Building a team from scratch for a Fintech startup
We recruited 9 key engineers in 47 days. We built a reporting structure and a culture based on trust, which allowed for delivering the MVP ahead of schedule.
PayStream Polska needed a full technical team to launch their payment platform before the end of the year. We entered the project when the office had only empty desks and two laptops belonging to the founders. In less than 7 weeks, we created a team that started writing code from the first day after onboarding.
The challenge
The founders of PayStream had funding but zero experience in IT recruitment. For two months, they tried to find people on their own, which resulted in hiring one junior who resigned after 14 days. Investors were pushing to show the digital wallet MVP by December 15th, and every day without developers meant 3,420 PLN in operational losses. They lacked not only people but also clear rules: who answers to whom and how to measure progress in remote work.
Our approach
Instead of sending hundreds of spam messages on LinkedIn, we used our database of proven engineers we had worked with in the previous 4 projects. We shortened the recruitment process to two specific meetings: 45 minutes of a live coding technical test and 30 minutes of a business values discussion. Our HR consultant, in cooperation with an external CTO, sifted through 314 applications to identify only those who actually deliver tasks rather than just talking about them.
The solution
We introduced a KPI system based on the team's 'Velocity' and code quality measured by the number of critical errors. We recruited 1 CTO, 5 Backend developers (Java), 2 Frontenders (React), and one QA. Beyond hiring, we prepared a meeting structure (daily/sprints) that eliminated unnecessary time spent on calls. Each new employee received a clear onboarding path, allowing them to reach full productivity after 4 days of work.
Results
The team was not only formed in record time but immediately became a well-oiled mechanism. The platform MVP was presented to investors 11 days ahead of the set deadline, resulting in a subsequent funding round.
Timeline
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October 2024Determining the ideal candidate profile and pay ranges
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November 2024Conducting 23 technical interviews and 9 practical tests
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November 2024Signing all 9 B2B contracts with selected engineers
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December 2024Launching the KPI system and start of the first official sprint
"We were backed against the wall with deadlines from the VC. Mosty Zarządzania came into the office and simply started delivering people who knew why they were there. They told us without fluff that our rates were 12% too low, and they were right."