Specialist Start-up
Recruitment Agency in France

Our start-up recruitment agency supports innovative young companies at every stage of their development, helping them build teams capable of accelerating their growth. We identify and assess technology, sales, operations and executive profiles for permanent, fixed-term, freelance and interim management roles.

Recruit a talent

Seize an opportunity

According to the EY Economic and Social Performance of Start-ups in France barometer (September 2025), French start-ups made nearly 50,000 hires in one year, and more than one in two founders still plans to recruit. This momentum confirms that the ecosystem remains a driver of skilled employment, despite increasingly selective hiring.

In such a competitive market, recruiting the right person is critical. A young company has neither the time nor the margin for error of a large organisation. At Morgan Philips, we understand what recruitment means for a start-up. Our consultants specialise by function and sector, speak the language of founders and assess both technical expertise and the soft skills essential to an agile environment: autonomy, creativity, resilience and commitment.

Our expertise supporting start-ups

Recruiting in a start-up means dealing with unique constraints: urgency, versatile roles and a high cost when a hire is not the right fit. Our start-up recruitment agency combines in-depth knowledge of the ecosystem with a rigorous methodology to secure every hire:

Comprehensive coverage of your needs – permanent, fixed-term, temporary, freelance and interim management recruitment, from your first employee to the executive committee.
A tailored assessment – criteria adapted to start-up environments, measuring technical skills and soft skills in equal measure.
International reach – the ability to source talent in France and abroad while taking cultural and geographical specificities into account.
Reduced risk – limiting the cost of a poor hire, which can be particularly damaging for a growing young company.

OUR HEADHUNTERS

Headhunters specialising in the start-up ecosystem

Recruiting the talent who will drive your growth requires more than simply screening CVs. It calls for headhunters specialising in start-ups who can identify scarce professionals through direct search. Our consultants specialise by function and sector, understand the practices, challenges and constraints of young companies, and speak the same language as the founders they support.

OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Our start-up recruitment expertise, sector by sector

Fintech
Insurtech
E-commerce
Telecoms
Edtech
Cybersecurity
Foodtech

Supply Chain
Big Data
Luxury & Retail
Food & Beverage
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Industry

Entrust us with your recruitments

7 reasons to entrust your start-up recruitment to our agency

01.

An entrepreneurial culture we share with you

Founded as a start-up in 2013, Morgan Philips has itself experienced the challenges of rapid growth and recruitment in an uncertain environment. This shared culture enables us to understand your priorities and constraints from our very first discussion.

02.

Targeted sourcing of scarce professionals with hybrid skill sets

A CTO capable of scaling infrastructure, or a Head of Growth with expertise in both data and acquisition: these professionals are sought after throughout the ecosystem and are rarely available on the open market. Our direct search approach enables us to identify them even when they are not actively looking for a new role.

03.

A pool of qualified technology and growth professionals

Our candidate database covers every need of a developing start-up, including fintech, e-commerce, cyber security, AI and big data. This breadth enables us to quickly present professionals who are already familiar with the practices of high-growth environments.

04.

Assessment that goes beyond the CV

In a start-up, autonomy, the ability to bounce back from failure and alignment with the company culture often matter as much as technical skills. Our consultants incorporate these behavioural criteria into every assessment to reduce the risk of a costly hiring mistake.

05.

Ongoing engagement with talent across the ecosystem

Funding rounds, strategic pivots and emerging technology trends: we monitor these developments closely and regularly engage with professionals interested in the start-up world, even when they are not actively looking for a new role.

06.

Insight into the recruitment pressures at each stage of growth

An early-stage start-up, a Series B scale-up and a hypergrowth company do not have the same needs or employer value propositions. Our network enables us to advise clients on their employer positioning according to their stage of development.

07.

Job advertisements designed to engage purpose-driven candidates

For start-up roles, the company’s mission and growth plans often matter more than the job description itself. We use a range of job advertisement formats, including video, to showcase your vision and inspire candidates to commit to it.

