OFFSHORE CASE STUDY
How Conduit found Pakistani engineers who compete with their best Argentine hire.
How Conduit found Pakistani engineers who compete with their best Argentine hire.
How Conduit found Pakistani engineers who compete with their best Argentine hire.
Before they came to us, Conduit already knew offshore could work. The question was whether Pakistan could match the bar.
Before they came to us, Conduit already knew offshore could work. The question was whether Pakistan could match the bar.
Relationship
Relationship
1+ year
1+ year
Engineers placed
Engineers placed
4
4
Capital raised
Capital raised
$4.7M
$4.7M
Sector
Sector
Industrial AI
Industrial AI
ABOUT CONDUIT
Conduit (formerly Fleetloop) builds an Interoperable Orchestration Platform for enterprise manufacturers, connecting every robot, machine, software system, and sensor on the factory floor into a single command center for real-time automation.
Where traditional industrial automation projects take years to deploy, Conduit delivers in days. Their platform is no-code, hardware-agnostic, and built for the factories of the next decade.
Where traditional industrial automation projects take years to deploy, Conduit delivers in days. Their platform is no-code, hardware-agnostic, and built for the factories of the next decade.
Backed by top-tier deep tech investors. $4.7M raised. ~10–12 person team. Headquartered in San Francisco
THE CHALLENGE
They didn’t want offshore talent. They wanted exceptional engineers.
They didn’t want offshore talent. They wanted exceptional engineers.
They didn’t want offshore talent. They wanted exceptional engineers.
Conduit engaged Taraki post-pre-seed, with their engineering team already taking shape. The company had a backend lead based in Argentina, a proven offshore hire performing at a level Conduit trusted completely.
Conduit engaged Taraki post-pre-seed, with their engineering team already taking shape. The company had a backend lead based in Argentina, a proven offshore hire performing at a level Conduit trusted completely.
So they didn’t want us to find them something cheap. They wanted us to find engineers who could match or exceed that bar.
So they didn’t want us to find them something cheap. They wanted us to find engineers who could match or exceed that bar.
“We weren’t looking for offshore talent. We were looking for exceptional engineers who happened to be in Pakistan.”
“We weren’t looking for offshore talent. We were looking for exceptional engineers who happened to be in Pakistan.”
— Sahil Patel, CTO, Conduit
We were likely not the only offshore recruitment firm Conduit was evaluating. That pressure meant every candidate we put forward had to count. The Argentine lead was the benchmark every Pakistani engineer would be measured against.
We were likely not the only offshore recruitment firm Conduit was evaluating. That pressure meant every candidate we put forward had to count. The Argentine lead was the benchmark every Pakistani engineer would be measured against.
HOW WE WORKED
We didn’t get it right on the first round.
We didn’t get it right on the first round.
We didn’t get it right on the first round.
Conduit’s feedback after our initial shortlist was direct: the caliber wasn’t where it needed to be. We absorbed that, recalibrated what we were looking for, and went back with a stronger pool.
Conduit’s feedback after our initial shortlist was direct: the caliber wasn’t where it needed to be. We absorbed that, recalibrated what we were looking for, and went back with a stronger pool.
They kept working with us. What kept them at the table was communication. We were responsive, transparent about what we were changing and why, and we moved with them as their requirements shifted.
They kept working with us. What kept them at the table was communication. We were responsive, transparent about what we were changing and why, and we moved with them as their requirements shifted.
A startup at this stage will change what they need based on what’s in their pipeline. When a big deal came through or one fell through, we adjusted. That flexibility and the willingness to keep iterating is what turned a rocky start into a sustained partnership.
A startup at this stage will change what they need based on what’s in their pipeline. When a big deal came through or one fell through, we adjusted. That flexibility and the willingness to keep iterating is what turned a rocky start into a sustained partnership.
THE INSIGHT
We sourced for systems thinkers with IoT exposure, and startup-grade ownership instinct. Not generic web developers. Not engineers who needed a spec to start.
We sourced for systems thinkers with IoT exposure, and startup-grade ownership instinct. Not generic web developers. Not engineers who needed a spec to start.
Given Conduit’s platform connects hardware and software in factory environments, generic full-stack candidates wouldn’t have cleared the bar. We targeted engineers with systems-level experience, IoT exposure, and a behavioral profile Conduit had described clearly: people who would surface problems before being asked, contribute to architecture decisions, and function as genuine team members in a small, fast-moving company.
