Case Study: Scaling a Climate Tech Pioneer

  • Client: Promethean Particles

  • Industry: Climate Technology / Advanced Materials

  • Location: Nottingham, UK

  • Company Stage: Series A Scale-up

  • Funding: £8M Series A (August 2024)

The Challenge

Following their successful £8M Series A funding round led by Mercia Ventures and Aramco Ventures in August 2024, Promethean Particles faced a critical scaling challenge. The Nottingham-based climate tech company, which specialises in manufacturing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for carbon capture applications, needed to rapidly expand their 12-person team to meet ambitious growth targets and capitalise on their breakthrough technology.

The hiring challenge was significant:

  • Double team size from 12 to 24+ employees

  • Specialised roles requiring deep technical expertise

  • Competitive market for chemistry, technical and commercial talent

  • Urgent timeline to maintain growth momentum post-funding

Solution: Cohort’s Turnkey Hiring Infrastructure

Rather than engaging multiple expensive recruitment agencies, Promethean Particles partnered with Cohort for embedded hiring support - working as part of their team to ensure they hired the right people, on time and within budget. Our scalable, tailored approach provided:

Comprehensive Hiring Support

Cohort successfully recruited across 12 positions in 8 role types:

  • Technical Specialists: 2x MOF Synthetic Chemists, Adsorption Specialist, 2x Process Development Engineers, Manufacturing Engineer

  • Operations: Chemical Process Operator, HSE Manager, Office Manager, Project Manager

  • Commercial: Marketing Consultant, Commercial Director

Embedded Hiring Support

  • Marketing: Enhanced their employer brand to attract top chemistry, engineering, operations, and commercial talent in a competitive market

  • Search: Proactive candidate sourcing when marketing alone wasn't sufficient

  • Process Support: Full management of application reviews, interview coordination, and time-consuming admin tasks

  • Systems: Set-up and managed hiring systems for control, visibility, and continuous process improvement

  • Interviewing: Partnered with their management team to conduct interviews and make robust hiring decisions

Result

Cost-Effective Solution

  • Total cost to Promethean: £36,000 for 12 months of comprehensive support

  • Savings achieved: 60% cost reduction compared to traditional recruitment agencies

  • Delivery guarantee: We guarantee successful delivery with full refund protection

  • Flexible pricing: Scalable support that adapts to changing business needs

Business Impact

The successful scaling of Promethean Particles' team has enabled the company to:

  • Accelerate development of their breakthrough MOF manufacturing technology

  • Advance multiple carbon capture demonstration projects

  • Strengthen their position in the fast-growing climate tech market

  • Support their mission to provide cost-effective carbon capture solutions

Successful Team Growth

  • 100% hiring success rate - filling all 12 positions

  • Rapid scaling from 12 to 24 team members

  • Quality hires supporting company's continued growth trajectory

Why Cohort's Embedded Hiring Works for Scale-ups

Work as Part of Your Team: Embedded support that integrates seamlessly with your business

Delivery Guarantee: We guarantee successful delivery with full refund protection

60% Cost Savings: Significantly cheaper than traditional recruitment agencies

Scalable Support: Scales up or down with your business needs - no tie-ins or fixed overheads

Expertise Across High-Tech: Deep knowledge across high-tech industries and emerging sectors

Right People, Right Time, Right Cost: Complete control over your hiring process