Software Engineering Stream

Connecting exceptional engineering talent with early‑stage startups where the technical bar is high and your work actually matters.

Engineering hiring is sh*t.
Jumpstart fixes it.

Engineers feel disrespected by misleading job descriptions, long interview cycles, PhD-sized take-home exercises, and disappointing job realities. At the same time, companies complain that they can’t find great talent.

The startup hiring platform for engineers.

Designed for engineers who want to build

Most engineering jobs in the market aren’t for builders.

Jumpstart works exclusively with high-impact roles in companies that need your heart and brains, not just your fingers.

The best roles aren't on LinkedIn.

When it comes to key hires, founders and CTOs trust their own networks, not job boards.

Jumpstart is part of that inner circle, and you can be, too.

The startup hiring platform

Ready to take the next step in your career?

We’re the startup career platform. Founders pitch their jobs to you. You land a high-growth startup role.

01

Apply to Jumpstart.

Apply in minutes with your CV and anything you’ve built (GitHub, side projects etc). If it looks it's a fit, you’ll have a call with our CTO. No live coding. No take‑homes. Just a chat to understand how you think as an engineer.

02

Join the Platform

Once accepted, you’ll create a profile and upload your video intro. Complete your profile so startups can assess you quickly. Get access to a curated set of early‑stage engineering roles - all from vetted VC‑backed startups.

03

CTOs pitch to you

We share your profile with 100+ CTOs in our network. Strong candidates often receive multiple direct messages from CTOs pitching their role, team, and product.

04

Get support landing your role

You’ll access a hotline with our CTO, with 1-1 support on everything from to case study feedback, through to final offer negotiation & support.

Is Jumpstart right for me?

The Software Engineering Stream is designed for 2 profiles:

Profile 1: The Senior Track (3+ years engineering exp)

The first few engineers in the company.

Great fit if you:

Are a mid‑level engineer with a strong builder mentality
Want to be one of the first few engineering hires at a startup
Have 3+ years experience with a frontend, backend, mobile or full‑stack background
Earned a CS degree, although this isn’t required. We care more about what you have built

Profile 2: The CTO Track (7+ years engineering exp)

The first or the most senior technical person in the company.

Great fit if you:
Are a senior engineer or ex‑founder

Enjoy owning architecture and technical direction
Are targeting Founding Engineer, Lead Engineer, or early CTO‑track roles
Have 7+ years experience (flexible) with strong full‑stack background

Find Your Fit

SWE Roles

Backend Engineer

For Backend Engineers

Design and scale APIs, services, and data models (Node.js / Python / Go) As one of the first backend engineers at a Seed/Series A VC-backed startup, you’ll take ownership of core systems from day one.

You’ll design APIs, data models, and backend services end-to-end, collaborate directly with founders and product, and shape the architecture, reliability, and engineering practices that define the company long term.

Apply to SWE Roles

Frontend Engineer

For Frontend Engineers

Build fast, polished user experiences (React / Next.js).

You’ll join a Seed/Series A VC-backed startup as one of the first front-end engineering hires, with real ownership over the user experience and technical direction of the client-side stack.

You’ll build and ship core product features end-to-end, work closely with founders, design, and product, and help define the front-end standards, architecture, and patterns future hires will inherit.

Apply to SWE Roles

Full‑Stack Engineer

For Full-Stack Engineers

You will join a Seed/Series A VC-backed startup as one of the first engineering hires, with significant ownership over product and technical direction.

You’ll build and ship core product features end-to-end, work closely with founders and design, and help define the engineering standards, architecture, and culture that future hires will inherit.

Own features end‑to‑end across frontend and backend.

Apply to SWE Roles

Mobile Engineer

For Mobile Engineers

Ship high‑quality mobile apps (React Native / Swift / Kotlin).

As one of the first mobile engineers at a Seed/Series A VC-backed startup, you’ll own the iOS and/or Android codebase from day one.

You’ll design, build, and maintain high-quality mobile experiences, collaborate closely with founders and design, and shape the technical foundations for performance, reliability, and scale.

Apply to SWE Roles

Founding Engineer

For Founding Engineers

Build across the stack and shape the technical foundation alongside the CTO. As a Founding Engineer at a Seed/Series A VC-backed startup, you’ll work across the stack and partner closely with the CTO to design and build the core platform.

You’ll take responsibility for early technical decisions and lay the foundations that future teams will scale.

Apply to SWE Roles

For AI/ML Engineers

You will join a Seed or Series A VC-backed startup as one of the first AI / ML engineering hires, with significant ownership over how machine learning is applied in the product — from early prototypes to production systems.

You’ll work closely with founders, product, and engineering to turn messy real-world problems into scalable, reliable AI-powered features, and help define the technical approach, standards, and culture around ML as the company grows.

Apply to SWE Roles

Why engineers choose Jumpstart

We fix the biggest frustrations with technical job hunting:

Access to hidden opportunities

Early‑stage engineering roles are rarely advertised well. Our network of 1,000+ startups means you see roles before they exist elsewhere

CTO pitches, no vague job descriptions

Watch recorded videos where CTOs explain the product, real technical challenges and what you will be building.

Reach out or get contacted by CTOs

You can select exciting job openings and reach out. CTOs reach out to you when they want to interview.

Help converting offers

From system‑design feedback to offer negotiation, our ex‑CTOs help you land the role you actually want.

Common Questions

Your questions, answered simply.

How long does it take to apply?

Around 2 minutes. CV plus anything you’ve built.

Do I need to do a coding challenge to join Jumpstart?

No. We don’t run take‑homes or coding tests. The call with our CTO focuses on how you think and build.

What happens after I apply?

If you’re a fit, you’ll have a short CTO call. If successful, you’ll join the platform and start getting access to roles and inbound CTO interest.

What tech stacks do startups typically use?

Most use modern stacks, including:

Languages: TypeScript/JavaScript, Python, Go, Swift/Kotlin
Frameworks: React, Next.js, React Native, Flutter
Infra: Postgres, MongoDB, Supabase, Docker, AWS/GCP, CI/CD

Do I need a CS degree?

No. We’re looking for builders. A CS degree helps, but real experience matters more.

What kind of startups are on Jumpstart?

Top VC‑backed Seed and Series A startups building real products for real users.

Will CTOs actually reach out to me?

Yes. Once live, your profile is shared with 100+ CTOs. Strong candidates often get multiple direct messages.

How is this different from job boards?

You see real CTO pitches, not generic job ads — and get direct inbound from decision‑makers.