Călin Balea

Călin Balea is a highly experienced designer and entrepreneur with a strong background in product design and development. As the Founder and Designer of Contrast Studio since March 2023, Călin focuses on partnering with start-ups to enhance design quality and streamline the path to product-market fit. Călin also serves as a Design Domain Expert at MVP Factory, conducting design portfolio interviews for incoming talent, and works as a Freelance Product Designer for Toptal, accessing high-profile projects. Previous roles include Senior Product Designer at Mochary Method, where Călin managed the entire production process solo, and at Havr, contributing significantly to both product and marketing design efforts. Călin’s earlier experience includes positions at Xapo, Crossover for Work, and eJobs Romania, where impactful design systems and features were established. Călin earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from West University of Timisoara and holds a high school diploma in Mathematics and Computer Science.