I spent years inside product teams during hypergrowth, reviewing portfolios, interviewing designers, and building teams. That gave me a clear view of how talent is evaluated and revealed something uncomfortable.

The signals we rely on don’t tell the full story. Titles mean little, portfolios can be over-polished, and interviews often reward confidence over judgment.

With AI, this has intensified. Output is no longer scarce, and when everything looks right, what matters is how you think.

At the same time, boundaries between design, technology, and business are fading, giving rise to a new kind of professional defined not by role, but by judgment.

That’s where Kantera comes from.