Snapping up top talent for your tech startup

By Neha Khera

February 3, 2012

I’m looking for a co-founder.

I need a developer!

I want to build a sales team.

We’re looking for a CFO.

Finding, hiring and retaining talent. It’s one of the biggest challenges tech startups face, regardless of where their company is located or what stage it’s at. Startups struggle to find candidates who are a good fit, understand the tech-landscape and are willing to dedicate their time and energy to a budding idea.

But what’s the issue? Is it a shortage of willing and able-bodied folks within the IT and digital industries? Or are there simply too many founders?

Whatever the reason, the fact remains that tech startups need to overcome this hiring hurdle, since investors often place more importance on a startup team than on a product or idea itself.

To help, the MaRS Market Intelligence group interviewed close to a dozen thought leaders – including startup founders, veterans in the tech industry and HR experts – soliciting their advice and insight on how Ontario startups can go about obtaining the best talent.

Click here to read through our report, titled Talent for Tech.

Or, read the advice that’s most relevant for your company, based on the stage it’s at:

Don’t forget to share with us what worked for your startup when it came to hiring. We’d love to hear from you.

AMalhotra

Hi Neha,
Excellent observations, and, I think, applicable to all organizations – startup, tech, or otherwise.
AMalhotra

Hi Neha,
Excellent observations, and, I think, applicable to all organizations – startup, tech, or otherwise.

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Neha Khera

Neha is an Investment Manager at the MaRS IAF. She has over a decade of experience in the high-tech and startup markets, spending the early part of her career working in various industries from software development through to telecom. Neha is a graduate of Waterloo's Electrical Engineering program, and holds an MBA from Richard Ivey.