Talent Acquisition

Scaling a Fast-Growing Biotech Startup

How we delivered 550% headcount growth in 24 months for an AI-biotech startup.

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550%

Headcount growth in 24 months

<50%

Cost-per-hire vs. industry avg.

Months to full scale

The Challenge

What needed to change.

An early-stage European AI-biotech came to us with a massive challenge: build a world-class team, fast. With major investment from VC and pharma on the horizon, there was no time to lose. Starting almost from scratch, they needed a hiring strategy that could keep pace with aggressive growth targets while maintaining cultural integrity.

Our Approach

How we delivered.

Designed a fully embedded recruitment model, working as an extension of their internal team

Implemented a hybrid on-site and remote delivery structure to access global talent pools

Partnered closely with internal stakeholders to define role profiles and cultural benchmarks

Built scorecards and interview frameworks that balanced speed with quality of hire

Created an employer brand narrative that resonated with top-tier scientists and engineers

The Result

What success looks like.

We supported over 550% headcount growth in just 24 months. Even better, we did it while reducing cost-per-hire to less than half the industry average — all without compromising on cultural fit or hire quality.

550%

Headcount growth in 24 months

<50%

Cost-per-hire vs. industry avg.

Months to full scale

"Sajawo didn't just fill roles — they became part of our DNA. The quality of hire and speed was unlike anything we'd experienced."

— CEO, European AI-Biotech

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