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Checklist · Recruiting

Recruiting fundraising checklist — Step by Step 2026

This fundraising checklist is designed specifically for Recruiting startups. Whether you're building the next-gen ATS, a revolutionary sourcing tool, or an employer branding platform, this guide will help you navigate the fundraising process and secure the capital you need to scale. Focus on solving key pain points like candidate experience, time-to-fill, and diversity.

50 checklist items 7 min read
Reviewed by Roman Trotsko & Denis TrotskoLast reviewed March 2026

Phase 01

Phase 1: Market Research and Validation

10 tasks
  • 1.1
    critical2 weeks

    Analyze the recruiting software landscape

    Identify key trends in recruiting, including the adoption of AI, automation, and remote hiring. Research competitors like Greenhouse, Lever, and Ashby to understand market dynamics.

  • 1.2
    critical1 week

    Define your target audience (recruiters, talent teams, hiring managers)

    Clearly define your ideal customer profile (ICP) and understand their specific pain points related to sourcing, candidate experience, and time-to-fill.

  • 1.3
    high3 weeks

    Conduct customer interviews

    Interview at least 20 recruiters, talent acquisition specialists, and hiring managers to validate your solution and gather feedback on your product roadmap.

  • 1.4
    medium1 week

    Analyze recruiting analytics platforms

    Research existing recruiting analytics solutions to identify unmet needs and opportunities for differentiation.

  • 1.5
    medium2 weeks

    Assess the competitive landscape of ATS providers

    Understand the strengths and weaknesses of leading ATS providers like Recruitee and SmartRecruiters.

  • 1.6
    medium1 week

    Research sourcing tools

    Evaluate the effectiveness of different sourcing tools and techniques, including LinkedIn Recruiter, Gem, and specialized platforms for niche talent pools.

  • 1.7
    medium1 week

    Analyze recruitment marketing strategies

    Study successful recruitment marketing campaigns and identify best practices for attracting top talent.

  • 1.8
    medium1 week

    Explore employer branding trends

    Research how companies are leveraging employer branding to attract and retain talent.

  • 1.9
    high1 week

    Identify key metrics for measuring recruiting success

    Define the key performance indicators (KPIs) that you will use to track the success of your recruiting platform, such as time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and candidate satisfaction.

  • 1.10
    low1 week

    Analyze interview scheduling software

    Research the interview scheduling process and identify optimization opportunities.

Phase 02

Phase 2: Building Your MVP

10 tasks
  • 2.1
    critical3 months

    Develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

    Focus on building a core set of features that address the most pressing pain points for your target audience. For example, if you're building an ATS, prioritize features like candidate tracking, interview scheduling, and reporting.

  • 2.2
    high1 month

    Integrate with existing recruiting tools

    Ensure your MVP integrates seamlessly with popular recruiting tools like LinkedIn Recruiter, Gem, and various ATS platforms.

  • 2.3
    high2 weeks

    Design a user-friendly interface

    Prioritize user experience (UX) to ensure your platform is intuitive and easy to use for recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates.

  • 2.4
    critical2 weeks

    Implement robust security measures

    Protect sensitive candidate data by implementing strong security measures, including encryption, access controls, and regular security audits.

  • 2.5
    medium1 month

    Develop candidate sourcing capabilities

    Build functionality for efficient candidate sourcing.

  • 2.6
    medium2 weeks

    Implement interview scheduling features

    Integrate scheduling tools to optimize the interview process.

  • 2.7
    medium1 month

    Build a basic ATS system

    Create a system to track candidates.

  • 2.8
    low2 weeks

    Develop employer branding tools

    Implement tools to help companies build their employer brand.

  • 2.9
    medium2 weeks

    Create a basic analytics dashboard

    Build a dashboard to track key recruiting metrics.

  • 2.10
    high1 week

    Ensure mobile responsiveness

    Make sure your platform is accessible on mobile devices.

Phase 03

Phase 3: Seed Funding

10 tasks
  • 3.1
    critical2 weeks

    Create a compelling pitch deck

    Highlight the problem you're solving, your solution, your target market, your competitive advantages, and your financial projections. Emphasize how your platform addresses key pain points like time-to-fill, candidate experience, and diversity.

  • 3.2
    high1 week

    Identify relevant investors

    Target venture capital firms and angel investors who specialize in HR tech, SaaS, or marketplace businesses. Research their investment portfolios and identify companies that are similar to yours.

  • 3.3
    mediumOngoing

    Network within the HR tech community

    Attend HR tech conferences, join industry associations, and connect with influencers and thought leaders in the recruiting space. Build relationships with potential investors and advisors.

  • 3.4
    high2 weeks

    Prepare a detailed financial model

    Develop a financial model that projects your revenue, expenses, and cash flow for the next 3-5 years. Include key assumptions about customer acquisition cost (CAC), customer lifetime value (LTV), and churn rate.

