Engineering Job Market Trends

Updated map of the European robotic startup landscape. New companies added: Deltia RIVR MakerVerse Niryo Flink Robotics and more. The European robotics industry is projected to grow by 68% between 2024-2029, outpacing the 58% global average. And the market value is projected to reach $28.8B by 2029, outpacing North America and Asia in growth velocity. Globally, the industrial robotics market was valued at just under $34B in 2024, with a projected CAGR of nearly 10% through 2030. But Europe’s trajectory stands out not just in speed but in structure. According to Dealroom, European robotics startups raised over $2B in 2023, with massive rounds like 1X Technologies’ €100M raise signaling strong investor conviction. What makes Europe’s momentum especially noteworthy is the underlying infrastructure: ✅ The European Union has an average robot density of 219 units per 10,000 workers, with Germany (429), Sweden, Denmark, and Slovenia ranking among the global top ten. ✅ Germany, the continent’s largest robotics market, continues to invest via its High-Tech Strategy 2025, allocating $369M toward applied robotics R&D. ✅ At the EU level, nearly €200M has been earmarked for robotics under the “Digital, Industry, and Space” cluster of Horizon Europe, with a focus on autonomy, enhanced cognition, and human-robot interaction. While 70% of the new robots are deployed in Asia, Europe’s edge is not volume but specialization. Europe is focused on mid-scale autonomy, human-machine teaming, and cross-disciplinary convergence in sectors like deep tech, healthcare, and micro-manufacturing. Two of our portfolio companies capturing this momentum: sewts – Robots to handle flexible textiles with precision and intelligence. Robeauté – AI-powered modular microrobots for ultra-precise, adaptive neurosurgical procedures. A huge thank you for the incredible support on our previous post, and for all your thoughtful suggestions! We’ve done our best to incorporate as many as possible. If you find any oversights, please let us know in the comments so we can keep them in mind moving forward. Source: International Federation of Robotics Follow us at APEX Ventures and subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content on groundbreaking Deep Tech startups: 🔗 https://t2m.io/EV2qHQuo

10 Sustainability Trends to Watch 🌎 Sustainability is no longer a peripheral concern but a key driver of business strategy, shaping how companies operate and compete in today’s market. The intersection of regulatory shifts, investor expectations, and consumer demands is pushing businesses to integrate sustainability more deeply into their core operations. As the global landscape evolves, several trends are emerging that will define the future of corporate sustainability. Decarbonization and climate adaptation are becoming central to long-term planning. Companies are not only expected to reduce their carbon emissions but also to build resilience against climate risks. This shift is being driven by stricter regulations and global climate commitments, forcing businesses to take proactive steps in emission reduction and climate-proofing their operations. Biodiversity and nature conservation are gaining momentum as businesses recognize the importance of protecting ecosystems. Practices like regenerative agriculture and habitat conservation are no longer niche but are increasingly integrated into corporate strategies to address biodiversity loss and enhance ecosystem services. Companies investing in these areas are positioning themselves as leaders in environmental stewardship. In response to rising regulatory pressure, greenwashing is under intense scrutiny. Claims of environmental responsibility must now be backed by verifiable data, and companies face significant legal and reputational risks if found to be misleading. This trend reflects a broader shift toward greater transparency and accountability in sustainability reporting. Supply chain sustainability is evolving beyond direct operations, with companies focusing on reducing environmental impacts across the entire value chain. Managing Scope 3 emissions is becoming a priority, and new technologies are enabling businesses to track and reduce these emissions more effectively. As a result, sustainable supply chains are now critical to meeting both regulatory requirements and consumer expectations. The role of technology in sustainability is also expanding. AI and data analytics are playing an increasingly important role in optimizing resource use, tracking sustainability performance, and identifying opportunities for carbon reduction. These tools are helping companies make data-driven decisions and improve their environmental impact, positioning technology as a critical enabler in achieving sustainability goals. As sustainability continues to reshape industries, companies that stay ahead of these trends will not only meet regulatory demands but also gain competitive advantage by demonstrating leadership in responsible business practices. #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #climateaction 

