// ABOUT US
We are Analytical and Emphatic
We are a passionate team of highly skilled AI engineers, software engineers, designers and user researchers who like to build things and solve problems.
We share values, we trust each other and we like to spend time with each other. Even those of us who are at the start of their careers are among the best in their field and are motivated to make a positive impact.
When we hire, we look for a unique mix of quantitative and creative thinking and we like to think this allows us to pave roads where there are no roads and see what others may miss.
What is your story, why Scotland?
Well, we are from all over the world but most of us lived in Edinburgh when the company was founded in 2018. Later, our early hires were from The University of Edinburgh, and then yet a little later, we hired from Glasgow universities. We have since grown quite a bit. While our home base remains Edinburgh, we are also in London and in several cities in Europe. Our clients are global. That said, the Scottish legacy lives on.
So, why Scotland, you ask? There is something special about Scotland.
On one hand, beauty inspires. Steeped in incredible history, Edinburgh feels like stepping back in time. At the same time, the city also relentlessly reinvents itself – leading the world with cutting-edge research in machine learning, for example.
Living in Scotland, on the northern edge of Europe, can feel like watching the noisy party of the rest of the world from a corner of peace. You are close enough to the hustle and bustle and plugged-in to everything, yet you are also a step out of the vortex. You have the space and time to observe, think and keep the big picture in mind.
The city changes slowly, there is less of everything and what there is gets more appreciated. You remember the stone houses have been here for centuries long before you and they will survive long after you, and this gives you a sense of continuity. It also reminds you to look to the past when you need to see the future.
Why do you show pictures of mountains on your website?
To be fair, we used to have many more pictures of mountains earlier on the website. We have since replaced some of them with pictures of the open space – the sky at night, stars and galaxies – the kind of unknowable vastness which one ponders about in nature.
The reason why we are fascinated with mountains is because they capture a place of mystery. A mountain is like a puzzle – a cryptographic code, a mathematical equation, or the design of a new product – waiting to be discovered but only if you approach it the right way.
Mountains cultivate an incredible culture of fellowship and solidarity among hikers, climbers and explorers who help each other. We strive to hire people whose ideas do not fit on a page, and people who are driven by values and mission, who show empathy and care for one another. When we started, we thought that there must be a better way to do technology than sitting in a sterile neon office. We set up the company in the backyard of Scotland’s Highlands because sometimes all you need is a walk to sharpen your mind, and wake up with creativity.
Where does the name Viapontica come from?
Right, another great question!
Via is the Latin and Italian word for “road,” while Pontica is the Greek name for the Black Sea. Via Pontica is one of the ancient Roman roads which traversed Europe, and it is also Europe's second largest bird migration route.
The name "Viapontica" captures core identity of the Viapontica company – a spirit of journey and discovery, and a complex relationship between human ingenuity and nature.
Roman engineering took much inspiration from nature, the same way architects of Artificial Intelligence today often draws inspiration from how humans think; AI even is now turning the tables to teach us about how brains work.
The name "Viapontica" also points to the connection of people over large distances, and the aspiration towards a sense of continuity over space and time.
The black boards of the The Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences on the fifth floor of the Bayes Center in Edinburgh, the home of Viapontica AI.
// WAYS OF WORKING
We work collaboratively, and move quickly
Alright, we said a lot above. Here is the short version.
Our team is lean and agile. We embrace ambiguity and enjoy a good challenge. We connect dots across disciplines and industries to design big and answer tough questions. We keep the big picture in focus and put the user experience in the centre.