Building a Senior Development Team for a Healthtech MVP

A healthtech startup developing a remote rehabilitation solution for healthcare facilities. The company aimed to expand the care facilities could provide with their existing personnel.

When the founders approached us, they already had a proof-of-concept demonstration and initial funding. Their next step was to assemble the development expertise needed to turn the concept into an MVP.

The startup needed experienced developers quickly and within a limited budget. The founders had a clear product vision but needed support defining candidate profiles, finding suitable people, and assessing their ability to deliver at this stage of the company.

The roles required more than technical knowledge. The specialists needed experience with similar projects and an understanding of how early-stage startups work. Hiring people who could contribute to MVP development was particularly important when the company had limited time and resources for building its initial team.

We recruited senior specialists for the frontend and backend roles, selecting candidates against the product’s requirements and the founders’ expectations. We focused the search primarily on Eastern Europe to access relevant experience within the available budget.

A frontend candidate was assessed and presented to the client within days. The backend search took three weeks to identify suitable candidates, including a specialist with previous startup and MVP development experience. Both selected professionals joined the company in July 2022.

We continued supporting the engagement after onboarding through regular check-ins, payroll administration, and consultation with the founders on team management and growth.

Role Definition with the Founders

We discussed the product, upcoming development work, company culture, and growth plans with the founders. These conversations shaped the candidate profiles and established why senior experience was needed for the engagement. The search focused on professionals whose background matched both the technical responsibilities and the startup’s working environment.

Targeted Search and Candidate Engagement

We sourced primarily in Eastern Europe to balance experience with the client’s budget. The frontend candidate was identified through our existing candidate pool, while the backend role required a longer search. We also worked to communicate the opportunity to candidates, explaining the company and the responsibilities to attract experienced professionals.

Assessment and Client Selection

The selection process included CV screening, an initial call, technical interviews, communication and English assessment, and a test task before the client interview. This gave the founders information to evaluate each candidate beyond the CV. Relevant project experience and familiarity with MVP development informed the final selection.

Onboarding and Ongoing Support

The selected specialists had worked on similar projects and understood the startup environment, supporting their integration into the team. We maintained regular one-to-one meetings and team calls to discuss the engagement and address issues affecting the work. We also managed payroll and provided consultation on product direction, company growth, and team management.

The startup assembled its frontend and backend development team and moved forward with product development. With contributions from the recruited specialists, the company completed its MVP and obtained further funding to continue growing.

Senior development expertise added

Both specialists joined in July 2022, bringing relevant experience to the startup’s frontend and backend work.

MVP completed

The recruited team contributed to moving the product beyond its proof of concept and completing the MVP.

Further funding secured

The startup obtained additional funding after completing the MVP, supporting the next stage of its development.