Julian Scholze, Head of eMEA Talent
Applied Intuition
"One of the Best Tech Recruiters in Europe"
"One of the Best Tech Recruiters in Europe"
"One of the Best Tech Recruiters in Europe"
Michiel Kotting, Northzone Ventures
Michiel Kotting, Northzone Ventures
Steve Bourne · Distinguished Headhunter
Steve Bourne · Distinguished Headhunter
Steve Bourne · Distinguished Headhunter
For 22 years I've operated behind the scenes — from London to Silicon Valley. Building teams and leading covert executive search across DeepTech, AI, and Defence.
I partner with visionary founders and bold investors at every stage of the investment cycle — from seed to hyper-growth and beyond — building teams at high-velocity and headhunting the unreachable 1% that legacy agencies, search firms, and internal TA are structurally unable to find or engage.
> Book a call
"A real force multiplier. It would have taken me months to do that organically."
"A real force multiplier. It would have taken me months to do that organically."
Tristam Constant, Head of Government and Defence Europe
Applied Intuition
"Forty-eight hours after we had the initial conversations, we already had the first interview with a staff engineers from one of the big tech companies. We were all baffled with the speed and also with the quality."
"Forty-eight hours after we had the initial conversations, we already had the first interview with a staff engineers from one of the big tech companies. We were all baffled with the speed and also with the quality."
"A real force multiplier. It would have taken me months to do that organically."
Axel Sedlmyer, Global Head of Talent
DEDIQ | ex-PERSONIO
Axel Sedlmyer, Global Head of Talent
DEDIQ | ex-PERSONIO
Tristam Constant, Head of Defence Europe
Applied Intuition Defence
Why work with me?
Why work with me?
Why work with me?
RESULTS:
14 Days: Average Time-to-Hire
24hrs: Time-to-first Interview
2:1: Candidate-to-Hire Ratio
>98%: Offer-Close Rate
7/10: Candidates engaged through cold-calling + tactical networking
RESULTS:
14 Days: Average Time-to-Hire
24hrs: Time-to-first Interview
2:1: Candidate-to-Hire Ratio
>98%: Offer-Close Rate
7/10: Candidates engaged through cold-calling + tactical networking
> Book a call
"I haven't seen that level of speed and hit rate with anyone else - He has the ability to bring in talent that including recruiting teams rarely even find or are able to engage for first conversations. That really makes him special."
"I haven't seen that level of speed and hit rate with anyone else - He has the ability to bring in talent that including recruiting teams rarely even find or are able to engage for first conversations. That really makes him special."
Julian Scholze, Head of eMEA Talent
Applied Intuition
Julian Scholze, Head of eMEA Talent
Applied Intuition
"Consistently delivered the best engineers and leadership talent - amazing job."
"Consistently delivered the best engineers and leadership talent - amazing job."
"Consistently delivered the best engineers and leadership talent - amazing job."
Sebastian Enderlein, CTO
DEEPL | ex-PERSONIO
Sebastian Enderlein, CTO
DEEPL | ex-PERSONIO
"He will challenge you, he's a great thought partner that really stands out against all other headhunters"
"He will challenge you, he's a great thought partner that really stands out against all other headhunters"
"He will challenge you, he's a great thought partner that really stands out against all other headhunters"
Jyoti Hirani-driver, Managing Director
Nato Diana
Jyoti Hirani-driver, Managing Director
Nato Diana
Recent Engagements
Recent Engagements
Applied Intuition [Series F]
Applied Intuition [Series F]
Aggressive Expansion of the Automotive business across Europe and the US.
Aggressive Expansion of the Automotive business across Europe and the US.
Artificial Intelligence · Autonomy
Artificial Intelligence · Autonomy
Nato DIANA
Nato DIANA
Strategic advisory for the incoming Managing Director.
Strategic advisory for the incoming Managing Director.
Defence · Autonomy
Applied Intuition Defence
Applied Intuition Defence
UK market entry. Founding Team build out across the UK and Europe.
Business Development, Capture and Engineering.
UK market entry. Founding Team build out across the UK and Europe.
Business Development, Capture and Engineering.
Defence · Artificial Intelligence · Autonomy
Defence · AI · Autonomy
Sovereign Defence Start-up (Seed)
Sovereign Defence Start-up (Seed)
Europe's largest seed round.
Research and Engineering team build.
