SquadUp Labs
Focusing on early-stage innovation — how a Boston development studio scaled engineering with a nearshore hub built in days, not months.
SquadUp Labs is a Boston-based development studio that partners with early-stage startups and growth-phase companies to design and build scalable digital products. They specialize in full-stack development, technical thought partnership, and deep platform integrations across AWS, Shopify, Stripe and HubSpot.
Referral hiring stopped scaling.
SquadUp Labs saw early success hiring a UX/UI designer from Uruguay — drawn by the region's talent, cultural fit and cost-effectiveness. But as the company scaled, referral-based hiring became unsustainable and time-consuming for tech leads. Founder Eric Carlstrom turned to a strategic partner to streamline recruitment, ensure quality, and support fast, scalable growth.
Limits of Referral Hiring
Referral-based hiring hit a ceiling, making it impossible to scale efficiently.
Operational Strain
In-house recruitment overburdened tech leads and consumed valuable billable hours.
Cost Efficiency
They needed a strategy to optimize the efficiency of their workforce budget.
A structured Nearshore Staff Augmentation strategy.
Frictionless from day one — a consultative call, quick documentation, and a 5-click onboarding into our proprietary platform. We defined four pillars to power SquadUp Labs' nearshore strategy.
- Step 01
AI-Driven Sourcing
Proprietary models surface candidates from a continuously refreshed LATAM talent pool.
- Step 02
AI + Human CV Screening
Two-layer screening filters signal from noise before a single interview is scheduled.
- Step 03
Technical Interview
Senior engineers run deep technical sessions calibrated to the role's real stack.
- Step 04
Async Technical Assessments
Hands-on take-homes prove craft without burning the client's calendar.
Vetted candidates in days. Hires in weeks.
SquadUp Labs received 3 to 5 vetted candidates per role through our proprietary platform, complete with data-driven insight dashboards to support faster, smarter hiring decisions. Highly targeted selections led to quality hires, boosting cost-efficiency by 34%.
Key placements
- Lead Engineerfilled in 8 days
- QA Analystfilled in 5 days
- Fullstack Engineerfilled in 4 days
"They are very startup-friendly and flexible, and able to under-promise and over-deliver."
Want pre-vetted developers in 48 hours?