Everlane Engineering & Operations interview questions

I applied and was contacted by phone for a couple of phone interviews. I was also brought in for an in person interview. The interview process required a couple of projects that were completed before each stage of the process. I did not get an offer, but was told that it was because there were several competitive applicants. The job was posted for about 6 months prior to my application and is still posted today. From my experience (coupled with a friend's experience who interviewed for a different role), I believe they are trying to gather information/competitive advantages through the interview process and are not necessarily looking to actually fill roles.