Skin in the game.
From day one.
Stakewell gives non-technical founders a fully managed engineering team at Indian market cost, in exchange for equity, not fees. We don't get paid until you win.
The Hiring Trap
Every option is broken.
Option A
Hire locally
$180K/year per developer. Before benefits, equity, or the three months it takes to hire. For a 3-person team, you're looking at $500K+ annually, before you've shipped a single feature.
Option B
Use an agency
$15,000–$25,000/month. 40–60% markup on developer rates. Zero incentive for them to care whether your product succeeds. They invoice the same either way.
Option C
Find a technical co-founder
Takes years. Costs 20–40% equity and full decision-making authority. Most founders never find one. The ones who do spend 18 months looking.
Stakewell is none of these.
The Stakewell Model
We replace your entire
engineering pipeline.
Fully Managed Team
We recruit, hire, manage, and retain your developers. You never post a job again. No attrition risk. No HR overhead. Just a team that shows up and builds.
Indian Market Cost
60–70% below Western rates. A fully managed 3-person team costs less than one mid-level Toronto developer, including management, infrastructure, and tooling.
Equity Aligned
We take a small equity stake instead of agency fees. That means our incentives are structurally identical to yours. We only win when you win.
The Process
Up and running in days,
not months.
Apply
Tell us about your company and where you are in the build.
Discovery
We audit your technical needs and build a 90-day roadmap.
Team Assembly
We deploy a dedicated team from our vetted bench within days.
Build
Two-week sprints. Weekly written updates. You ship fast.
Apply
Tell us about your company and where you are in the build.
Discovery
We audit your technical needs and build a 90-day roadmap.
Team Assembly
We deploy a dedicated team from our vetted bench within days.
Build
Two-week sprints. Weekly written updates. You ship fast.
The Alignment
We only win when you win.
Starter
1–2 developers
Available upon request2–3% equity
Ideal for founders who need to validate a product quickly.
Builder
Popular3–4 developers
Available upon request3–5% equity
Our most popular tier. Full product team with PM-level coordination.
Scale
5–6 developers
Available upon request5–8% equity
For post-traction companies scaling engineering rapidly.
All equity structured on a 4-year vest with a 1-year cliff, the same as a co-founder. No informal handshakes.
Who We Work With
We're selective. On purpose.
At thin margins with equity on the line, the quality of our partners matters as much to us as it does to them.
Right for Stakewell
Non-technical founder
No engineering background required
Some traction or seed raised
Pre-revenue founders considered case by case
Clear product vision
You know what you're building and why
Wants a long-term partner
Not a vendor relationship, a co-builder
Not the right fit
Pre-idea stage
Come back when you know what you're building
Looking for cheap outsourcing
We're not an agency. We hold equity.
Wants to own 100% forever
Equity is the model. It's non-negotiable.
Stop hiring. Start building.
Applications are reviewed within 48 hours. We only take on partners we believe in.