Prova is Reinventing Technical Hiring—Before AI Breaks It Completely

Lehi, Utah – April 24, 2025

The traditional technical interview process is outdated, inefficient, and, according to the founders of Prova, no longer fit for purpose. Engineers Kaden Birch, Giovanni Galbuchi, and Leandro Cabranes launched the startup in January 2025 to bring clarity, fairness, and relevance back to technical hiring—with the help of AI.

“It’s an AI partner for technical interviews,” said Galbuchi, positioning Prova as a tool that augments rather than replaces the human elements of hiring.

A Broken System, Worsened by AI

Galbuchi, a senior software engineer, had long been frustrated by the disconnect between what interviews test and what engineers actually do. “As a candidate, it’s terrible. The tests usually measure the wrong things—algorithm puzzles that don’t reflect the real job,” he said. “And if you aren’t spending all day practicing these problems, it’s extremely hard to pass.”

From the company side, the problem is equally serious. “It’s very hard to measure who the real talent is with the current tests,” he added. “You end up missing great candidates because the system is fundamentally flawed.”

The rise of generative AI has only made things worse. “AI can solve these algorithm questions easily, so now candidates can cheat—and companies have no idea who actually has the skills they’re looking for,” said Galbuchi.

Prova’s Solution: Real Skills, Real Assessment

Prova flips the model. Companies select the skills and tech stack they care about, and candidates complete hands-on projects in their own environment. Once the project is submitted, Prova’s AI generates follow-up questions tailored to the candidate’s work.

“This allows the candidate to explain the decisions they made during their project,” said Birch. “It shows how well they understood what they built, and it demonstrates their communication skills.”

By combining project-based evaluation with AI-powered questioning, Prova helps hiring teams make informed decisions faster—while giving candidates a fairer shot at showcasing their real-world abilities. “We’re trying to narrow the growing gap between how engineers work and how they’re hired,” Galbuchi explained. “There’s no other tool that helps you measure how good an engineer is with AI.”

Early Traction and Expansion

Despite launching just a few months ago, Lehi, Utah-based Prova has already onboarded ten companies and assessed more than 400 engineers. The company recently helped Sandbox, a selective startup program for college students, screen applicants for its upcoming cohort—an especially meaningful partnership, since Prova itself emerged from the Sandbox program.

The momentum is promising. “Our product is working at full capacity and we’re continuing to grow quickly,” said Galbuchi. Birch added that feedback from candidates has been overwhelmingly positive. One user told them, “Prova is a pretty awesome tool, considering how ineffective technical interviews have become.”

Founders with a Track Record

Before launching Prova, the team built and sold Senda, a tool for managing relationships in door-to-door sales teams. They walked away from that business—with $75K in potential recurring revenue on the table—when the idea for Prova took hold. “I felt strongly we had to pursue it,” said Galbuchi.

What’s Next for Prova

Prova’s revenue model is currently focused on B2B partnerships, but the team has plans to introduce additional streams in the future. In the meantime, they’re gearing up for a high-profile hackathon on May 17 in Draper, Utah, with $10,000 in cash prizes and sponsorship from companies like Redo, Remi, and Leland.

“We want to know who the most cracked engineers are in Utah!” said Galbuchi.

The team recently held their official demo day on April 23, 2025 and is now raising a pre-seed funding round. Prova remains entirely bootstrapped to date.

“If you’re hiring software developers, scaling your engineering team, or leading a tech org, you can start using Prova right now,” said Birch.

For early customers, Prova is offering a beta promotion. Interested investors and partners can reach Birch and Galbuchi via LinkedIn or email at kaden@tryprova.com or gio@tryprova.com.

Visit TryProva.com to learn more.