Stepping Stone

Stepping Stone Talent is a tech talent infrastructure company founded in San Francisco with deep roots in Japan and Europe, acting as a strategic talent bridge for founders and investors building world-class teams across the US, EMEA, and Asia. The firm specialises in supporting high-growth startups through the most critical phases of their lifecycle, from Seed to Series B, offering flexible talent solutions including executive search, early team build-outs, and embedded fractional talent acquisition partnerships.

The company specialises in recruiting for technology, gaming, and artificial intelligence sectors, understanding that each company has a distinct talent signature requiring nuanced cultural fit. Stepping Stone moves in sync with startup pace while ensuring hiring does not outgrow talent in six months, aligning every search with product roadmap, funding milestones, and long-term vision. The firm leverages global exposure across tech ecosystems to provide a culture-driven search approach that prioritises finding the right person for specific culture rather than simply the best person on paper.

Stepping Stone Talent has demonstrated strong results with 350-plus placements, average closing time of 4 to 8 weeks, and 93 per cent of candidates remaining with placements for 12-plus months. The firm maintains partnerships with hundreds of founders and investors, working closely to understand cultural dynamics and build high-impact teams of zero-to-one talent that thrive in high-pressure, high-growth environments.