Equity Partnership - Build Together

Why We Offer Equity Partnerships

Most recruiters want quick cash. We want to build legendary companies together.

Traditional Recruiter Incentives:

Get paid once, then disappear
Don't care if the hire works out long-term
Maximize placements, not quality
Move on to next client immediately
No skin in the game beyond 90 days
Success measured by invoices, not impact

Equity Partner Incentives:

Your growth becomes our mission, not just our payout
We help you avoid mistakes that kill startups
Every hire is someone we'd want on our own team
We're there through pivots, struggles, and breakthroughs
Your team's happiness matters as much as retention
We celebrate your milestones like they're our own

Who Qualifies for Equity Partnership?

We're selective. This isn't for everyone. Only startups we genuinely believe can reach unicorn status.

5 Qualification Criteria

You MUST Have:

Pre-seed or seed stage funding/traction — You've raised capital OR have meaningful revenue/users
AI-first company (not "adding AI features") — AI is your core product, not a nice-to-have feature
Commitment to 3+ hires in 6-12 months — You're building a team, not making one-off hires
Cap table transparency + vesting agreement — We see your cap table and agree on vesting terms
Strong growth potential — We genuinely believe you can reach Series A/B and beyond

You DON'T Qualify If:

You're bootstrapped with no funding plan
AI is just a feature, not your core business
You need 1-2 hires total (use ad-hoc tier)
You can't share cap table details
Your market is too niche or unclear
You're hiring for non-AI roles only

Not Sure If You Qualify?

Book a call. We'll tell you honestly if equity partnership makes sense or if another tier fits better.

Book Eligibility Call →

What You Will Get

You will have 3 essential services wrapped into one embedded partner

Global Chief AI Talent Officer

Your embedded strategic talent leader who maps your vision to hiring decisions, prevents catastrophic mis-hires, and builds the AI team that gets you to unicorn status.

What this means: Vision mapping, 8-framework alignment validation, ongoing strategy for contract-based clients

AI Talent Acquisition Specialist

We source, validate, and deliver pre-vetted AI professionals who've already proven they can do YOUR work. Culture-matched, technically validated, ready to thrive.

What this means: Global talent sourcing, 8-layer validation system, proof-of-work on your problems

Relocation & EOR Specialist

We handle every logistics nightmare so you don't have to. Global EOR setup, complete relocation support, compliance across 150+ countries. Geography becomes irrelevant.

What this means: EOR services for remote hires, full relocation support for in-office hires

PLUS: Startup-Specific Support

Because we're equity partners, you get benefits designed specifically for early-stage founders:

Dedicated AI Success Manager — 30/60/90-day check-ins to ensure every hire thrives
Compensation structuring advice — Compete with Big Tech on limited budget
Equity benchmarking for hires — What to offer at your stage

Culture development support — Build it right from day one
6-month replacement guarantee — Double the standard protection
Weekly pipeline updates — Always know where your hires stand

Want the full breakdown? Book a call and we'll walk you through exactly how we'd support your specific hiring needs.

How the Equity Partnership Works

Transparent structure. No surprises. We align our success with yours.

Financial Structure

$5,000/month retainer (vs $7,500 for Embedded)
Equity replaces commission — No per-hire fees
0.25-3% total equity depending on hiring volume commitment
Scales with volume: More hires = higher equity, lower per-hire cost
Vests over 2-4 years with standard 1-year cliff
Standard stock options with market terms

Legal Requirements

Cap table transparency — We review your current cap table
Stock option agreement — Standard vesting terms
Service agreement — 12-month minimum commitment
Hiring volume commitment — 3+ hires in first 6-12 months
Board approval — Your board signs off on equity grant
Information rights — We get standard investor updates

Example Scenarios

3-5 Hires/Year

$5k/month + 0.25-0.5% equity

vs Standard: $90k retainer + $45k-75k commission = $135k-165k total

6-10 Hires/Year

$5k/month + 0.75-1.5% equity

vs Standard: $90k retainer + $90k-150k commission = $180k-240k total

10+ Hires/Year

$5k/month + 2-3% equity

vs Standard: $90k retainer + $150k+ commission = $240k+ total

The trade: You save $75k-150k+ in Year 1 cash. We bet on your equity being worth more long-term.

How to Get Started

From first call to signed agreement in 2-3 weeks

1

Eligibility Call

What happens: We discuss your stage, growth plans, hiring needs, and cap table structure.

Duration: 45-60 minutes

Outcome: We both decide if equity partnership makes sense

2

Due Diligence

What happens: We review your pitch deck, cap table, hiring plan, and market opportunity.

Duration: 3-5 days

Outcome: We make our final decision and propose equity terms

3

Terms Negotiation

What happens: We finalize retainer, equity percentage, vesting schedule, and hiring commitments.

Duration: 1 week

Outcome: Draft agreement ready for legal review

4

Legal & Onboarding

What happens: Both sides' lawyers review. Board approves. We kick off with discovery deep-dive.

Duration: 1 week

Outcome: Partnership live, we start sourcing immediately

Start Eligibility Process →

Frequently Asked Questions

What if we raise a big round and can afford standard fees?

The equity is permanent—there's no buyout provision. This is our bet on your long-term success. If you raise Series A or beyond, we share in that success through our equity.

How do you value our equity?

We use your last funding round valuation (if applicable) or negotiate a fair strike price based on comparable companies. We're not looking to take advantage. We want terms that work for both sides.

What if we can't hit the 3+ hire commitment?

The partnership requires a minimum commitment of 3+ hires within the agreed timeframe. If hiring needs change significantly, we'll discuss options, but the equity granted for hires already completed remains permanent. We structure agreements to ensure both sides are committed to the partnership working.

Do you take a board seat or voting rights?

No. We're service partners with equity upside, not investors. Standard stock options with standard terms. No board seat, no votes, no control.

What happens if we get acquired or go public?

Standard liquidity provisions apply. If you're acquired, our options vest according to the agreed schedule. If you IPO, same deal. We win when you win.

Can we start with equity and switch to standard later?

Future hires can be structured under standard embedded terms if your cash position improves significantly. However, equity granted for hires already completed is permanent and cannot be bought back. Trust goes both ways.

How many equity partnerships do you accept?

We're highly selective. Our due diligence is thorough because our success depends entirely on yours. We evaluate each opportunity based on growth potential, market opportunity, founding team strength, and hiring needs.

What if the startup doesn't work out?

Then we both lose. That's the bet. Your equity becomes worthless, and we invested significant resources for minimal cash return. This is why we're selective and do thorough due diligence.

Ready to Discuss Equity Partnership?

Book an eligibility call. We'll be honest about whether this is the right fit for your stage and goals.