Introducing DIGO: The Game-Changing Search Engine for Engineers in Japan

DIGO: A New Era for Talent Acquisition in Engineering

Biscuit Inc., headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, has announced the launch of the free beta version of its innovative engineer search engine, DIGO, set to become available in April 2024. This engine is designed specifically to discover engineers who are not actively seeking new job opportunities but possess valuable skills and potential in the industry.

Addressing the Challenges in the Job Market

In Japan’s IT sector, most current recruitment practices focus on direct recruiting and job referral services that primarily target those actively looking for jobs. However, this approach leaves out many talented engineers who may not be registered on job boards. Employers often find themselves competing for the same pool of applicants, leading to issues such as:

- Top-tier engineers often remain invisible because they are not registered on recruitment sites.
- There is an oversaturation of competing offers to the same candidates.
- Many companies have limited recruiting channels and struggle to encounter new talent.
- Recruitment expenses can become excessively burdensome for budgets.

Recognizing this gap in the market, Biscuit aims to create a bridge to connect businesses with these hidden talents. Despite the challenges, there is a wealth of publicly available information on engineers’ technical activities online through blogs, presentations, and social media, which remains underutilized in the recruitment process.

DIGO was conceived to harness this information using advanced AI technology to analyze and present potential candidates based on their skills and interests, even if they are not actively applying for jobs.

What is DIGO?

DIGO, the engineer-focused search engine, analyzes publicly available data to identify and showcase engineers who exist outside the traditional job market. By structuring information gathered from various sources like technical blogs, participation in conferences, and social media activity, DIGO allows employers to search for candidates based on their technical competencies rather than just their resumes.

Unlike conventional recruiting solutions, DIGO offers a search-engine-like platform where companies can actively explore and find qualified engineers suitable for their needs. This not only eases the burden of the hiring team but also enhances the likelihood of securing better matches for their workforce.

Core Features of the Beta Version

The forthcoming beta version of DIGO will offer several key features tailored to meet the needs of IT firms hiring engineers:
1. Engineer Search Functionality - Search based on technical stacks and activity history.
2. Skill Summarization - AI will automatically organize and summarize technical areas of expertise.
3. Profile and Contact Information Access - Employers can view profiles and reach out to potential candidates.
4. Intent Detection - AI detects signals indicating a candidate’s potential interest in changing jobs.
5. AI-Powered Scout Message Generation - Generate customized outreach messages for candidates.

Beta Period Details

The beta version of DIGO will be available free of charge from April to July 2024. Biscuit Inc. invites companies looking to improve their IT recruitment practices to participate, providing feedback that will be essential for product refinement. An official version is expected to be released in the summer of 2024 based on the insights gathered.

Executive Insight

According to CEO Yoshioka, the long-standing challenge that “the best engineers do not appear in the job market” has been evident for years. By employing AI to better organize and present available information about engineers, DIGO aims to illuminate these hidden talents, providing companies with new recruitment avenues.

Future Developments

Looking ahead, Biscuit Inc. plans to continue enhancing DIGO to counteract the asymmetry of information in engineering recruitment. Additionally, they envision expanding the platform to include not only engineers but also fresh graduates and global talents, ultimately striving for a comprehensive HR data platform.