Furthering AGI research for an AI weather-tech pioneer.
How we helped Jua secure a senior AI researcher to drive its AGI roadmap and accelerate the development of its climate modelling platform.
1
Critical AGI hire secured.
5
days
To source the successful candidate.
8
months
Of search prior to partnership.
Jua is a Zurich-based deeptech company building the world’s first full-scale weather and climate simulation model powered entirely by AI. They aim to deliver faster, more accurate forecasts for the energy, agriculture and insurance industries.
Industry
Artificial Intelligence, Climate and Geospatial AI
Discipline(s)
AGI Research, Generative Modelling
Company Size at Partnership
11-50 Employees
Growth Stage at Partnership
Seed
Brief
At the time of engagement, Jua had just secured $16 million in seed funding to scale its mission of building the world’s first AI-native weather and climate simulation model.
As a small, Zurich-based team entering this phase of growth, they set out to hire a Technical Product Manager, a role which later became an AGI Research role, that would be capable of advancing their work in artificial general intelligence, generative models, and large-scale simulation.
Challenges
Despite a strong vision, the team had struggled to hire for eight months before partnering with us. They were competing against larger, well-known AI labs for top research talent, and still defining their employer brand and growth strategy in the highly competitive Swiss market.
The position itself had a complex scope; requiring deep expertise across AGI, machine learning, as well as commercial acumen. Jua wanted this role to bridge the gap between research, engineering and product delivery, originally looking for a technical product manager.
After 8 months without progress the role required fresh positioning, requirements reconsidering, and a new approach to candidate search.
Approach
- Following briefing, we set out to search based on the technical requirements outlined. With the local market largely exhausted, we widened the search across Switzerland and neighbouring European hubs, targeting senior candidates with deep AI and product leadership credentials.
- The initial role, a Technical Product Manager, proved too narrow for Jua’s ambitions. Through early consultation, it was reframed as an AGI Researcher
- Just one week after the project commenced, we submitted a targeted shortlist that included the successful candidate, who was based in Lugano. This was an exceptional profile whose background spanned advanced AI research, startup foundership, and appearances at the World Economic Forum.
- They progressed through multiple interview stages with Jua’s leadership team, during which we managed communication, coordinated feedback, and provided relocation guidance.
- We kept them engaged through the notice and transition period, ensuring a smooth process from acceptance to his start date three months later.
Jua is a Zurich-based deeptech company building the world’s first full-scale weather and climate simulation model powered entirely by AI. They aim to deliver faster, more accurate forecasts for the energy, agriculture and insurance industries.
Industry
Artificial Intelligence, Climate and Geospatial AI
Discipline(s)
AGI Research, Generative Modelling
Company Size at Partnership
11-50 Employees
Growth Stage at Partnership
Seed
Brief
At the time of engagement, Jua had just secured $16 million in seed funding to scale its mission of building the world’s first AI-native weather and climate simulation model.
As a small, Zurich-based team entering this phase of growth, they set out to hire a Technical Product Manager, a role which later became an AGI Research role, that would be capable of advancing their work in artificial general intelligence, generative models, and large-scale simulation.
Challenges
Despite a strong vision, the team had struggled to hire for eight months before partnering with us. They were competing against larger, well-known AI labs for top research talent, and still defining their employer brand and growth strategy in the highly competitive Swiss market.
The position itself had a complex scope; requiring deep expertise across AGI, machine learning, as well as commercial acumen. Jua wanted this role to bridge the gap between research, engineering and product delivery, originally looking for a technical product manager.
After 8 months without progress the role required fresh positioning, requirements reconsidering, and a new approach to candidate search.
Approach
- Following briefing, we set out to search based on the technical requirements outlined. With the local market largely exhausted, we widened the search across Switzerland and neighbouring European hubs, targeting senior candidates with deep AI and product leadership credentials.
- The initial role, a Technical Product Manager, proved too narrow for Jua’s ambitions. Through early consultation, it was reframed as an AGI Researcher
- Just one week after the project commenced, we submitted a targeted shortlist that included the successful candidate, who was based in Lugano. This was an exceptional profile whose background spanned advanced AI research, startup foundership, and appearances at the World Economic Forum.
- They progressed through multiple interview stages with Jua’s leadership team, during which we managed communication, coordinated feedback, and provided relocation guidance.
- We kept them engaged through the notice and transition period, ensuring a smooth process from acceptance to his start date three months later.
Results and impact.
Following an 8-month search the successful candidate was identified within a week of partnership.
The hire established the company’s AGI strategy and technical direction, later shaping its investor narrative.
They went on to enhance Jua’s Transformer-based weather models, training networks with over a billion parameters.
Jua continued to scale their product, later securing a further €11m in Series A funding.