About us

1. What is Veer?

Veer is an AI compass to help you navigate the world of work.

Veer is the tech advisor that helps you find your future in a universe of jobs data.

Veer is your future pathfinder and, we hope, the future of recruitment.

2. Our Founders & Story

Veer was founded by world-famous AI researcher Sir Nigel Shadbolt and former newspaper executive Sue Douglas. Their mission? To humanise technology and empower individuals navigating the world of work using AI technology. Combining Sue's decades of experience in journalism which centred people and their stories, with Sir Nigel's experience in AI technology. Veer seeks to use AI to centre us and our stories in the jobseeking process.

Sue Douglas • Co-Founder

Prior to joining the start-up world, Sue was a news and media executive for decades. Previously holding posts such as Deputy Editor at The Sunday Times, President of New Business at Condé Nast Publications, and publisher at Trinity Mirror. She brings a wealth of content experience, impactful story-telling and a formidable contacts book.

Nigel Shadbolt • Co-Founder

Nigel is a world-renowned researcher in Artificial Intelligence. He is currently Principal of Jesus College and a Professorial Research Fellow in Computer Science at the University of Oxford. In 2012, Nigel was awarded a knighthood for his contributions to science and engineering. He brings to Veer decades of experience across multiple disciplines ranging from AI to the Semantic Web.

3. Our Founding Team

Veer's founding team brings together experts in AI and Education from the University of Oxford.

Max is Professor of Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Oxford. He brings with him decades-long experience in software engineering, human-computer interaction, and machine learning. As our CTO, Max is integral in defining the technological scope and capabilities of the Veer mission.

Lindsay is currently the Careers Leader at the Europa School - providing Veer with mission-critical insights into both the recruitment sector and the young jobseeking population.

Fran was previously a Software Engineering intern at the University of Oxford, and brings with him invaluable expertise in software development. As Lead Product Engineer, Fran both defines the product whilst also writing code for both the UI/UX and the backend.

4. Veer X Reed • Investor & Client Partnership

Veer innovation is protected within the established success of Reed's market dominance.

Reed is the UK's largest employment agency and the third biggest in the world. As an investor, Reed owns 20% of Veer and will showcase the free text search engine as part of its 1.5 million per day user experience . Reed has given Veer access to its 16 million jobs dataset, leading expertise in the world of recruitment, and huge experience. In return, Reed receives access to Veer's pioneering technology, our "brains pipeline" from the University of Oxford, and a product supply chain which starts with our Milestone 1 (M1) semantic search engine.

5. Veer X Oxford Careers Service • Opportunity

The Oxford Careers Service provides careers guidance and opportunities to the 26,000 current University of Oxford students - and tens of thousands of its alumni. Previously Veer has conducted multiple rounds of POC research with Oxford - yielding highly positive feedback that continues to shape and evolve the development of the Veer suite of products and components. OCS are showcasing the added value of the Veer offer, signposting its students early-access to the first ever semantic “free-text” search engine.

6. Our Ethos

Social impact using technology is at the head of the Veer mission. As a company, we seek to transform the often impersonal and taxing jobseeking and recruitment process. Our central mission is to centre the individual - with personal lives and stories - in the recruitment process. Our commitment to social transformation is reflected in the work of our partners and co-founders.

Reed is 18% owned by the Reed Foundation - a charitable foundation - which means that staff, in effect, work one day a week for social good¹. One major aspect of the Reed philanthropic work is the Big Give - which supports charity projects with matched funding. Since its founding in 2008, the Big Give has raised around £250 million for over 15,000 organisations².

Founded in 2012, by Veer co-founder, Sir Nigel Shadbolt and, creator of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee - the Open Data Institute's mission is to benefit people and civil society through fostering an open data ecosystem and innovation.

7. Our Future Roadmap

M1

Natural-Language search engine which is being delivered to two clients.

M1+

Refined Search Engine with visualizations, signposting and new UI/UX.

M2

Veer's Careers Canvas will have search capabilities based on new vectors, including skills, company ethos, and geography. These vectors will have a variety of dynamically updated visualizations allowing job seekers to see trends in job market.

M3

In M3 Veer as a platform seeks to integrate both chatbot and video functionality. The aim - to transform the job seeking experience - by enabling holistic lifestyle exploration of career trajectories.

8. The Next Chapter: Aims & Ambitions

Veer's ultimate goal is transform the nature recruitment, technology, and work.

Recruitment: Centering the Jobseeker

• Create a true & effective alternative to keyword job search.
• Generate honesty and transparency for both talent & business.
• Enable jobseekers quickly and easily to find inspiring work.

Technology: Centering the Human User

• Encourage humanization of tech - storyboards of applicants & jobs.
• Hand over control of their own destiny to those searching for jobs.
• Empower users to explore an uncharted future of opportunity.

Work: Centering Purpose

• Aim to rebalance the divide between "life" and "work".
• Ensure employees have jobs which are valued on both sides.
• Reboot the economy with workers' contribution acknowledged, increasing commitment.