Our journey
It started with a frustration founders will recognise
Built Different was founded after years in recruitment, watching early-stage teams get boxed into rigid terms and generic service. Big fees, inflexible payment schedules, short guarantee windows, and a process that looked fine on paper but created unnecessary risk in practice.
Startups are not corporates. Their hiring should not be either.
Built Different exists to give founders a better option: premium search and delivery, with the flexibility to manage budget and cashflow properly - and the security to hire with confidence. That means tailored engagement options, sensible payment structures, and longer guarantee and rebate cover.
We work closely with Seed to Series B teams as an extension of the founding team, helping you make fewer, better hiring decisions at the moments that matter most.
No CV volume. No noise. Just founder-first hiring, done properly.
Built by founders, for founders.
Our Principles
Built Different works with founders in high-pressure, early-stage environments. That means we care less about slogans and more about how decisions actually get made.
Clarity over volume
We prioritise fewer, better hires over CV noise or inflated shortlists.
Founder-first thinking
Every hire is framed around what the business needs now, not what looks good on paper.
Flexibility with structure
Startups need room to move. We offer flexible engagement and payment options without compromising on quality or pace.
Security built in
Hiring is high-risk. We reduce that risk with clear terms, and longer guarantee and rebate cover.
Fast, honest judgement
We move quickly, challenge weak briefs, and protect quality even when timelines are tight.
How We Work
We operate as an extension of the founding team, not as a supplier.
That means starting with context, not job specs. Understanding where the business is today, where it needs to go next, and what kind of person can realistically help get it there.
From there, we run a tight, high-signal process focused on attracting the right people, assessing for real-world impact, and helping founders make confident decisions quickly.
We also build in flexibility and security from day one - engagement options that fit your budget and cashflow, and terms that protect you if a hire does not work out.
No bloated processes.
No wasted interviews.
No hiring like a corporate.
7
Years of activity
18
Startups Scaled
96%
Retention Rate
286
Employees Placed
Our Founder
Meet Our Founder
I’m Will. I founded Built Different after years in recruitment watching early-stage teams get boxed into rigid terms and generic service. Startups need speed and clarity, but they also need flexibility on budget and payment - and proper security if a hire does not work out.
That’s what I built: premium search delivered like an operator, with engagement options that fit how startups actually run. I work closely with Pre-Seed to Series B founders to land critical hires across tech, product, data, AI and commercial - with a high-signal process, sensible terms, and longer guarantee and rebate cover.
Built by founders, for founders.
