About

The Short Version

I’m Lucas Cazelli, CPO & Co-founder at North AI, where we’re building synthetic audiences for video analytics using neuroscience-inspired AI.

Previously, I optimized physical structures as a civil engineer. Now I optimize attention and decision-making in digital products.

Based in London. Building in public. Writing about the intersection of neuroscience, product management, and statistical thinking.

The Longer Version

From Structures to Synapses

My journey started in civil engineering, where I spent years applying finite element analysis to optimize load distribution in physical structures. The transition to product might seem unusual, but the core challenge remains the same: understanding how complex systems handle stress and distribute resources.

In engineering, it was about concrete and steel. In product, it’s about cognitive load and attention.

What I’m Building Now

At North AI, we’re creating what doesn’t exist yet: synthetic audiences that can predict how real humans will respond to video content. We combine:

Eye-tracking and gaze synchronization patterns
EEG-proxy metrics for cognitive engagement
Multi-agent AI systems for behavioral simulation
Statistical clustering for psychographic segmentation

Think of it as a “virtual focus group” that never gets tired, never lies, and can represent millions of viewers simultaneously.

The Builder Mindset

I’ve always been a maker. Whether it’s:

Software: From accounting APIs processing 50M daily transactions to real-time video analytics
Hardware: Arduino-powered kinetic sculptures and 3D-printed mechanisms
Products: Launching everything from blockchain film financing to B2C streaming platforms

The tools change. The drive to build doesn’t.

My Approach to Product

Discovery ≠ Delivery. I run dual-track product development with clear gates between exploration and execution.

I believe in:

Outcome-driven roadmaps over feature factories
Statistical rigor over gut feelings (though System 1 thinking has its place)
Rapid experimentation with <30-second calibration flows, not 2-minute ones
Clear communication - if it can’t fit in a one-pager, it’s not ready

Technical Foundation

Engineering: BSc Civil Engineering, structural optimization
Data: Advanced statistics, Six Sigma, experiment design
Product: 5+ years leading products from zero to exit
Code: Still ship production code (Python, JS, SQL)
AI/ML: RAG architectures, multi-modal pipelines, synthetic data generation

What I’m Learning

Currently diving deep into:

Neuroscience applications in UX (beyond “dopamine hits”)
Bayesian approaches to audience prediction
Generative agents for behavioral simulation
The cognitive science behind creative decision-making

Outside Work

Fitness: Muay Thai, BJJ, and arguing with my pull-up bar
Making: Building unnecessary robots that my wife tolerates
Gaming: Optimizing Baldur’s Gate 3 builds with the same rigor I apply to product metrics
Languages: Fluent in English and Portuguese, functional in Italian and Spanish, learning German one phrase at a time

Let’s Connect

I write about product, neuroscience, and decision-making here and across:

Professional: LinkedIn | GitHub
Thoughts: X/Twitter | Bluesky
Writing: Medium | Blog
Email: lucascazelli@gmail.com

What I’m Available For

Speaking: Neuroscience of attention, synthetic audiences, product analytics
Advisory: Early-stage deep tech, video analytics, B2C products
Collaboration: Research projects combining AI and cognitive science
Coffee: Always, if you’re in London

Currently: Building the future of video testing at North AI
Previously: Made buildings stand up, then made products take off
Always: Asking “what does the data actually say?”