We scale together
FOR STARTUPS
Headhunting for startups. From founders, for founders.
Hiring the right CTO, Head of Sales or COO can be the difference between scaling and stalling. We know because we’ve been there — we’ve built companies, worked in startups and made decisions under pressure with limited resources.
That’s why we understand your business, your pace and what you truly need before opening any search.
DOES IT SOUNDS FAMILIAR
You need the right person to scale. And you need them now.
You have traction. You have product. You have investors watching. What you need now is the CTO to take the product to the next level, the Head of Sales to build the commercial channel or the COO to bring order to operations so everything works while you stay focused on the business.
The problem: not everyone understand the startup culture, the caos and the unstructure ecosystem Processes last longer, professional don’t fit in the culture and you loose time that you don’t have.
We work differently. Because we’ve been where you are.
WHY HUMANN
We speak your language. Because we are founders too.
Most headhunters evaluate profiles from the outside. We come from the inside — we’ve built companies, worked in startups and know what it means to make decisions with limited resources under pressure. That changes everything.
When we talk to a candidate, we know whether they have a startup mindset or come from a large corporate and won’t handle the pace. And when we talk to you, we understand the business problem before the hiring problem.
FOUNDER MINDSET
We understand the pressure, the pace and the priorities of a startup. You don’t need to explain to us what a runway or a cap table is.
REAL AGILITY
Shorter processes than a traditional firm. First qualified candidates in 3-4 weeks. Because we know time is your scarcest resource.
CULTURAL FIT
We don’t just evaluate skills. We evaluate whether the candidate has the mindset, the energy and the tolerance for ambiguity a growth-stage startup needs.
AI + HUMAN CRITERIA
We use AI tools to map the market exhaustively and reduce identification time. The decisions are made by people.
SUCCES CASE STUDY
How YSI hired 3 strategic profiles in under 4 months to secure new funding
YSI is a telecoms tariff comparison platform — pure digital product, marketplace model, small team and lots of growth pressure. Miguel Almeida, its founder, needed to bring in strategic profiles in development, marketing and data to take the next step and be ready to raise a new funding round.
We worked directly with Miguel — no intermediaries, no bureaucracy — and in under 4 months we placed the three profiles he needed. The result: YSI secured the funding it was looking for.
“Nicoletta and her team have helped us find multiple profiles on multiple occasions. The ability to understand the company’s situation and know how to present the project to the market to attract candidates has undoubtedly been a differentiating factor in our collaboration. Always with great ease and commitment to understanding our needs — first as a company and a business, and then for each specific profile and person required. The search results have always been highly relevant to our requirements and, as such, we have always managed to find the profiles our business needed, allowing us to keep growing and have a great impact on the market.”
Miguel Almeida, Co-Founder AT YSI…
OUR PROCESS
Fast, direct and no bureaucracy. Just like you work.
WE SIT DOWN WITH THE FOUNDER
We work directly with you — no intermediaries. We understand the business, the stage of the startup, what profile you need and what kind of person will fit your culture and pace. We also advise on the competitive salary range to attract the best candidate.
WE REPRESENT YOU ON THE MARKET
We represent your startup to candidates. We know how to sell a growth-stage project — its advantages, its potential and its culture — so the best professionals want to hear your proposal even if they’re not actively looking.
We map the market with AI
We combine active headhunting, our network and AI tools to identify the best profiles comprehensively. Including those not on any job board.
We filter with startup criteria
We don’t just assess technical skills. We evaluate mindset — whether the candidate can work with uncertainty, has initiative and will contribute from day one. We only present people who truly fit.
WE STAY WITH YOU TILL THE VERY END
Negotiation, onboarding and follow-up. We’re with you until the profile is in and working.
PHANTOM PROGRAM
If cash is tight, we have the Phantom Programme
If your startup is already generating revenue but upfront fees aren’t an option right now, we can explore the Phantom Programme — our co-investment model where we provide the service in exchange for phantom shares.
It’s not the only path. We always evaluate the model that best fits your situation: traditional fees, a mixed model or the Phantom Programme. We decide together in the first conversation.
The only requirement: your startup must already be generating revenue.
FAQ
What founders ask us before starting
How long does a headhunting process take for a startup?
Faster than at a traditional company because we work with agility. We present the first qualified candidates in 3-4 weeks. The full process, through to hire, typically closes in 6-8 weeks. Defining the profile well from the start — including value proposition and salary range — is what shortens timelines the most.
How do you evaluate whether a candidate fits a startup?
Faster than at a traditional company because we work with agility. We present the first qualified candidates in 3-4 weeks. The full process, through to hire, typically closes in 6-8 weeks. Defining the profile well from the start — including value proposition and salary range — is what shortens timelines the most.
Do you work with startups at any stage?
We work mainly with startups at seed and early growth stage — when the founding team needs to bring in the first executive profiles to scale. If you’re at idea stage or very early pre-seed, a headhunter is probably not the right move yet — and we’ll tell you honestly.
What profiles do you recruit for startups?
We work mainly with startups at seed and early growth stage — when the founding team needs to bring in the first executive profiles to scale. If you’re at idea stage or very early pre-seed, a headhunter is probably not the right move yet — and we’ll tell you honestly.
What happens if the candidate doesn't work out after joining?
We offer a guarantee period. If the candidate doesn’t pass probation for reasons related to profile fit, we reopen the search. The specific details are agreed in the proposal.
LET’S TALK
Tell us where your startup is right now
Tanto si estás en fase de planificación como si ya tienes una fecha de lanzamiento, una conversación de 30 minutos es suficiente para entender si podemos ayudarte. We will respond in less than 24 hours