  • 3.5
    criticalOngoing

    Practice your pitch

    Rehearse your pitch until you can deliver it confidently and concisely. Be prepared to answer tough questions about your business model, your competition, and your team.

  • 3.6
    high1 week

    Showcase your ATS differentiation

    Highlight what makes your Applicant Tracking System stand out.

  • 3.7
    medium1 week

    Demonstrate your sourcing tool's efficiency

    Show investors how your sourcing tool improves candidate acquisition.

  • 3.8
    medium1 week

    Explain your recruitment marketing strategy

    Outline your plan for attracting top talent through marketing.

  • 3.9
    low1 week

    Quantify your employer branding impact

    Show how your employer branding solution improves talent attraction and retention.

  • 3.10
    medium1 week

    Detail your recruiting analytics capabilities

    Explain how your analytics platform helps companies make data-driven recruiting decisions.

Phase 04

Phase 4: Product Launch and Growth

10 tasks
  • 4.1
    high1 week

    Launch on Product Hunt

    Launch your recruiting platform on Product Hunt to generate early buzz and attract early adopters. Focus on showcasing the value proposition for recruiters and hiring managers.

  • 4.2
    medium2 weeks

    Target HR Tech publications and blogs

    Reach out to HR Tech publications and blogs to secure coverage for your launch. Highlight how your platform is addressing key pain points in the recruiting industry.

  • 4.3
    mediumOngoing

    Engage on LinkedIn and Twitter

    Actively engage with recruiters, talent acquisition specialists, and hiring managers on LinkedIn and Twitter. Share valuable content, participate in industry discussions, and promote your platform.

  • 4.4
    highOngoing

    Offer free trials and demos

    Offer free trials and demos to potential customers to showcase the value of your platform. Focus on demonstrating how your platform can help them improve their recruiting processes and achieve their hiring goals.

  • 4.5
    criticalOngoing

    Gather customer feedback

    Actively solicit feedback from your early users and use it to improve your platform. Prioritize bug fixes, feature enhancements, and usability improvements.

  • 4.6
    highOngoing

    Improve candidate experience

    Focus on optimizing the candidate experience.

  • 4.7
    mediumOngoing

    Optimize sourcing efficiency

    Enhance sourcing tools to improve efficiency.

  • 4.8
    mediumOngoing

    Enhance ATS features

    Add more ATS features based on user feedback.

  • 4.9
    lowOngoing

    Expand employer branding capabilities

    Offer more employer branding tools.

  • 4.10
    mediumOngoing

    Refine recruiting analytics

    Improve the accuracy of recruiting analytics.

Phase 05

Phase 5: Series A and Beyond

10 tasks
  • 5.1
    criticalOngoing

    Scale your sales and marketing efforts

    Invest in sales and marketing to accelerate customer acquisition. Build a strong sales team, develop targeted marketing campaigns, and expand your reach into new markets.

  • 5.2
    highOngoing

    Expand your product offerings

    Develop new features and integrations to expand your product offerings and cater to a wider range of customers. Consider adding features like AI-powered candidate matching, automated interview scheduling, and advanced analytics.

  • 5.3
    mediumOngoing

    Build strategic partnerships

    Partner with other HR tech companies, staffing agencies, and consulting firms to expand your reach and offer a more comprehensive solution to your customers.

  • 5.4
    criticalOngoing

    Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs)

    Continuously monitor your KPIs, such as customer acquisition cost (CAC), customer lifetime value (LTV), and churn rate. Use these insights to optimize your sales, marketing, and product development efforts.

  • 5.5
    highOngoing

    Focus on customer retention

    Prioritize customer retention to maximize your LTV. Provide excellent customer support, offer ongoing training, and continuously improve your platform based on customer feedback.

  • 5.6
    highOngoing

    Enhance diversity recruiting features

    Add features to promote diversity in recruiting.

  • 5.7
    highOngoing

    Optimize time-to-fill

    Focus on reducing the time-to-fill.

  • 5.8
    mediumOngoing

    Improve recruitment marketing results

    Refine recruitment marketing strategies.

  • 5.9
    lowOngoing

    Refine interview scheduling

    Optimize the interview scheduling process.

  • 5.10
    mediumOngoing

    Scale recruiting analytics

    Expand recruiting analytics capabilities.

Pro tips

  • Focus on solving a specific pain point in the recruiting process, such as candidate sourcing, interview scheduling, or employer branding.
  • Build a strong team with expertise in recruiting, technology, and marketing.
  • Develop a clear and concise value proposition that resonates with recruiters and hiring managers.
  • Gather customer feedback early and often to ensure your platform is meeting their needs.
  • Stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the recruiting industry, such as AI, automation, and remote hiring.

Frequently asked questions

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