Interview Kickstart raises first investment to tackle tech talent shortage

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Interview Kickstart, a profitable startup that helps technology professionals develop skills to advance their careers, has raised $10 million in its first funding from Blume Ventures, the companies announced Monday.

Founded in 2014, the San Francisco-based startup helps engineers learn from employees and alumni of big tech companies. Although always profitable, 2023 was a pivotal year for Interview Kickstart, co-founder Ryan Valles told TechCrunch as he moved into a senior role in the company's newly launched AI field. It was a pivotal year, he said in an interview with TechCrunch, as his new launch aimed at aspiring engineers quickly found widespread adoption.

He said Interview Kickstart's services also help engineers understand the large-scale challenges Big Tech demands and help them perform better in interviews.

“Big tech companies are doing incredibly world-changing work and need great talent, but the education system isn't keeping up,” he says. “The way to understand the void that exists today is the acceptance rate at these top companies. It's 2-3%.”

Valles, who previously worked at venture firm Accel, and co-founder Soham Mehta, who built Box's interview process, drew on their experience in forming the startup.

Interview Kickstart learners have received job offers worth more than $250,000, with the highest offer exceeding $1.2 million. Many professionals have doubled their compensation after taking courses taught by approximately 550 Big Tech instructors. The company's alumni instructors include Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Netflix, and many see their involvement with Interview Kickstart as a way to give back to the community, Valles said.

Interview with Kickstart founders, from left, Ryan Valles and Soham Mehta. (Image credit: Interview Kickstart)

“In 2023, we refactored our business. “We launched AI as a completely separate vertical course, a number of up-level courses and switch-up courses,” he said.

Remote work and layoffs have reduced opportunities. “There is a power law with jobs. Top jobs pay two to three times more for the same level, so you can build a disproportionately lucrative career and take your whole family with you.'' “The challenge is compounded by a lack of resources for engineers to advance,” Valles said.

Programs ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 include live classes, mentoring, and performance reviews. To date, he has over 20,000 professionals registered, and last year's AI course had over 2,000 participants. Half of enrollees apply for a new job or promotion within 12 months.

“We are the only platform in the world that exists to deliver top company-focused knowledge to the best engineers and product people, taught by instructors from top companies, completely remotely,” Valles added.

Valles said the startup has shied away from raising venture funding in the past because Interview Kickstart has always focused on profitable and sustainable unit economics. “Because we have always been customer-focused, we have avoided many of the bad habits that many startups in this space have developed,” he said.

Interview Kickstart plans to aggressively focus on two to three new areas and has finally raised external funding. The company plans to aggressively invest in AI products and expand its approach in leveling the curriculum and switching into more areas such as product management and design.

For Blume Ventures, the Interview Kickstart investment marks the largest opening check in the company's 10-year history.

Karthik Reddy, managing partner at Blume Ventures, said in a statement: “This investment is a testament to our belief in Interview Kickstart’s mission and track record of making a career-shifting impact on professionals. It has had a tremendous impact on the profession, and Soham and Ryan are well-positioned to grow this work into the biggest story of this decade.”