Specializations

Recruitment for start-ups and scaling teams

We support start-ups and fast-growing tech companies in recruiting senior management, technical leaders and key specialists. We combine executive search with payroll consultancy, employer branding and HR needs assessments. We build teams that will not only support the scaling of your start-up’s business, but also drive it forward.

Sebastian Sala

Sebastian Sala

Business Unit Director, SSC/BPO, Banking & Insurance, ReX Recruitment Exchange

Table of contents

When does a startup need recruitment support?

This usually happens somewhere around 50 employees. Suddenly, it turns out that the original energy of the founders is no longer enough. Communication breaks down, people ask "who is responsible for this?" - and no one knows the answer. There are no processes, and those that exist were created by accident.

At this point, the startup faces a choice: either build structures and hire managers who know how to scale the company, or get stuck, losing people, time, and investors' money.

Who should be sought then? Leaders who combine experience from large organizations (because they know processes and scale), startup flexibility (because they can act quickly), and the ambition to build something from scratch. Antal has been working with technology companies and scaleups for 25 years: with corporations from the Forbes100 list, with Private Equity funds, and with startups growing by 100% annually. Our consultants have gone through scaling phases themselves and know what this process looks like from the inside.

Who do we recruit? Example roles at every stage of growth

Management and Strategy (C-Level)

Leaders overseeing the vision and scaling of the organization. We recruit CEOs, CFOs, CTOs, COOs, and Vice Presidents who know how to guide a startup through the next phases of growth.

IT & Engineering (Building Technical Hubs)

Teams responsible for product, engineering, and infrastructure. From Head of Engineering and Senior Software Architects to Product Managers, DevOps Leads, and Technical Leads.

Business Development & Finance (Growth)

Functions supporting business scaling: Head of Business Development, Finance Manager, Fundraising Manager, Growth Manager, and Operations Manager.

Marketing & Sales (Acquisition and Brand)

Teams responsible for customer acquisition and brand building: Head of Marketing / CMO, Sales Director, Content Manager, and Brand & Communications Manager.

Stages of development - where is your company?

Step 1: Seed

Building a co-founder team. Phase of exploring the problem and choosing a solution.

Step 2: Concept

Validation of hypotheses. What, for whom, why, and how? Selection of co-founders and product vision.

Step 3: Engagement

Product-Market Fit. Start of work on MVP and first conversations with customers.

Step 4: Validation

Lean Startup phase: iteration, pivot vs. persevere. A minimally functional product reaches users.

Step 5: Scaling ← THIS IS WHERE WE ENGAGE ANTAL

Revenue growth, geographical expansion, building management teams. The moment when recruitment of management staff and executive search becomes crucial.

Step 6: Maturity

Stabilization, optimization of processes, compliance, preparation for exit/IPO.

We are not just a recruitment agency. We are a partner in scaling.

Most recruitment agencies send CVs. We understand what your company is going through because we have been working with organizations in a phase of intense growth for 25 years. We collaborate with VC and Private Equity funds, understand the language of investors, the due diligence requirements regarding teams, and can recruit according to their standards. Our consultants have led international expansions into CEE, the Middle East, and Africa – we know the specifics of each.

We do not stop at recruitment. We help set up salary strategies for new markets. We build employer branding to support rapid hiring. We conduct audits of staffing needs. We advise at every stage, from the first manager to a full management structure. This holistic approach sets us apart in the executive search market for startups.

What do you gain by working with us?

25 years of experience with Forbes100 companies

Our consultants have worked on the transformation of large organizations and know scaling from the inside. We transfer this experience to startup realities. We know what works.

Collaboration with VC and Private Equity funds

We support startups from pre-seed to late-stage. We understand the language of investors and can build management teams that meet due diligence standards.

International expansions (CEE, Middle East, Africa)

From building an IT hub in the UAE to expansion into Germany. We know the specifics of labor markets and help adapt salaries, culture, and employer branding to local conditions.

Holistic approach - not just recruitment

We combine recruitment with salary consulting (salary benchmarking), employer branding, staffing audits, and team scaling strategy. We are a business partner.

Antal Startup Support in numbers

150+

Companies served from the Lean phase to international expansion

25 years

Experience in collaboration with enterprises at every stage of growth

50+

International expansion projects (CEE, Middle East, Africa)

92%

The retention rate of employed candidates one year after recruitment

Frequently asked questions about recruitment for startups

The key moment is often the transition from the validation phase to the scaling phase – when the product has confirmed product-market fit, funding appears (seed round, Series A or later), and the company needs to quickly build a management and operational team. Recruitment ceases to be the founder's task and becomes a process requiring a specialized partner. Warning signs? Prolonged recruitment processes, increasing turnover, difficulties in attracting senior candidates, and a lack of internal HR capable of handling dynamic growth. At Antal, we specialize in this turning point – helping startups transition from chaos to organized scaling.

Over 1000 satisfied clients

Accelerate the growth of your startup

Plan a conversation with our

Business Unit Director, SSC/BPO, Banking & Insurance, ReX Recruitment Exchange

Sebastian Sala

Sebastian Sala

Business Unit Director, SSC/BPO, Banking & Insurance, ReX Recruitment Exchange

Are you planning international expansion, building an IT hub, or do you need experienced management? Describe your needs, and we will help you reach a higher level of scaling. We respond within 24 hours.