Europe's largest seed round.
Research and Engineering team build.
Artificial Intelligence · Autonomy · *CONFIDENTIAL*
AI · Autonomy · *CONFIDENTIAL*
Episci (Aqcuired by Applied Intuition)
Episci (Aqcuired by Applied Intuition)
Sovereign Engineering Team Build, UK.
Principal Robotics and Autonomy Engineers.
Sovereign Engineering Team Build, UK.
Principal Robotics and Autonomy Engineers.
Artificial Intelligence · Autonomy · Robotics
Artificial Intelligence · Autonomy · Robotics
PERSONIO [Series E]
PERSONIO [Series E]
Europe's fastest growing tech company
Leadership search and multiple team builds (37 Key hires)
Europe's fastest growing tech company
Leadership search and multiple team builds (37 Key hires)
Artificial Intelligence · Autonomy · Robotics
Artificial Intelligence · Autonomy · Robotics
SEMRUSH INC (NYSE: SEMR)
SEMRUSH INC (NYSE: SEMR)
SEO and content marketing SaaS
Lead their European market entry.
Corporate venture build (10 key hires in 8 weeks)
SEO and content marketing SaaS
Lead their European market entry.
Corporate venture build
(10 key hires in 8 weeks)
SaaS · Artificial Intelligence
“Steve’s deep understanding of our business and ability to find and convince the best people in the market makes them him invaluable partner to Personio.”
“Steve’s deep understanding of our business and ability to find and convince the best people in the market makes them him invaluable partner to Personio.”
Hanno Renner, co-founder + CEO
PERSONIO (Series E)
Hanno Renner, co-founder + CEO
PERSONIO (Series E)
“In two months we hired 10 new employees. A complete engineering team. This feels like some kind of record!”
“In two months we hired 10 new employees. A complete engineering team. This feels like some kind of record!”
Sina Landorff, VP of Talent Acquisition
SEMRUSH INC (NYSE: SEMR)
Sina Landorff, VP of Talent Acquisition
SEMRUSH INC (NYSE: SEMR)
"We went from a 20-person shop and with Steve's support we went up to a 150-person technology team globally. There's not many headhunters out there could do that."
"We went from a 20-person shop and with Steve's support we went up to a 150-person technology team globally. There's not many headhunters out there could do that."
Gary Coffey, CTO
Spectrum Life (Series A)
Gary Coffey, CTO
Spectrum Life (Series A)
Placements & Team-Build outs
Placements & Team-Build outs
Leadership
Head of Government and Defence, Europe
Head of Government and Defence, APAC
Head of Land Autonomy, Europe
Head of Future Combat Air Systems, Europe
Head of Nordics | Stockholm
Head of Maritime Autonomy, UK | London
Head of Maritime Autonomy, Nordics | London
SVP of Engineering | London
VP of Engineering | Munich
VP of Engineering | Munich
Director of Engineering | London
Global Account Manager | Munich
Global Account Manager | Munich
Head of Car Simulation Sales, Europe | Munich
SVP of Engineering | Dublin
VP of Engineering | Dublin
Managing Director, Core Banking, Europe | London
Engineering
Principal Robotics Engineer | London
Principal Robotics Engineer | London
Principal Software Engineer | Munich
Forward Deployed Engineer | London
Staff AI Engineer | London
Staff Software Engineer (Simulation) | London
Staff Machine Learning Engineer | London
Staff Research Engineer | Munich
Technical Program Manager | Stockholm
Chief Solution Architect | UK
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
Staff Front-end Engineer | Munich
Staff Front-end Engineer | London
Teams Built
Founding Team (BD Capture), Defence | London
AI/ML Team (10 hires /8 weeks) | Berlin
Security Team (8 Hires / 8 Weeks) | Munich & London
Engineering Leadership Team (7 hires / 4 weeks) | Dublin
IC engineering track | Munich
Founding engineering Team (Seed) | Berlin
Founding engineering Team, Defence | London
LEADERSHIP:
Head of Government and Defence, Europe
Head of Government and Defence, APAC
Head of Land Autonomy, Europe
Head of Future Combat Air Systems, Europe
Head of Nordics | Stockholm
Head of Maritime Autonomy, UK | London
Head of Maritime Autonomy, Nordics
SVP of Engineering | London
VP of Engineering | Munich
VP of Engineering | Munich
Director of Engineering | London
Global Account Manager | Munich
Global Account Manager | Munich
Head Simulation Sales, Europe | Munich
