Rocket Builds AI-based Recruitment Tool That Matches Laid-off Engineering Professionals with New Jobs

Rocket, a startup that builds AI-based tools for recruiters and offers recruitment services of its own, had been on the verge of profitability when  the coronavirus pandemic hit. It quickly saw corporate recruitment pushes dry up.

With the pause in hiring affecting its main business and mounting layoffs at tech companies, Rocket turned its efforts towards matching laid off engineers with new jobs pro bono. Rocket gathered data on layoffs, set its AI software and recruiters on cleaning up the data and making it easier to navigate, and launched a new portal to the data. Dubbed Parachute, the portal now has 13,500 professionals from around the world on its original, U.S.-based English-language site, and Rocket is bringing up sister sites in other countries.