Scottish firm nets £3 million from global tech giant in fight against AI-generated CVs
“Employers tell us they are inundated with AI-generated CVs that are hard to verify and review” – Euan Cameron, co-founder
A Glasgow-based recruitment tech platform has secured £3 million of fresh backing from a high-profile investor as it looks to tackle a surge in AI-generated job applications.
Willo has received the bumper investment from Peter Bauer, the co-founder of cybersecurity heavyweight Mimecast. It comes as Willo accelerates development of tools designed to help employers automatically verify candidate credentials amid an explosion in AI-generated CVs.
Bauer’s latest backing makes up the largest single investment round in the Glasgow firm’s history, taking total funding in the scale-up to almost £6m.
Bauer, who co-founded Mimecast in 2003 and led it to an initial public offering (IPO), has now invested more than £3.7m in Willo in the past 18 months. The cybersecurity entrepreneur will also support the company’s strategic approach to growth in the US.
The candidate screening platform was founded during 2020 by Scottish tech entrepreneurs Euan Cameron, Andrew Wood and Hamish Livingston. It is now used by major employers, including Toyota, Samsung, DPD Group and the NHS.
Cameron said: “Employers tell us they are inundated with AI-generated CVs that are hard to verify and review. That’s making it increasingly difficult for genuine, qualified candidates to stand out.
“With Willo Verified Profiles, we’re building a new layer of trust into the hiring process - verifying identity, qualifications, skills and experience using a combination of automation, third-party data, and video interaction. It will be like a ‘blue tick’ for credentials.
“There are thousands of businesses Peter Bauer could back, so for him to double down on Willo in 2025 is an incredible endorsement of what we’re building.”
Bauer said: “Willo is firmly established as one of the most progressive and exciting platforms in recruitment technology. It simplifies hiring for employers, improves access for candidates, and puts trust back into the process. The team has built a solution that is ready for the challenges of today’s market - and I’m fully behind their vision for the next stage of growth.”
The funding will also support new hires across the UK and US, with a new North American headquarters planned for the US east coast as Willo scales its on-the-ground presence.
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