/san-francisco-bay-area.CabjTn6x_1Fdrck.webp) ### Principal architect at Databricks The dream job took me to Silicon Valley for 4+ years as a Principal Software Architect at [Databricks](https://www.databricks.com/). I learned the US business drive up close. Then I got married, and my wife and I came home to Central Europe. ![Databricks logo](https://www.marian.coach/images/clients/databricks.png) 4. The unicorn ### Mews, a $2bn+ unicorn built in Europe Back home I helped grow [Mews](https://www.mews.com/) from the inside into a $2bn+ unicorn. Through Series C, R&D went from 8 to 80+ teams while the roadmap kept shipping. Engineering leadership at Manta, [acquired by IBM](https://www.ibm.com/new/announcements/ibm-acquires-manta), along the way. ![Mews logo](https://www.marian.coach/images/clients/mews.webp)$2bn+valuation 5. 300+ leaders ### Mentored 300+ leaders, grew more unicorns In 2023 I walked away from a $350k role to go all-in on mentoring. [3,400+ sessions](https://www.marian.coach/engineering-manager-mentor/) with 300+ leaders across 17 countries since 2019, helping their companies and the next unicorns grow. [Full numbers here](https://www.marian.coach/blog/build-500k-business-in-3-years/). ![Marian Kamenistak in a 1:1 mentoring session](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/mentoring-01.BaBhsinu_Z1Ehb3c.webp) 6. Today ### Building ELC: community, conference, startups The [Engineering Leaders Community](https://www.engineeringleaders.io/): 3,100+ members across CEE, 120+ leaders in the room every month, and a [conference](https://elc-conference.io/) with 500+ attendees and speakers from Netflix and Stripe. Plus a multitude of startups I help build along the way, as a mentor or [fractional CTO](https://www.marian.coach/fractional-cto/). ![A full room of engineering leaders at an ELC community meetup in Prague](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-02.s8OR-HcL_1LMqdV.webp) ![Full auditorium at the Engineering Leaders Conference](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/speaker-09.Cgx0l7B4_Z2liAjx.webp) Full bio on LinkedIn Mission > Building Silicon Valley-level product tech leaders in the Heart of Europe. ## Not another coach. 01 / 05 ### Been in the seat. I helped build [Mews](https://www.mews.com/) into a $2bn+ unicorn: 8 to 80 teams, roadmap still shipping. I went through the shit. 02 / 05 ### CEE-native, US-fluent. 4+ years in the Bay Area as a Principal Software Architect at [Databricks](https://www.databricks.com/). I understand US business drive and European culture. 03 / 05 ### Still highly technical. AI freak. Bullshit me on estimate, effort, code quality or architecture and I'll ask to see the code or your AI skill set. 04 / 05 ### Financially independent. I don't need your money. I'm financially retired. Seeing you grow is my payoff. 05 / 05 ### Direct. Mentoring first. I boost you fast. No esoteric loops. Portfolio ## How I've helped 300+ leaders. One network, one goal. Whether you need a mentor, a room full of peers, or your next senior hire. People - [ ### 1:1 mentoring Promoted, hired, or the fire out, with solid ground under your feet by session 4. 3,400+ sessions since 2019. Pick your role →](https://www.marian.coach/) - [ ### Leadership Academy Your EMs lead in weeks, not years: they learn the job while doing the job, in a cohort inside your company. 86 NPS. See the program →](https://www.engineeringleaders.io/academy/) - [ ### Hiring Senior hires in weeks, no recruiter fee. 3,100+ leaders know who is worth hiring long before the CV lands on your desk. Browse the list →](https://marianslist.com/) ELC Community - [ ### Community Your 11pm "my VPE just quit" fire, answered by someone who has survived the same one. 3,100+ ELC leaders, CEE-native. Join ELC →](https://www.engineeringleaders.io/) - [ ### Meetups Leaders walk out with their next hire, their next mentor, or the answer to this quarter’s fire. 120+ in the room, 12 times a year. Register for the next one →](https://www.engineeringleaders.io/join) - [ ### Conference A year of contacts in one day: 500+ engineering leaders, speakers from Netflix and Stripe, Czech Television in the room. See the conference →](https://elc-conference.io/) Companies - [ ### Speaking The room leaves with a playbook, not platitudes. Keynotes from someone who ran the org. 4 conferences, 6 panels, 6 podcasts a year. Topics and clips →](https://www.marian.coach/speaker/) - [ ### Productivity audit Roadmap slips stop in 3 months, or the money is on me. I find what breaks first, and what to touch to make it stop. What I look at →](https://www.marian.coach/engineering-teams-productivity-audit/) - [ ### Fractional CTO No CTO in the seat? I take it when the fit is right. Your org gets built by someone who grew one from 8 to 80+ teams. How it works →](https://www.marian.coach/fractional-cto/) Gallery ## In the room. With the audience. 3,400+ sessions across 17 countries. Scroll to see the range. - ![Marian Kamenistak on the main stage of the Engineering Leaders Conference, arm raised, co-host in the background.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-17.EHsoOj9U_5R7qP.webp) ELC Conference, main stage - ![Full auditorium audience at an engineering leadership conference where Marian Kamenistak spoke.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/speaker-09.Cgx0l7B4_Z2liAjx.webp) Conference keynote, full house - ![Marian Kamenistak keynoting at mDevCamp, his name projected large on the stage screen.