Given Conduit’s platform connects hardware and software in factory environments, generic full-stack candidates wouldn’t have cleared the bar. We targeted engineers with systems-level experience, IoT exposure, and a behavioral profile Conduit had described clearly: people who would surface problems before being asked, contribute to architecture decisions, and function as genuine team members in a small, fast-moving company.
The combination of deep technical depth, IoT context, and startup ownership instinct is where our sourcing network does its best work.
The combination of deep technical depth, IoT context, and startup ownership instinct is where our sourcing network does its best work.
CONDUIT’S FOUR-STAGE INTERVIEW PROCESS
Four stages. Zero exceptions.
Four stages. Zero exceptions.
Four stages. Zero exceptions.
Conduit ran one of the most rigorous interview processes we’ve worked with. Every engineer we placed went through all four stages — and cleared them.
Conduit ran one of the most rigorous interview processes we’ve worked with. Every engineer we placed went through all four stages — and cleared them.
01
CTO screen
CTO screen
Technical fundamentals and cultural alignment. Sets the baseline for everything that follows.
02
Engineering team interviews
Engineering team interviews
Deep technical evaluation with the existing engineers. Peer-level assessment of skills and thinking.
03
Coding challenge
Coding challenge
Hands-on problem-solving with their lead developer.
04
CEO culture fit
CEO culture fit
Final conversation with the CEO. Long-term mindset, communication style, team culture alignment.
100% pass rate
100% pass rate
All four engineers placed cleared all four stages.
Conduit’s pass rate for external candidates going through this process isn’t high. They reject most people who reach stage 4. The fact that every Pakistani engineer we put forward cleared every stage isn’t a marketing claim, it’s the strongest single data point we have for what Taraki sourcing actually delivers.
Conduit’s pass rate for external candidates going through this process isn’t high. They reject most people who reach stage 4. The fact that every Pakistani engineer we put forward cleared every stage isn’t a marketing claim, it’s the strongest single data point we have for what Taraki sourcing actually delivers.
THE OUTCOME
Conduit doesn’t categorize them as offshore. They’re just the team.
Conduit doesn’t categorize them as offshore. They’re just the team.
Conduit doesn’t categorize them as offshore. They’re just the team.
Four engineers placed through Taraki. 30–40% of Conduit’s entire engineering org, based in Pakistan, built over the course of a year. Their seed investors are fully aware of the offshore team and confident in its capability.
Four engineers placed through Taraki. 30–40% of Conduit’s entire engineering org, based in Pakistan, built over the course of a year. Their seed investors are fully aware of the offshore team and confident in its capability.
These engineers aren’t filling gaps. They’ve been part of architecture decisions, system design, and day-to-day product development since day one.
These engineers aren’t filling gaps. They’ve been part of architecture decisions, system design, and day-to-day product development since day one.
4
4
Engineers placed
Engineers placed
1 year
1 year
Active partnership
Active partnership
30%
30%
Of full engineering team
Of full engineering team
100%
100%
Interview pass rate
Interview pass rate
That shift in framing from offshore vendor to core team is the outcome we aim for in every engagement. Conduit is the proof that it’s achievable, even when the bar is a four-stage interview and a benchmark engineer set by Argentina.
That shift in framing from offshore vendor to core team is the outcome we aim for in every engagement. Conduit is the proof that it’s achievable, even when the bar is a four-stage interview and a benchmark engineer set by Argentina.
IN THEIR WORDS
“We weren’t looking for offshore talent, we were looking for exceptional engineers who happened to be in Pakistan. Taraki understood that distinction immediately. The team they’ve helped us build competes with anyone, anywhere.”
“We weren’t looking for offshore talent, we were looking for exceptional engineers who happened to be in Pakistan. Taraki understood that distinction immediately. The team they’ve helped us build competes with anyone, anywhere.”
“We weren’t looking for offshore talent, we were looking for exceptional engineers who happened to be in Pakistan. Taraki understood that distinction immediately. The team they’ve helped us build competes with anyone, anywhere.”
Sahil Patel
CTO & Co-Founder, Conduit
Scaling your engineering team from Pakistan?
We help startups place engineers who match the bar their existing team has already set.
Scaling your engineering team from Pakistan?
We help startups place engineers who match the bar their existing team has already set.
Scaling your engineering team from Pakistan?
We help startups place engineers who match the bar their existing team has already set.