𝗦𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘄? With USAID downsizing and ripple effects hitting implementing partners, contractors, and global development orgs, the job market is brutal right now. So I’ve consolidated my best advice—specific to this moment. 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗝𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻. If you can afford it, pause before panic-applying. This wasn’t just a job—it was a mission. Layoffs hit hard. Take a moment to process, reflect, and reset before diving in. 2️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝘀 𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁. Most searches will take 6-12 months. Some organizations are quietly hiring, but many have paused new roles. Pace yourself. Overwhelming yourself in month one will make month six that much harder. 3️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 (𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 “𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴”). Job searching right now is exhausting. You need more than LinkedIn messages—you need a team in your corner. That might mean a career coach, a job search accountability group, or a Slack/WhatsApp community where you can be honest about the struggle. The Bloom, Career Pivot, Reconsidered - all great. 4️⃣ 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆. There are too many job boards, too many postings, and too many applicants. Instead of throwing resumes everywhere, go where the real opportunities are. (Yes, I’m partial to ImpactSource dot ai, because it updates dynamically and auto matches you with roles—but whatever board you use, make sure it’s giving you real signal, not noise.) 5️⃣ 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵—𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽. I see too many people applying to 100+ jobs and getting nowhere. Right now, the jobs being filled are often never even posted. Instead of panic-applying, target specific orgs, connect with insiders, and have real conversations. 6️⃣ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Everyone is applying through LinkedIn. But not everyone is building credibility there. Try this: Post once a week. Share something about your expertise, your past work, or even your reflections on the job search. Visibility = Opportunity. 7️⃣ 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘀 > 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Most people get hired through connections, not job portals. Instead of applying blindly, reach out to people who know your work. Ask for warm introductions. Use first-degree LinkedIn connections wisely. 8️⃣ 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝘀𝗸. Even in a job search, you have something to offer. Share job openings. Offer to review someone’s resume. Connect two people who should meet. Generosity opens doors. 9️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲—𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂. The world needs your talents more than ever. 🔟 What’s been most helpful for you? Drop your advice in the comments. Sharing is CARING.

We just published the latest edition of our Recruiting Benchmarks Report. It looks at 165 million applicants, 15 million candidates, and 1.2 million hires over the past 4 years. After digging through the data, here's the story I am seeing: the market is starting to stabilize, but recruiting teams are working harder than ever. Another gradual year of recovery, but uneven. → Overall hiring is up 8.3% year over year. But we're still 30% below 2021 levels.  → Tech companies are still down 40% from their peak. → Here's what stood out: smaller companies under 500 employees are recovering the fastest. They're only ~12% below 2021 levels. If you're at a startup or mid-market company feeling the pressure to hire, you're not imagining it. You really are moving faster than the rest of the market. Teams got leaner and stayed that way. → The average recruiting team size is down 14% compared to 2021.  → The average recruiter now manages 40% more job openings and nearly 2x more applications compared to 2021 Hiring is more intensive and selective. → Interviews per hire are up 33% overall If you're job hunting right now, the data explains why it feels so hard. → Only 0.5% of applicants get hired. One person out of every 200. For context: it's literally harder to land a tech job right now than it is to get into Harvard. → And candidates feel it. Offer acceptance rates are holding at 82% because people have fewer options. When the odds are against you, and you finally get an offer, you probably take it. Your best candidates are already in your database. → 46% of sourced hires in 2025 came from people already in your CRM or ATS. That was only 26% in 2021. → For Engineering & Data Science, it's 48%. For Design, 57%. → Your best pipeline isn't on LinkedIn. It's already sitting in your database. That’s why AI is all the rage in recruiting these days. It's the only way teams can keep up. → When you're processing twice as many applications with fewer people, you find a way to prioritize or you drown.  → When half your best hires are buried in your database, you need AI to surface them.  → When every role requires 33% more interviews, you need AI to make the process more efficient. Full report (with deeper cuts by company size, industry, department and location) in comments

Most support engineers think career growth looks like this: Junior → Senior → Lead (Manager) → Director And if you don’t want to manage people… You’re stuck. But there’s a career track nobody explains: 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐬. The specialist ladder is exploding right now. Not because support changed. Because the work changed. Support today isn’t just closing tickets. It’s: • designing automations that eliminate tickets • owning the systems behind the queue • improving workflows across teams • optimizing AI bot performance • building the engine that makes support scale New roles are emerging fast: 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐈 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 And here’s the key: These aren’t “extra tasks.” They’re full careers. If you’re already doing things like: • building specific escalation flows • improving Zendesk operations • QA’ing bot conversations • implementing new tools • reducing repetitive work …you’re not “helping out.” You’re already on the specialist track. Support is no longer just a frontline function. It’s becoming an operations + automation discipline. So if management isn’t your path… Don’t look up the org chart. Look sideways. Your next promotion might not be “team lead.” It might be: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. What’s one operational problem in your support org that nobody officially owns yet?

