For Founders, operators, and investors
You know their work. That’s the starting point.
The engineer you would build with again. The first seller who figured it out. Make an introduction with real context, and earn 70% of the collected fee if it becomes an eligible placement.
- First-year base
- $200,000
- Client fee
- 15% of base, paid on hire
- Collected fee
- $30,000
Illustrations. The introduction is an example of the structure we ask for, and the arithmetic uses our published rates. Neither is a historical result or promised earnings.
How it works: Refery scouts are founders, operators, and investors who refer people whose work they know. Refery reviews the fit and coordinates the recruiting process with VC-backed Seed to Series B companies. Scouts earn the same 70% share of collected placement fees as independent recruiters and TA partners, on eligible hires they originate.
Refery is a startup recruiting network for VC-backed Seed to Series B companies hiring Engineering, AI, and GTM talent. It combines specialist independent recruiters with referrals from founders, operators, and investors.
- Partner share
- 70%of collected placement fees on eligible hires
- Company focus
- Seed to BVC-backed startup teams
- Joining fee
- $0no subscription or platform fee
The companies you would introduce people to are backed by investors including:
Why Refery
A profile says where. You can explain how.
“Great engineer” is hard to act on. “Owned the migration, made the tradeoffs, and stayed with the problem until it worked” gives a founder something to assess. That is the kind of referral we want.
Firsthand context
Tell us how you know the person and what you saw them do. A former teammate’s account is different from a profile you came across online.
The person’s next chapter
Ask what they want before introducing them. Stage, scope, location, and appetite for ambiguity matter as much as the last company on their résumé.
A clear handoff
You bring the relationship and context. Refery reviews the fit and coordinates the search. You do not need to pretend to be a specialist recruiter.
The companies and roles
Early teams. Work that matters.
VC-backed Seed to Series B companies hiring Engineering, AI, and GTM talent. The brief should explain what the hire needs to own, not just which logos belong on a résumé.
Engineering
Founding and senior software engineers, infrastructure, and data. Look for evidence of building and owning systems.
Engineering recruiting →AI
AI/ML and forward-deployed engineers. Distinguish research, model development, and production implementation experience.
AI recruiting →GTM
Founding GTM, enterprise sales, and growth. Explain the customer, sales motion, and what the person built themselves.
GTM recruiting →These are examples of our recruiting focus, not a live vacancy list or a promise of an available role. Confirm the current search, location, compensation, and working arrangement before making an introduction.
A useful introduction
What should a scout introduction include?
- Permission from the person to introduce them and share their information.
- How you know them: worked together, hired them, or another clearly stated relationship.
- One piece of work you can genuinely speak to, and what their contribution was.
- What they want next, including practical constraints and whether they are ready for a conversation.
- Any investment, employment, or financial relationship that could create a conflict.
- Who
- Senior backend engineer, Series A fintech
- What they owned
- The migration off the monolith: picked the boundaries, wrote the cutover, stayed through two failed attempts
- How I know
- We were on the same team for two years
- Why now
- Wants more scope than the current role allows
- Constraints
- Berlin or remote CET, notice 2 months
The economics
One fee. Your 70% share.
Independent recruiters, operator scouts, and TA partners each earn 70% of the collected placement fee on eligible hires they originate. No joining fee, no subscription, and no retainer to chase.
Payment follows collection of the client fee and your partner agreement, including the client's 90-day guarantee. Attribution and payment timing are confirmed in writing. An introduction alone does not earn a placement fee.
How it works
From introduction to a hiring decision.
Apply with your context
Tell us about your work and the people you know well. If there is a fit, we’ll discuss the network and terms.
Ask before introducing
Check the person’s interest and permission. Share only information you are authorized to disclose.
Make the introduction useful
Explain what you saw them own and what they want next. Refery reviews relevant searches and coordinates next steps.
Earn when a hire qualifies
An intro is not a payout. An eligible hire can earn you 70% of the collected placement fee under your partner agreement.
A referral does not guarantee an interview or hire. Timing depends on the search, candidate, and hiring team.
Questions
The details, before you start.
Updated . The applicable signed agreement governs individual engagements.
What is a startup talent scout?
A startup talent scout is a founder, operator, investor, or other trusted professional who introduces people whose work they know to relevant companies. At Refery, scouts add firsthand context and candidate permission; Refery reviews fit and coordinates the recruiting process.
Do I need to be a recruiter to become a Refery scout?
No. The scout network is for founders, operators, and investors with firsthand knowledge of people’s work. Explain how you know the person and what you can vouch for. Refery reviews the fit and coordinates the recruiting process.
Is a LinkedIn profile enough for a referral?
A profile helps identify the person, but it does not replace their consent or your context. Explain the relationship, the work you observed, and what they want next. Do not describe a cold-sourced profile as a personal endorsement.
How much do Refery partners earn?
Independent recruiters, operator scouts, and TA partners all earn 70% of the collected placement fee on eligible hires they originate. This is a share of the fee Refery collects, not of the hire’s salary, and not a promised payout. An introduction alone does not earn a placement fee.
When do I get paid, and what if a hire leaves?
Payment follows collection of the client placement fee and the terms of your partner agreement. Confirm the payment schedule and how the 90-day client guarantee affects your payout before making introductions. This page does not promise a fixed payment date, automatic refund, or exemption from adjustments.
How are attribution and duplicate introductions handled?
Confirm the attribution window, prior-candidate rules, duplicate-submission handling, and any post-termination rights in your partner agreement. Disclose an existing introduction to the same company before submitting. Do not assume that sending a name alone establishes payout eligibility.
Is there a fee to join?
There is no subscription or platform fee to join the Refery partner network. Refery earns through successful placements. Review the partner agreement before you start.
Can I refer someone to a company I invest in?
Disclose the investment and any other relevant relationship before making the introduction. Ask Refery and the company to confirm whether the referral and payment arrangement are acceptable. Do not assume that moving an introduction to another channel resolves a conflict.
The other paths
Different context, same share.
Independent recruiters, operator scouts and TA partners each earn 70% of the collected placement fee on eligible hires they originate. What differs is the evidence you bring and who owns the candidate conversation.
Apply to the network
Bring your judgment. Start a conversation.
A short application. Tell us the roles you know and how you know the people you would introduce. If there is a fit, we’ll set up a call.
Or email partners@refery.io. Also for candidates and hiring teams.