Attracting scarce talent begins with a credible salary offer. In just a few clicks, our salary calculator provides a reliable benchmark for start-up salaries, helping you adjust your packages and secure your recruitment.

Check your salary

Let’s discuss your start-up recruitment needs

Whether you are recruiting your first employee or building your executive committee, our headhunters specialising in start-ups are ready to listen. Let’s discuss your challenges and work together to develop a recruitment strategy for your start-up that matches your pace of growth.

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Are you a candidate and would like to send us your CV? Submit your speculative application here.

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Over 3500 recruitments worldwide each year.

In France, our recruitment consultant teams operate in over 30 sectors:

FAQ: Specialist Recruitment Agency for Start-ups

What types of start-ups do you support with recruitment?

We support early-stage and growing start-ups (Series A to C), as well as scale-ups in Fintech, Insurtech, Big Data & AI, HealthTech, FoodTech and e-commerce. Our specialist consultants identify technical and sales professionals suited to the agile, dynamic culture of start-ups.

What are your average recruitment timeframes for a start-up?

For a technical or sales role in a start-up, the average timeframe is three to six weeks, depending on the scarcity of the profile and the equity compensation offered. C-level roles such as CTO, CPO and CMO can take up to ten weeks due to the direct search and cultural fit assessment processes.

Do you offer interim management assignments for start-ups?

Yes, we offer interim management assignments for technology, product, marketing and operations leadership roles in growing start-ups. Our interim managers can begin quickly—within two to four weeks—for assignments lasting three to twelve months.

How do you guarantee confidentiality for sensitive recruitment?

We apply a strict confidentiality protocol: anonymised job advertisements, discreet direct search and systematic non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with clients and candidates. Our sector approach is built on discretion, experience and responsiveness, which are essential for strategic start-up recruitment.

Do you use innovative sourcing technologies for start-ups?

Yes, we use advanced sourcing tools—including AI, video job advertisements and international databases—and direct search techniques to identify scarce technology professionals. Video job advertisements generate 40% more applications, particularly for technical and management roles in start-ups.

Do you offer tailored support for start-up founders?

We design a tailored recruitment strategy aligned with your specific needs, whether for technical profiles (development, data and AI), sales, marketing or operations. Our senior consultants support you from defining the requirement through to onboarding the candidate, with a focus on start-up culture.

Our brands supporting your start-up’s growth

Executive
Search

CTO, Head of Growth, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer: these roles shape your start-up’s trajectory and credibility with investors. Our Executive Search team directly identifies and approaches leaders capable of driving this growth, often outside traditional recruitment channels. This service is designed for senior leadership and executive committee appointments.

Interim Management

Building a team following a funding round, leading a strategic pivot or urgently replacing an operational executive: these situations require immediate leadership. Our interim managers make an immediate impact, securing projects and supporting transformations under tight deadlines.

Specialist recruitment

Developers, Product Managers, Growth Marketers and Data Analysts: our consultants cover the core permanent recruitment needs of your start-up, from junior positions to experienced professionals. This brand supports your long-term recruitment needs when a role requires full integration into your teams.

Freelance
placement

For a one-off development project, acquisition support or a technical expertise assignment, engaging an independent expert provides greater agility without a long-term commitment. It is a useful solution for testing a need before creating a permanent role.

Sourcing &
Outsourced Recruitment (RPO)

Scaling up after a funding round or managing high-volume recruitment linked to a rapid growth plan: when multiple needs arise within a short period, partially or fully outsourcing the process absorbs the workload without tying up your limited internal resources.

OUR EXPERTS AND SPECIALISATIONS

Our headhunters at your service

Backed by an experienced and dedicated team with in-depth knowledge of the market and its challenges, our firm supports its clients in their efforts to identify and retain the best talent in France and internationally.

Discover the executive search team