Exa, an AI search infrastructure startup backed by Nvidia, has announced plans to open an office in Singapore as part of its Asia-Pacific expansion. The company, which received $85 million in a Series B funding round in September at a valuation of $700 million, is actively recruiting engineers to join its growing team. Exa’s CEO, Will Bryk, emphasized the company is seeking “rebellious” engineers who challenge conventional approaches and think creatively from first principles about the future of search technology.
Founded in 2021, Exa develops search systems tailored for AI applications, which require rethinking traditional search methods due to the differing behaviors of humans and AI systems. Bryk highlighted the importance of hiring individuals who do not accept limitations and innovate continuously. The startup plans to hire up to 10 engineers in Singapore, focusing on backend, infrastructure, and product roles.
While experience is considered less critical, passion for building large-scale search systems is a key hiring criterion. To evaluate potential team members beyond their technical output, Exa invites candidates to spend one to two days working onsite with their San Francisco team, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of both skills and character through interactions during work and social meals.
Exa currently employs around 80 people across locations including San Francisco and Zurich and is focused on using AI tools extensively in its development process, with much of its code generated with AI assistance.
The Singapore office is planned to support extensive infrastructure work, including data pipelines and web crawling technologies to collect and process internet information at scale. Bryk praised Singapore’s engineering talent for their intelligence and strong work ethic, viewing the location as a strategic hub for expansion.
Exa serves thousands of customers, including AI startups like Cursor and firms in private equity and consulting sectors. Bryk noted a significant shift in search behavior, predicting that AI-driven search queries will soon outnumber those made by humans. This shift underlines Exa’s mission to rebuild search systems designed for the AI era.