If you're in tech, you're sitting on a goldmine right now. While everyone's debating AI job displacement, the engineering sector is quietly becoming the biggest AI beneficiary. The World Economic Forum projects 78 million net new jobs by 2030, and IT and Engineering is leading the charge. This shift is creating entirely new job categories that didn't exist two years ago. Here are five emerging growth areas for IT and Engineering: 1. AI-native product development → AI Product Managers who understand ML lifecycles and enterprise pain points. 2. AIOps infrastructure → MLOps engineers are moving companies from AI experiments to production. Every enterprise needs these skills. 3. AI cybersecurity → Red teamers for LLMs are literally paid to break AI systems.  4. Enterprise data infrastructure → Vector database engineers managing RAG pipelines are helping AI systems access the right information at the right time. 5. Vertical AI specializations → LegalTech AI specialists, FinTech AI analysts, HR tech AI specialists—domain expertise + AI fluency is the new superpower. The numbers back this up: $632 billion in AI spending (including applications, infrastructure, and IT services) by 2028. This will lead to new AI roles in engineering, product, data, and operations to maintain these AI systems. Bottom line: The engineers who adapt fastest will have the most opportunities. In my latest newsletter, I break down exactly how to transition into each of these roles, plus the specific tools and skills that matter most. What AI role are you most curious about? #AI #Engineering #IT #FutureOfWork

Your first job search isn’t just about skills. It’s about positioning, clarity, and communication. I recently tweeted something that resonated with many: “You know DSA. You’ve built projects. You’ve done your part. Yet rejections still knock you down.” This happens more often than we talk about—especially to students from non-Tier 1 colleges or those pursuing degrees like BCA, MCA, or online programs. I’ve seen friends who were talented, hardworking, and technically sound, still struggle. Not because they lacked capability, but because they lacked direction in how to present it. Here are some practical tips that can help you break that wall: 1. Projects need storytelling, not just code Include case studies on your portfolio or GitHub READMEs. Explain: What problem you solved Why you chose a particular stack How you approached edge cases What tradeoffs you made 2. DSA matters, but it’s not everything If you're applying for product-based companies, practice platform-specific contests (like LeetCode Weekly, Codeforces). But also understand how to write clean, scalable code and explain your logic confidently. 3. Resume = First impression Use action-driven bullet points (led, built, optimized). Avoid generic lines like “Passionate about technology.” Keep it focused. Tailor your resume for each job role. 4. Practice thinking out loud Mock interviews aren’t just for feedback—they train you to speak your thought process. Platforms like Pramp, Interviewing.io, or even peers over Zoom can help a lot. 5. Build in public Share your learnings on LinkedIn or GitHub. It helps you get noticed, and it builds confidence. Document your journey—it’s proof of consistency. 6. Learn how to learn The tech stack will keep changing. What matters is how you approach debugging, searching for solutions, and building incrementally. Useful Resources: System Design Primer CS50 by Harvard (Free) Tech Interview Handbook Frontend Masters Bootcamps (Free courses) Final Thought: You may not have a BTech or a top-tier college tag, but that doesn’t define your ceiling. Learn how to communicate your work. Focus on clarity, not just hard work. And keep iterating on your process until opportunity finds you. Rooting for everyone navigating this phase. Follow Abhay Singh for more such reads.

