C-level for startups after a round and VC portfolios
CTOs, CFOs, COOs and the leaders one level below them, for startups that have just raised and for VC funds with several portfolio companies hiring at once. We start from the milestones your investors set after the round.
Whom we hire
CTOs and Heads of Engineering
CFOs and finance leaders
COOs and operations leaders
Engineering and ML leaders
The leaders one level below the C-suite
Cases
Global music-tech group · Cyprus and the UK: 175 finance leaders mapped for one CFO-level seat. An AI-native finance lead for a global group: month-end close across the group, the move from Navision to NetSuite, the integration of an acquired publisher and hands-on AI in finance. Midway the brief grew from deputy CFO to the CFO-level seat, and the search grew with it. 16 candidates presented, 6 in the client’s interviews; Offer accepted for the CFO-level seat; Automation and AI in finance operations.
AR fashion-tech · after its exit to a global luxury marketplace: 5 engineering hires, the Head of Engineering included. After the exit we hired for the AR try-on team in the buyer's Porto hub: the Head of Engineering and the rare profiles behind real-time AR, senior C++, senior iOS, frontend and senior QA, most with relocation to Portugal. 5 hires in 10 months; €340K+ in annual base salaries placed; All 4 engineers passed the 180-day probation; Recommended by the Head of Engineering we hired.
AI legal tech, US, Series A ($60M): their hiring engine before they had a recruiter of their own, 11 senior AI engineers in 9 months
Enterprise AI language platform, Series C ($43M): Head of DevOps and ML Engineering Manager
How a search runs
Before the contract: a market map, a salary benchmark or an anonymised profile of a strong candidate, free.
A worldwide search: our own platform ranks candidates with AI, and we reach the strongest through warm introductions.
A detailed report on each finalist and a private portal with weekly search reports. People make every decision.
You pay only on a hire, half of the fee after the trial period.
Questions companies ask
Do you work with VC funds?
Yes. A fund with several portfolio companies hiring at once gets leaders and teams across the portfolio on one set of terms, with a quarterly hiring review. Before the contract we give you an overview of the open roles across your portfolio.
Where do you search for executives?
The UK and Europe, the Americas and Asia. We have relocated leaders and engineers to Portugal and Cyprus and hired whole teams in Singapore and the Philippines.
How do you check that a leader fits?
We check more than skills: every finalist shares your vision and fits your team. You get a detailed report on each finalist and a private portal with weekly search reports.
How does Yankona charge?
You pay only on a hire, and half of the fee after the trial period. Before the contract you get something useful for free: a market map, a salary benchmark or an anonymised profile of a strong candidate.