Startups are getting smaller. The average headcount for Series A startups dropped to 15.6 in 2024, down from 18.7 in 2019, according to Carta. The shift is most visible in AI startups, which can scale faster with fewer people thanks to new tooling and automation.
Founders are rethinking team composition from day one. When to hire, who to hire, and what roles to prioritize have all changed.
To bring more clarity to the hiring journey, we surveyed more than 60 VC-backed startups with ties to Seattle. The companies range from pre-seed to Series B and span industries, though many are AI-native.
We asked when key team members typically join — from founders to the first sales, marketing, ops, and support hires. The results offer a snapshot of how early-stage teams are actually built in this market.
Here’s what we found.
No surprise — every company starts here. In our survey, every startup had a Founder/CEO at formation, and the role remains the anchor through every stage.
Dilution occurs as a startup grows, but the Founder/CEO most often retains at least 15% equity in their startups in the early stages.
Most startups add at least one cofounder early. At most startups, cofounders are in place by the time a company raises its pre-seed round. After that, it's rare to see new cofounders join.
This is often hire No. 2 or 3. Most often, founding engineers join before the seed round, typically on the heels of a pre-seed raise or right before one.
This role tends to come later. Most startups wait until early post-seed or Series A to bring on their first dedicated sales hire. Founders tend to lead early sales themselves.
Marketing is typically a Series A hire. A few outliers bring someone in earlier, especially if they’re selling to consumers or developers, but most wait until they’ve found some product-market fit.
This hire follows revenue. Startups usually add a customer support or success role around the same time as their first reps — often in the Series A window, occasionally just after.
Ops shows up across the board. Some companies bring someone in early to help the team run smoother; others wait until they hit complexity. Most Series A companies in our survey had at least one ops-focused hire.
Early-stage startups in our survey start offering benefits as soon as they raise a priced round. Seed is the most common trigger. Health coverage is table stakes, but perks like wellness stipends and 401(k)s often wait until Series A or later.
*METHODOLOGY: We surveyed 60 verified, VC-backed startups with Seattle ties. Responses were collected in Q1 2025 and included startups from pre-seed to Series B. While this sample is directional and not comprehensive, it offers a useful glimpse into how early teams form. Take the data with a grain of salt, but we hope it brings more transparency to startup hiring in the region.