Luka Kankaras

Product Growth Lead at Storylane | Consultant | Growth Mentor | PLG Advocate

Howdy!
🌏 Lived across the world working remotely (currently in Austria)

I am working as a product growth manager and consultant, eager to help companies in their quest for growth. I eat, sleep, and breathe PLG (product-led growth), no joke, I dream about A/B testing in my sleep, and even caught myself exhaling buzzwords like "activation" and "retention." :))

When I'm not busy, I devote my energy to maintaining my physical fitness. Whether it's lifting heavy weights or running, I believe that a healthy body fuels a healthy mind. Additionally, I find joy in exploring diverse cuisines and cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

I strongly believe that everyone deserves equal opportunities, as talent is talent, regardless of the location, origin, or background.

P.S. I eat hummus with a large spoon.

Mentor

A few of the things that I would love to help you with:

-> Validating the Product-Market Fit
-> Implementing or switching to Product-led Growth
-> Adding the Product-Led Sales motion
-> Activation (user onboarding, value metrics/aha moments, TTV)
-> Setting up growth loops
-> Monetization
-> Breaking into tech
-> Building personal brand

So...
Let's chat!
Book a call here - https://app.growthmentor.com/mentors/luka-kankaras-2ca031b8-e220-4a62-a71e-60fdf97bcd85

AxWise

Spearheaded the conception, architecture, and end-to-end development of AxWise, a use-case agnostic AI platform designed to automate and accelerate high-stakes discovery and simulation processes. As an AI Product Engineer, orchestrated the entire lifecycle from the core engine's design to its successful application in multiple B2B domains.

Architected the platform's core innovation: a powerful, multi-agent engine that transforms fractional inputs into deep, qualitative analysis. The engine is purpose-built to be re-deployable across diverse, high-pain business verticals, including Enterprise Sales Acceleration, M&A Pre-Diligence, and Industrial Solution Scoping, proving its value far beyond a single application.

Validated the engine's power by deploying it as an AI co-pilot for product teams. The system uses a four-turn conversational process — establishing context, deepening it with stakeholder frameworks, running multi-persona simulations, and synthesizing results — to reduce a 6-week research cycle to under 10 minutes.

Engineered the entire system from the ground up, featuring a high-performance Python 3.11 (FastAPI) backend, an interactive Next.js 14 (App Router) frontend, and a PostgreSQL database with SQLAlchemy and Alembic.

Designed a unified service factory for Gemini and OpenAI. Enforced 100% data traceability by leveraging Pydantic with custom AttributedField models to guarantee structured, evidence-linked outputs.
Cloud-Native CI/CD & Deployment: Built the entire deployment pipeline using Docker and Cloud Build to automate deployments for both frontend and backend services to Google Cloud Run.

AI Automation Product Engineer 

EdSyl

Sportradar

Grew the Sport Virtualisation Group from 8 to over 40 members, significantly enhancing project output.
Managed four development teams across eight projects, utilizing Agile and SAFe processes to streamline onboarding and management.

Integrated Scoping with Discovery & Framing processes, reducing waste by 80% and improving project quality.
Incorporated SAFe methodologies into planning sessions, enhancing strategic alignment and execution efficiency.

Trained management and team members on frameworks, methodologies, sequence diagrams, market research, and Discovery & Framing techniques.

Developed risk and dependency boards, improving project transparency and stakeholder communication.
Increased contribution to product-related features from 50% to 78% within five months.

Delivered quarterly updates on team progress via QBRs and program check-ins.

Led the development of eight products in less than two years, with four squads; six products successfully launched.

Directed projects involving sports virtualization using AI, augmented reality, and computer vision data processing via various APIs.
Created video streams for broadcasting and developed virtualized products for on-demand video clip creation via AWS for broadcasters and coaches.