Mechanical, hardware, and chemical engineers are among the hardest-to-fill/hardest-to-hire roles for climate tech companies, with time-to-fill times longer than even machine learning engineering roles. ClimateTechList teamed up with data scientist/engineer Jason Zou to analyze our dataset of ~60,000 job posts from 900 climate tech companies posted in the last 6 months. Specifically, we found that the time-to-fill for the following roles were: - Sales: 31.9 days - Marketing: 35.9 - Analyst: 36.0 - Design: 38.5 - Data Science: 40.3 - Product Management: 41.5 - Operations: 42 - Electrical Engineer: 47.1 - Software Eng: 48.2 - Machine Learning Eng: 48.3 - Mechanical Eng: 49.0 - Hardware Eng: 50.2 - Chemical Eng: 51.5 Engineering jobs associated with physical production are hard to hire, namely mechanical engineering, hardware engineering, and chemical engineering, all of which take almost 2x as long to fill (50 days) as sales jobs. Even machine learning engineering positions, in high demand from the AI boom, are filled at a slightly faster rate than these 3 positions Possible reasons for this effect - many of these jobs require in-person work, which makes job matching jobs to candidates inherently more difficult - Federal legislation of the last few years- Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS Act are all driving massive investments into U.S. physical infrastructure and manufacturing. These investments disproportionally require talent with physical-product engineering skills more than software engineering skills. 👉 For more insights on hiring trends by company, country and climate tech vertical, see our latest climate tech hiring trends report here: https://lnkd.in/gpMCaSZ6 #climatetechlist #decarbonization #energytransition #chemicalengineering #mechanicalengineering #hardwareengineering #hiringtrends

𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗻𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻? The software engineering job market has transformed dramatically since its 2022 peak, with positions down 150%. Starting in late 2022, layoffs hit tech hard. Hiring slowed, and many junior and mid-level roles disappeared. Even experienced engineers felt the pressure. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. Also, AI forces us to learn new skills, while non-AI companies face tighter funding and stagnant compensation. Meta's recent message with layoffs was clear: "These were our lowest performers, good riddance." Companies now 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺-𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. The era of being treated as "special little geniuses" with unlimited perks is over. How we can adapt as an engineer in 2025: 🔹 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲—𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀: Learn product thinking and business impact. 🔹 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Focus on the 2-3 initiatives your leadership cares about, not what engineers find interesting 🔹 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: Tie your work directly to business metrics; vague "developer experience" improvements won't save you in layoffs 🔹 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗜-𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Learn prompt engineering and use tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Cody to multiply productivity. Be a master of vibe coding. 🔹 𝗖𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁: If you don't proactively abandon low-priority work, decisions will be made for you 🔹 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀, such as distributed systems, performance, infrastructure, security, and data engineering. These are difficult to automate and outsource. 🔹 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀: Create visibility for your contributions with weekly accomplishment emails to leadership 🔹 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆: Build relationships with high-performers in revenue-generating teams. This is probably the most important thing you can do. I've had several conversations with talented senior engineers struggling to find work for months. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱. If you have a stable job, please keep it and make yourself valuable. The engineers who will survive aren't the ones with the latest tech skills—they're the ones who will add value to their companies in 2025. Image: Visual Capitalist. #technology #softwareenginering #programming #coding #career

I've been thinking about sustainability differently lately, as it used to feel like something companies would get to eventually. Now it is the work itself, shaping decisions from materials sourcing to how we design and manufacture. Looking back on 2025, I saw sustainability move from aspiration to agenda across the electronics industry. A March study by the Global Electronics Association showed that 60 percent of companies planned to increase sustainability efforts last year, and, from what I observed, many followed through. This tells me that the momentum we're seeing is real. What I am watching now is how that momentum translates into 2026. Investment is one part of it, as global companies put more than $200 billion into AI last year, and I am curious how much of that gets applied to sustainability challenges. When AI and circularity work together, we see real efficiency gains, and this overlap matters. Critical minerals are another area I keep coming back to as we talk about supply chain resilience, but the answer increasingly points to mineral reclamation and recycling. Companies that get serious about circular practices this year will be better positioned for what comes next. The regulatory side is shifting too, especially in Europe. Right-to-repair and recyclability mandates are pushing designers and engineers to rethink products from the start. Durability, repairability, and traceability are no longer add-ons. They are built into the materials, processes, and inspection systems our workforce depends on. Sustainability is not a separate initiative. It is how the work gets done. I am interested in hearing what others see as the priorities taking shape this year.