Now taking Q3 2026 searches

Hire exceptional builders through our network.

We're founders and investors who meet top engineers and researchers every day. When you need to hire, we know exactly who to call — and they take our calls.

See how we workMost searches start within 48 hours
100+ teams
Frontier startups we've worked with since 2025.
18 day median
From kickoff to first high-signal candidate.
9 / 10
Searches filled with someone the founder couldn't reach alone.
Live search · week 02
High signal

Founding AI Engineer

Seed-stage, SF · shortlist of 3
MK
Maya Khatri
Ex-Anthropic · inference
Warm intro
JL
Jordan Liu
Ex-Meta · infra lead
Reference held
SR
Sara Ramos
Ex-DeepMind researcher
Intro pending
2 interviews booked this weekUpdated 3h ago
Trusted by 100+ frontier teamsBacked by the investors your best candidates already know.
Andreessen HorowitzAccelY CombinatorMenlo VenturesLightspeedSequoiaWndrCoKindred VenturesPearRedpointThresholdAir Street CapitalCanaanIndex Ventures
Why us

Built on relationships, not volume.

Generic recruiters run volume. We run judgment. Every candidate you see is triangulated through the founder, investor, and portfolio network we live inside every day.

Founder network.
01 Network access

Founder network.

Trusted access through our founder, investor, and portfolio communities. We bring you candidates who aren't on the market — and a warm path to the ones who are.

YC, a16z, Sequoia portfoliosWarm intros only
Investor perspective.
02 Judgment

Investor perspective.

We read cap tables, model equity outcomes, and workshop offers. Recruiting with founder-level context — the difference between a "maybe" and a signed offer.

Equity & comp designClosing support
Process

Signal, not noise.

An embedded search partner combining network access, selective research, and hands-on recruiting execution.

01

Calibrate the real hire

We diagnose what the role actually needs — not a job description, the signal.

02

Map the market

A targeted map of who exists, who is reachable, and who fits your stage.

03

Selective outreach & diligence

Warm intros over spray-and-pray. Reference-backed signal before you invest time.

04

High-signal candidates only

Founders see 3–5 people per search — each triangulated against your bar.

05

Close with investor context

Equity, leveling, comp — we help you frame the offer that actually closes.

Proof

What founders say.

Real outcomes from real searches. No aggregated testimonials, no names we can't share.

↗ 3 hires closed in 10 weeks
Base to Base has the uncanny ability to spot true talent and predict productivity at an early stage. I've depended on their judgment throughout the years with great success across my businesses.
André Madeira
André MadeiraVP Engineering @ Blockex-CEO @ Meemo (acq. Coinbase)
↗ VP of Eng hired in 18 days
They've been instrumental in helping us scale our team quickly and effectively. Consistently delivered top-tier candidates for critical engineering and data leadership roles — all highly skilled and excellent culture fits.
Coco Mao
Coco MaoCEO @ OpenArtYC-backed, Series A

Ready to hire your next key player?

Schedule a 20-minute intro call. We'll tell you who we'd call first — even if you don't hire us.

Most searches start within 48 hours.