Worked on products associated with globally recognized sports brands like FIFA, ATP, NBA, and DBL, including augmentation for on-screen graphics and compatibility with Oculus, Apple Vision Pro, and Meta

Program Manager

Volkswagen Digital Solutions

Launched Volkswagen internal API backend service, supporting over 500k daily requests (part of Vehicle Connectivity Framework at that time, Vehicle Backend Discovery Service)

Actively participated in 9 PI Planning is an event on SAFe that ensures all the teams on an ART, stakeholders, and leaders are aligned to a shared mission and vision as a Product Manager/Proxy PO, contributing to major strategic initiatives.

Presented VW’s internal product at WebSummit, showcasing innovative solutions for Quantum Shuttle: traffic navigation with Quantum computing led by Martin Hofmann (CIO)

Enhanced onboarding processes for Product Managers, fostering better collaboration with development teams. Contributed to the Pay for Performance program, setting strategic goals for team members.

Led scoping, discovery, and framing for key VW projects, providing strategic insights for stakeholders (Service Cam, Pre-Delivery Enrollment, Commercial Legacy Service, Commercial Enrollment Service).

Managed integrations with key projects within Volkswagen’s WePlatform, including Heartbeat, Vehicle User Management, Commercial Legacy Aggregator, Pre Delivery Enrollment Services, Vehicle Activation Service, Vehicle Connectivity Framework, contributing to the development and onboarding of electric vehicles

Senior Product Manager

Upwork Experts

Payment21 (Swiss Licensed OTC Exchange):
Redesigned onboarding, KYC, OTC exchange, top-up, and withdrawal processes, reducing user onboarding time by 40%.
Implemented a robust Scrum framework, improving development efficiency by 30%.
Established QA testing flows and smoke test automation, decreasing bug reports by 70% and achieving near zero-defect releases.

Umati Capital (Innovative African Fintech Company):
Mentored a junior product manager, improving project delivery timelines by 50%.
Developed mobile application strategies for SMEs, contributing to a projected 20% increase in customer acquisition.
Refined customer personas through market research, enhancing product-market fit and boosting user engagement by 25%.
Client Feedback: Received a 5.0/5.0 rating — "He was always very responsive in his communication with our team and shared great advice to our Junior Product Manager."

WorkGenius - Freelancer Marketplace Revamp:
Overhauled freelancer and client marketplaces, increasing user onboarding completion rates by 35%.
Enhanced UX across web and mobile platforms, elevating user engagement metrics by 30% creating notification and other retention-wise services after conducting a comprehensive User research.

Established data-driven development processes using Amplitude, leading to a 20% increase in actionable insights.
Implemented transparent Agile/Scrum practices, reducing release cycles from 3 months to 2-week iterations.

Assisted companies in preparation for acquisition, contributing to valuation increases of up to 20%.
Improved user retention rates by 30% through enhanced onboarding and engagement strategies.

Advised on technology stack decisions, reducing development costs by 15%.
Improved product quality through best practices, increasing customer satisfaction scores by 20%.

Delivered learning programs for Product Managers, DevOps, and QA teams, improving team efficiency by 25%.
Created handbooks standardizing processes across teams.

Superside

Revamped the development process by implementing continuous integration, increasing development efficiency by 30%.

Launched multiple successful campaigns on Product Hunt, gaining over 600 upvotes and securing significant media coverage, boosting brand visibility and user acquisition.

Achieved consistent 5-10% weekly growth in user acquisition and engagement through targeted strategies.

Workflow Management: Developed and managed workflows for freelancers and core development teams, enhancing collaboration and productivity, which led to a 25% reduction in project delivery times.

Led the transition of the core product from static HTML to a dynamic web application using React and Node.js, improving site performance by 40% and enhancing user experience.

Developed comprehensive analytics systems using Mixpanel, AutomateAds, Google Analytics, and Segment.io, enabling data-driven decision-making that improved conversion rates by 15%.

Executed effective marketing and growth strategies, including blogging and media engagement, resulting in a 20% increase in organic traffic.

Integrated CRM and analytics tools such as Intercom.io and Mixpanel via Segment.io, improving customer communication and retention by 25%.