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-04.BA_8CK_x_C845A.webp) mDevCamp keynote, Prague - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-30.Bdh_i7to_Z1St6gB.webp) Jun 2026 · ELC meetup #39: 5 levels of AI adoption - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-08.Dfm41NiU_Zr7LRA.webp) May 2026 · ELC meetup #37: 12 steps to boost your value - ![Marian Kamenistak at the Engineering Leaders Community conference 2026.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-42.Dhd8kjZn_Z1Ssqgq.webp) Apr 2026 · ELC Conference - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-11.BJeQ21aF_Z1K39y5.webp) Mar 2026 · ELC meetup #36: interviews for AI-native candidates - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-15.DJTYfM7q_Vs5AC.webp) Jan 2026 · ELC meetup #33: stop hiring unicorns, grow leaders - ![Marian Kamenistak walking the mDevCamp stage in front of a large pink-lit conference backdrop.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-05.G5yrumUC_1aatTJ.webp) mDevCamp, Prague - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-18.Du06DnV__msRB5.webp) Nov 2025 · ELC meetup #32: radical ownership - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-06.B5pYEovK_ZXPPVj.webp) Nov 2025 · ELC meetup #31: boost your value on the market - ![Wide shot of Marian Kamenistak speaking to a seated audience in a light-strung venue.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/speaker-06.Bv_Rt4pY_2iBfrW.webp) Evening leadership talk - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-22.CAiVVQWD_1ljnBu.webp) Oct 2025 · ELC meetup #30: AI dev tools, reality check - ![Marian Kamenistak leading a two-day engineering leadership workshop for a small group of managers, presenting at a screen.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-26.CMdq9dhg_Z1y6MrF.webp) Sep 2025 · ELC meetup #29: leading through big change - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-32.CXgKa2e3_1J87dt.webp) Jun 2025 · ELC meetup #28: performance reviews like a king - ![Marian Kamenistak on stage in front of the Engineering Leaders Community logo, addressing a full auditorium.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-43.Dg7RtBjJ_2lnipk.webp) Apr 2026 · ELC Conference - ![Marian Kamenistak leading a workshop in front of a screen reading "Measure your team's productivity" with strategy notes on the whiteboard.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-09.BOTNUCfW_Z1jF1D6.webp) Workshop: measuring team productivity - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-19.B-uT6PcF_1tsDnh.webp) Apr 2025 · ELC meetup #26: platform engineering in the wild - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-25.q3HcFa2x_ZIrbYR.webp) Apr 2025 · ELC meetup #25: earning a new team's trust - ![Marian Kamenistak at the Engineering Leaders Community conference 2026.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-45.Bu5pn2qT_1Sv1x2.webp) Apr 2026 · ELC Conference - ![Marian Kamenistak in a leadership workshop, in front of a slide titled "Top 3 dangers — Why we haven't delivered the roadmap this quarter."](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-01.BK9BNN9P_Z1QWIOb.webp) Leadership workshop: why the roadmap slipped - ![Audience at Plato Elevate San Francisco engineering leaders conference.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/speaker-01.DdstSGf2_lRKKJ.webp) Plato Elevate, San Francisco - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-27.CA3xHJXR_Z2kJKxK.webp) Mar 2025 · ELC meetup #24: PM and EM synergies - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-23.Ca4BZAsV_A3qYq.webp) Feb 2025 · ELC meetup #23: selling technical ideas - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking with a microphone at an Engineering Leaders Community event, hand raised mid-gesture.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-14.ruPaUQqD_ZpLgVT.webp) ELC meetup, audience Q&A - ![Marian Kamenistak pointing at a slide scoring AI-assisted engineering skills — agentic coding, AI code review, MCP integration — against a mid-level developer salary.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-41.lxux8gFJ_Z1qaqzN.webp) Apr 2026 · ELC Conference - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-20.0Apsmtfy_Z1nCMhf.webp) Jan 2025 · ELC meetup #20: saving one day a week with AI - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-07.Cqquhajr_Z2bSkin.webp) Dec 2024 · ELC meetup #19: the real role of Staff/Principal devs - ![Marian Kamenistak facilitating a workshop, mid-gesture, in front of a slide about roadmap delivery.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-16.BOCFjZmx_2iCmyM.webp) In-house leadership workshop - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking at an engineering leadership event.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-21.BdOplLV4_1t5qUv.webp) Nov 2024 · ELC meetup #17: Agile is dead. Now what? - ![Marian Kamenistak speaking to a full room of engineering leaders at an ELC meetup.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-02.s8OR-HcL_1LMqdV.webp) ELC meetup, Prague ## Structured data ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ProfessionalService","name":"Marian Kamenistak | Engineering Leadership Mentoring","url":"https://www.marian.coach/about/","image":"https://www.marian.coach/_astro/headshot-clean.BmlOZOT7_Z28oYxY.jpg","description":"Built engineering through Mews Series C. 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