Joana Braja

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT JOANA BRAJA

I’m a product designer who spends as much time asking should we build this? as how should we build this?I currently lead product discovery and design for an agentic AI platform at a global insurer, figuring out how to make powerful AI capabilities feel trustworthy, understandable, and genuinely useful to the people who’ll rely on them every day. Before that, I designed in-vehicle software concepts for a leading automotive OEM’s next-generation platform (model years 2025–2029) defining concepts for seat controls and contributing in climate, charging, and safety systems. I also worked in DesignOps at the same client, improving and automating tooling processes resulting in +150k cost savings annually. What ties it all together: I’m drawn to complexity. I like being in the room where the technology is impressive but nobody’s asked what it means for the person using it. That’s where I do my best work; at the intersection of product discovery, human-centred design, and the harder questions around how AI should behave.Outside client work, I co-lead the startup program and manage the startup mentorship community at Netlight, connecting consultants with early-stage founders. Helping people navigate uncertainty whether it’s a startup finding product-market fit or a team figuring out how to ship AI responsibly; this is something I keep coming back to.Background: M.Sc. at MMT from LMU Munich where I researched how technology could support depression therapy. B.Sc. in Business Informatics. A career that spans security, web development, marketing, consulting, and design which means I bring a wide lens to product problems, and I know how to connect the dots across disciplines.Let’s connect if you think about AI the way I do: with ambition and responsibility in equal measure.