Mimecast founder Peter Bauer has led a substantial £1.8 million investment round to support the video interviewing platform Willo.
- The funding aims to enhance Willo’s capabilities in candidate evaluation without needing direct interactions.
- Willo leverages digital identity verification and background checks to streamline the hiring process for diverse clients.
- Prominent clients of Willo include reputed organizations like the NHS, Prada, Samsung, and Hitachi.
- Co-founder Euan Cameron underscores the investment’s importance amidst challenging market conditions.
Mimecast’s esteemed founder, Peter Bauer, has spearheaded a remarkable £1.8 million investment round dedicated to fortifying the capabilities of Willo, a video interviewing platform originating from Scotland. Established in 2018 in Glasgow, Willo enables organizations to meticulously vet potential employees without necessitating the scheduling of calls or face-to-face appointments.
The innovative platform permits job seekers to record their professional responses to tailored prompts, providing employers with the convenience of reviewing these submissions at their discretion. Willo further bolsters its hiring process by integrating sophisticated digital identity and background verification checks, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of its assessments.
Exemplifying its widespread appeal, Willo boasts a client roster that includes the NHS, Prada, Samsung, and Hitachi, aligning with prestigious global entities seeking streamlined hiring solutions. Co-founder and CEO Euan Cameron expressed enthusiasm about the investment despite the current stringent market environment, citing it as a transformative opportunity to progress further in the realm of hiring and candidate evaluation.
Cameron highlighted, ‘The market is tough out there at the moment, particularly in SaaS, which makes this investment exciting. It provides a phenomenal opportunity to push ahead.’
Bauer’s investment, amounting to £1.5 million, reflects his commitment to Willo’s mission of simplifying hiring processes, significantly improving the candidate experience, and enhancing the recruitment landscape. Bauer remarked, ‘I’m excited to support Willo’s mission. The platform’s capability to simplify hiring not only enhances the candidate experience but makes life better for hiring managers. It also helps to improve accessibility, enabling candidates to find better opportunities anywhere in the world, levelling the playing field, while giving companies a better understanding of who is actually best suited for any role.’
Further financial backing was secured from 1818 Venture Capital alongside contributions from Mark Danby, the founder of Freeserve. This latest infusion of capital elevates Willo’s total funding to £4.2 million. Previously, the company had attracted £250,000 during a seed round in 2020.
The significant investment underscores the crucial role of innovation in transforming recruitment practices globally.
