SkillsRobin

SkillsRobin is a Sydney-based online marketplace and recruitment firm specialising in connecting early-stage startups in Australia and New Zealand with pre-vetted tech talent. The entity primarily serves nascent companies seeking their foundational engineering hires, including developers, co-founders, CTOs, and founding engineers. For tech professionals, SkillsRobin offers access to a curated pipeline of startup roles encompassing full-time, part-time, freelance, and co-founder opportunities. The company's core mission is to democratise opportunity by uncovering 'hidden gems'—talented individuals whose capabilities might not be immediately apparent through traditional resumes or public profiles, leveraging a robust referral system.

Founded by Lisa Deng, SkillsRobin's inception between 2023 and 2025 emerged from an iterative product design process. Deng, working on the venture as a side hustle, systematically tested various recruitment solutions with tech hiring managers before solidifying a business model that resonated with customers. This foundational period saw the development of a unique approach tailored to the specific needs of the startup ecosystem, acknowledging the challenges both founders face in finding the right talent and developers encounter in discovering unadvertised, high-impact roles.

A key differentiator for SkillsRobin is its referral-based vetting process, where every candidate is endorsed by a trusted tech professional. This pre-vetting significantly streamlines the hiring process for startups, ensuring a higher quality of candidates and saving valuable time for busy founders. Furthermore, SkillsRobin provides access to an exclusive network of 'off-market' opportunities not publicly advertised on conventional job boards like LinkedIn or Seek. The platform also offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional external recruiters, with fees starting at $250 for part-time hires and $1000 for full-time hires, and job postings being free until a successful placement is made.

SkillsRobin prioritises candidate privacy, allowing developers to create anonymous profiles; their personal details are only shared once they accept a connection request from a prospective employer. This approach empowers job seekers to explore new opportunities discreetly. Over its operational period, SkillsRobin has successfully facilitated numerous matches between startups and tech professionals, leading to positive testimonials from founders who commend the platform for connecting them with exceptional, high-quality, and diverse engineering talent. Lisa Deng continues to lead SkillsRobin, driving its growth and commitment to fostering talent within the ANZ startup community.