Solvera

Why applying the normal way doesn't work

Solvera runs an applicant tracking system, but hiring managers still work referrals first. A cold application to Solvera isn't dead, it's just fourth in line behind internal referrals, sourced candidates and recruiter pipelines.

Who to contact at Solvera

Who decides

the hiring manager

Best channel

LinkedIn or direct email

What to show them

Take a real (anonymised) UK MEP job you've worked on and write one page on where Norwegian practice will break in London: Building Regs Part L/F, CIBSE guides, Building Safety Act gateways, and how D&B procurement shifts liability. Mark which steps an agent could own and which need a chartered engineer's signature.

A cold email that works at Solvera

What Solvera screens for

Seedcamp led, and Tom Wilson framed it as 'what the next generation of professional services firms looks like.' The most telling cheque is from the angels: Spacemaker's founders, who sold to Autodesk for about $240M in 2020, backing their own former leaders to build a firm instead of a tool. OBOS Ventures (the venture arm of Norwegian housing group OBOS) and Construct Venture are investors that can open doors to real projects. With $1M+ contracted in 90 days at nine people and three of six roles in a London office that doesn't exist yet, the first London MEP engineers will effectively be founding the UK practice. That's the edge for a chartered UK engineer who wants to use AI.

A tailored CV beats a generic one. Use Solvera's job description language to clear filters.

Avoid

Don't make these mistakes

Don't pitch Solvera as a construction-tech SaaS company, or offer to help them 'sell their platform to engineering firms'. Arif and Pål spent years at Spacemaker and Autodesk building exactly that kind of tool, and they started Solvera because they decided 'not to build yet another tool for engineers.' Engineers should skip 'I'm excited about AI disrupting construction': they want someone who has sized ducts and fought clashes on a real project. For Thorvald (Photo Roulette, Enode, BCG), a generic sales pitch won't land; he has sold into energy infrastructure and knows the gap between a demo and a signed contract.

Mistakes that kill Solvera applications

• ✕

  Generic CVs stand out at a -person company — and not in a good way. Fastest path to rejection.

• ✕

  Don't open with what you want. Open with what Solvera is dealing with right now — Building engineering is a capacity problem dressed as a software problem, and what you'd do about it.

• ✕

  Most AI applications get ghosted. A day-five follow-up can double your response rate.

We don't yet have verified candidate reports for Solvera. What follows is the typical process for a -person AI company, so treat it as a model, not confirmed detail.

Interview stages

1. 1

   Recruiter Screen

   Phone or video · 30 min

   What it testsBasic qualification and logistics
   Usually run byRecruiter or HR
2. 2

   Hiring Manager Interview

   Video call · 45 min

   What it testsRole fit and experience deep-dive
   Usually run byHiring manager
3. 3

   Technical/Functional Round

   Video call · 60 min

   What it testsSkills assessment and problem-solving
   Usually run byTeam members
4. 4

   Final Round

   In-person or video · 60 min

   What it testsCulture fit and cross-functional alignment
   Usually run bySenior leadership