Launched a Slack App and managed partnership activities, resulting in the product being featured on the Slack App Directory, expanding reach to over 10,000 new users.

Created product pipelines for complex customer orders (e.g., mobile apps, marketplaces), streamlining project execution and increasing customer satisfaction scores by 30%.

Product Manager

Mobocars

Hired and managed a cross-functional team including web designers, programmers, SMM specialists, customer managers, and sales managers, building a cohesive team to drive company objectives.

Implemented Agile methodologies using Scrum to manage the development team, improving project efficiency and delivery timelines.

Developed workflows to gather user feedback, informing decisions on design, features, and development, resulting in a user-centric product offering.

Led B2B initiatives, reaching out to over 100 car rental companies and securing 10 partnership agreements, expanding the company's network and service offerings.

Grew the car fleet to over 500 vehicles within 3 months, significantly enhancing service capacity and market competitiveness.

Managed social media marketing and conducted A/B testing for campaigns, increasing customer engagement and acquisition rates

Game Insight / InnoWate

Managed daily operations of a multidisciplinary team comprising developers, designers, and co-producers, fostering collaboration and efficient workflows.

Prepared comprehensive concept documents for game mechanics, contributing to the design and development of AAA 3D city-building games.

Conducted weekly reviews of game features and art assets, ensuring quality and alignment with the overall game vision.

Oversaw task tracking and prioritization, troubleshooting development issues, which led to a 20% improvement in project delivery timelines.

Researched and analyzed mechanics of over 20 similar game products to incorporate best practices and innovative ideas into game development.

Successfully onboarded and integrated new team members, reducing onboarding time by 30% and maintaining team productivity.

Collaborated on marketing tasks, achieving over 10,000 new Facebook fans in one week, significantly boosting the game's online presence and community engagement.

Led the development and production of AAA 3D city-building games for various platforms and devices, expanding market reach and user base.

Project Manager / Producer

TSG Studio

Founded TSG Studio, assembling a development team from scratch and growing it to 9 skilled members, including developers and designers.

Managed daily office operations, overseeing administrative tasks, resource allocation, and ensuring a productive work environment.

Served as Producer and Project Manager for game development projects, guiding the team through the entire development lifecycle from concept to launch.

Implemented effective task tracking systems, created detailed concept documents, and designed engaging game mechanics, improving project efficiency by 25%.

Prepared investment proposals, pitches, and comprehensive business plans, attracting potential investors and securing interest for future projects.

Developed two game plots, fully executing one game to completion.

Led the development and release of "HunterX Zombie Shooter” achieving over 90,000 installations with an almost zero marketing budget. Attained 9,000 daily active users (DAU) and maintained a 30% user retention rate over three months.

Xerox

E-Ticketing System Integration:
Worked on backend and frontend integration of an E-ticketing system for Riga's public transportation network (bus, trolley, tram).
Achieved system uptime of 99.98%, scaling from zero to 500,000 daily users in Riga.
Training and Support:
Provided comprehensive training to over 400 transportation system operators, drivers, and inspectors, enhancing their proficiency with the new system.
Trained a technical support team of over 20 members, ensuring they were equipped to handle system maintenance and troubleshooting.
Business Intelligence Reporting:
Developed a Business Intelligence reporting framework for accountants, analysts, and inbound statistics teams.
Generated daily, weekly, and monthly reports on operations, earnings, traffic statistics, and fraud detection, aiding strategic decision-making.
System Management:
Managed the Atlas system, making updates to tariffs, holidays, articles, routes, and other essential data.
Implemented changes efficiently, ensuring timely updates and minimal disruptions to services.

System Engineer

Product executive with 14+ years leading innovative product and program initiatives across automotive, gaming, transportation, and AI-driven solutions. Expert in Large Language Models (LLMs), AI integration, digital transformation, and Agile/SAFe methodologies. Proven track record of enhancing product value, optimizing processes, launching impactful features, and mentoring high-performing teams.

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The Battle

Luka Kankaras

Vitalijs Visnevskis

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