SVP of Engineering | UK
VP of Engineering | UK
Managing Director, Core Banking, EMEA
Strategic Advisor - Defence | UK
Strategic Advisor - Defence | UK
ENGINEERING:
Principal Robotics Engineer | London
Principal Robotics Engineer | London
Principal Software Engineer | Munich
Forward Deployed Engineer | London
Staff AI Engineer | London
Staff Software Engineer (Sim) | London
Staff ML Engineer | London
Staff ML Engineer | London
Staff ML Engineer | London
Staff Research Engineer | Munich
Technical Program Manager | Stockholm
SVP of Engineering | Dublin
VP of Engineering | Dublin
Chief Solution Architect | UK
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
Staff Front-end Engineer | Munich
Staff Front-end Engineer | London
TEAMS BUILT:
Founding Team, Defence | London
AI/ML Team (10 hires / 8 weeks) | Berlin
Security Team (8 Hires / 8 Weeks)
Leadership Team (7 hires / 4 weeks) | UK
IC Engineering Track Build | Munich
Founding Engineering Team (Seed) | Berlin
Engineering Team Build, Defence | London
Leadership
Head of Government and Defence, Europe
Head of Government and Defence, APAC
Head of Land Autonomy, Europe
Head of Future Combat Air Systems, Europe
Head of Nordics | Stockholm
Head of Maritime Autonomy, UK | London
Head of Maritime Autonomy, Nordics | London
SVP of Engineering | London
VP of Engineering | Munich
VP of Engineering | Munich
Director of Engineering | London
Global Account Manager | Munich
Global Account Manager | Munich
Head of Car Simulation Sales, Europe | Munich
SVP of Engineering | Dublin
VP of Engineering | Dublin
Managing Director, Core Banking, Europe | London
Engineering
Principal Robotics Engineer | London
Principal Robotics Engineer | London
Principal Software Engineer | Munich
Forward Deployed Engineer | London
Staff AI Engineer | London
Staff Software Engineer (Simulation) | London
Staff Machine Learning Engineer | London
Staff Research Engineer | Munich
Technical Program Manager | Stockholm
Chief Solution Architect | UK
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
AI/ML Engineer | Berlin
Staff Front-end Engineer | Munich
Staff Front-end Engineer | London
Teams Built
Founding Team (BD Capture), Defence | London
AI/ML Team (10 hires /8 weeks) | Berlin
Security Team (8 Hires / 8 Weeks) | Munich & London
Engineering Leadership Team (7 hires / 4 weeks) | Dublin
IC engineering track | Munich
Founding engineering Team (Seed) | Berlin
Founding engineering Team, Defence | London
"My advice to founders: Treat him as a partner, not as a recruiter"
"My advice to founders: Treat him as a partner, not as a recruiter"
"My advice to founders: Treat him as a partner, not as a recruiter"
Sami Kargupta
Palantir
Sami Kargupta
Palantir
"Probably one of the best headhunters that I've met through my career. I can highly recommend Steve for building up a new organisation, looking at the breadth of skills required from different functions within the defence sector. Steve knows what he's doing."
"Probably one of the best headhunters that I've met through my career. I can highly recommend Steve for building up a new organisation, looking at the breadth of skills required from different functions within the defence sector. Steve knows what he's doing."
"Probably one of the best headhunters that I've met through my career. I can highly recommend Steve for building up a new organisation, looking at the breadth of skills required from different functions within the defence sector. Steve knows what he's doing."
Dan Storrs, Head of Air Autonomy Europe
Applied Intuition Defence
Dan Storrs, Head of Air Autonomy Europe
Applied Intuition Defence
“I have been working with Steve for many years. I am impressed by his dedication, sincerity and expertise. I firmly believe that I will keep working with him to accomplish. He is always my preferred headhunting partner and I can recommend him highly.”
“I have been working with Steve for many years. I am impressed by his dedication, sincerity and expertise. I firmly believe that I will keep working with him to accomplish. He is always my preferred headhunting partner and I can recommend him highly.”
Alexander Lorenz, CTIO
VIRGIN MEDIA / LIBERTY GLOBAL
Alexander Lorenz, CTIO
VIRGIN MEDIA / LIBERTY GLOBAL