Global Innovators in Human Health, Wellness, and Performance

We spent years building holistic wellness platforms for the world's most elite organizations—governments, Olympic teams, professional sports franchises, and premier institutions—helping practitioners understand the full picture of health and well-being.

Over the last two years, while building AI coaches, we discovered a critical gap: AI systems jump to solutions, while expert practitioners take time to truly understand the problem they're solving. This fundamental difference in reasoning process matters.

We realized you can't improve what you can't measure. So we built a framework to capture how expert practitioners think—not just what they conclude.

By measuring the reasoning process itself, we've unlocked new possibilities in health and wellness that weren't accessible before.

Founded
2024
Research papers analyzed
1000+
Dimensions of expertise
18
Assessment modes
8
The Team

From Aotearoa, New Zealand

Three founders with deep experience in human performance optimization, building the framework we wish existed when we were trying to understand expertise.

Gradient Team
  • Joe Cole

    Joe Cole

    Founder & CEO

    Christchurch, New Zealand

    Built systems for elite human performance organizations. Now applying that expertise to measuring professional reasoning quality at scale.

  • Roanne Hurley, PhD

    Roanne Hurley, PhD

    Co-Founder & Research Lead

    Christchurch, New Zealand

    Expertise researcher focused on how expert practitioners think, adapt, and develop across professional domains.

  • Kale Panoho

    Kale Panoho

    Co-Founder & Growth

    Dunedin, New Zealand

    Bringing expertise assessment frameworks to organizations that need them, scaling evidence-based talent development.

Our Background

From Holistic Wellness Systems to Expert Reasoning

At our previous company Smartabase, we built holistic wellness systems for elite organizations—helping them understand and support the complete picture of human health and well-being, not just isolated metrics.

When we started building AI coaching systems, we noticed something important: the AI would rush to recommendations, while expert practitioners would invest time in understanding the individual's context, constraints, and goals before suggesting anything.

Expert physiotherapists don't just see symptoms—they explore patterns, test hypotheses, and adapt their reasoning as they learn more. Expert coaches don't prescribe generic programs—they individualize based on what they discover through careful questioning. This process of discovery and adaptation is what expertise actually looks like.

But AI systems skip that process. They pattern-match and generate solutions immediately. That's the gap we set out to close.

The challenge: you can't improve AI reasoning if you can't measure the difference between expert and novice thinking. That's what Gradient does—it captures the reasoning process that distinguishes true expertise, making it visible, measurable, and ultimately teachable to AI systems.

Our Values

What We Stand For

We are on a mission to create a world where everyone can effortlessly integrate life-changing wisdom into daily habits, through technology, so that each day shapes a life you are proud of.

First Principles Thinking
Start with what you know to be true and strive to innovate beyond conventional norms, always seeking opportunities for improvement.
And not OR Mindset
Embrace both hard work and rest, recognizing the importance of balance in fostering growth, both personally and as a team.
Have a Goal
Set clear goals and stay focused on them, while remaining adaptable to change when necessary, guiding our journey towards continuous improvement.
Uncover Your Potential
Encourage thinking big and pushing boundaries, acknowledging that greatness is achievable regardless of our origins or limitations.
Dare to Be Your Best Self
Value diverse perspectives and pathways to success, fostering an environment where individuals can excel while supporting and uplifting others.
Balance Short-Term and Long-Term Thinking
Maintain a dual perspective, considering the immediate impact of our actions as well as their long-term implications.
Neutrality
Maintain a neutral stance, promoting diverse perspectives and content without imposing judgment or bias.

Interested in Using This Framework?

We're working with select organizations to pilot the assessment framework in healthcare, coaching, and professional services domains.

Get in Touch