Cohort 1 starts 16 November 2026 · 25 seatsHiring, or holding a mandate as a search firm
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For search firms

You hold the mandate. We run the assessment.

Large firms win Forward Deployed Engineer mandates on relationships and reach. Selecting the right engineer takes founders who have employed them. We do that part, and your client stays yours.

How it works

4 rules, agreed before we start

  • Fee

    Same fee, same process. Our published placement fee and our 7 step process apply to search firm engagements exactly as they apply to direct clients.

  • Client

    Your client stays yours. We agree in writing not to approach your client for 24 months, and we speak to them only in sessions you attend.

  • Owner

    The end client’s decision maker joins the specification session. This is the one condition we will not waive. We do not assess against a specification we have not heard first hand.

  • Proof

    Every shortlist carries our scorecard, stamped “Assessed to The FDE Standard v1.0”, with the recorded evidence behind every score.

Why firms use us

A shortlist your client cannot argue with

What your client seesCandidates who passed 9 published benchmarks on real systems, not a recruiter’s opinion
What you keepThe client relationship, the mandate and your own fee
What you avoidA placement that fails in month 3 and costs you the next mandate

Talk to a founder about a live mandate.

30 minutes. Bring the mandate; we will tell you on the call whether we can assess for it.

Apply for Cohort 1Book a call with a founder