Willo secures £3m in funding led by Peter Bauer to screen candidates in the era of AI job applicants

Willo, the Glasgow-based global recruitment technology platform, has raised £3m to accelerate development of tools designed to help employers verify candidate credentials amid a rise in AI-generated job applications.

The funding is the largest single round in Willo’s history, taking total investment in the company to more than £5.9m.

Founded in 2020 by Scottish entrepreneurs Euan Cameron, Andrew Wood, and Hamish Livingston, Willo has reported 64x revenue growth since its first year of trading, including 70% in 2025. Its platform is used by employers such as Toyota, Samsung, DPD Group, and the NHS, and is active in 195 countries, processing millions of candidate interviews every year.

The new funding will support Willo’s expansion in North America, where the company already generates over 50% of its revenues, and accelerate the launch of Willo Verified Profiles, a new feature designed to help employers automatically verify applicant credentials.

The technology aggregates third party data sources from across the world to enable verification of identity, education, work history, and skills assessments – tasks that are increasingly difficult for hiring teams given the growth of AI-driven applications.

The move comes as the use of AI tools by job applicants to enhance or fabricate qualifications becomes more widespread. Research by Jisc found that 67% of large UK companies have experienced a rise in application fraud linked to generative AI.

Cameron, Willo’s co-founder and CEO, said the investment will enable the company to address a growing market need, adding that the funding – secured on strong terms in a tough investment climate – was a ‘major vote of confidence’ in Willo’s direction and market opportunity.

Willo’s new funding will also support new hires across the UK and US, with a North American headquarters planned for the US East Coast.