"Together we will find a solution."
Mela Mela is the name of a beloved Ethiopian song—one that means different things to different people. One interpretation is 'together we will find a solution.' For us, that captures one of our core beliefs: the best answers come when people work together.
This idea struck our co-founder, Mike Gudenau, at an unexpected moment. He was at a concert when the lead singer introduced the song Mela Mela and explained its message.
At the time, Mike was knee-deep in the realities of special education. He had spent seven years in the classroom—first as a paraprofessional, then as a teacher. He knew firsthand the power of a strong classroom team. However, he was frustrated by the lack of tools and systems that made collaboration so difficult.
Our Mission
Teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators want to make a positive impact, without sacrificing their well-being or work-life balance. But every day, more and more are operating in a state of day-to-day burnout.
We envision another way.
Built by Educators, for Educators
Mela Mela was born in a classroom and shaped by the people who make schools work. Our team includes educators, engineers, designers, and BCBAs. We understand the daily challenges of special education classrooms and the importance of ensuring that every team member is aligned, informed, and supported.
Every product decision we make is grounded in educator feedback, interviews, and real-world classroom insight.
And we don’t just build tools—
we co-create solutions. Through our Innovation Lab, we partner directly with school teams to design, test, and refine tools that truly support their day-to-day work.
Why a Giraffe?
At Mela Mela, we chose the giraffe as our symbol because it reflects the qualities we see in great special education teams. High above the noise, giraffes remain calm, collected, and caring. They move with grace, maintain balance in challenging terrain, and carry their uniqueness with quiet confidence—just like the educators we serve every day.
We build tools to help them do that work with strength and clarity.
