Hiring at startups often follows a familiar path. A company shares a job role, candidates apply, and each person tries to prove why they are the right choice. A new founder-led initiative aims to turn that process around.
Eleven startup founders will take part in a closed-door event called #ReversePitch in Gurgaon on 4 September. Instead of ex-founders pitch themselves to startups, the startup founders will pitch their own businesses to former founders.
The aim is simple. These founders want to attract experienced ex-founders for key roles at their startups. Rather than a normal job interview, the event will give both sides a chance to understand each other before a possible move.
One of the founders part of this effort is Deep Bajaj, founder of Sirona Hygiene. Bajaj has shared details about the event through a LinkedIn post and has invited ex-founders to register for the event.
Deep Bajaj Takes Part in the Initiative
Deep Bajaj is known as the founder of Sirona Hygiene, a company that built its name around personal care and hygiene products. His role in the Reverse Pitch event adds a strong founder voice to an idea that challenges the usual hiring process.
The main idea behind the event is not just to fill open jobs. It is also about finding people who have already built companies and understand what it takes to create a business from the ground up.
For startup founders, such people can bring a different level of experience. An ex-founder has dealt with tough choices, team issues, cash limits, customer needs, product decisions and the pressure that comes with running a company. That experience can be useful when a startup needs a senior person who can take charge.
The Pitch Will Come From Founders
The biggest change at the event is the direction of the pitch.
In a normal startup hiring process, the candidate is the person who has to make the case. They talk about their past work, skills, results and reasons for a job change. The company then decides if the person fits the role.
The Reverse Pitch format puts the startup founder in that position.
Here, the founders will present their businesses to ex-founders. They will have to explain what their companies do, where they want to go and why an experienced founder should consider a role with them.
This makes the process more balanced. The person who may join the company gets a chance to learn what the business can offer before making a decision.
Why Ex-Founders Are the Focus
Former founders can face a unique challenge after they leave their companies. They may have years of leadership experience, but a regular job search does not always show the full value of that experience.
A former founder may not fit neatly into a standard job title. They may have worked across sales, product, finance, hiring, strategy and operations. They may also be used to making decisions without a large team or a long chain of approval.
Startups can make good use of this broad experience.
A senior role at a young company can offer an ex-founder a chance to use that knowledge again without having to start a new company from zero. At the same time, the startup gets access to someone who has already faced many of the problems that a growing business can create.
That is the central idea behind this event.
Eleven Founders, One Common Goal
The Reverse Pitch event will have 11 founders from different startups. The names shared for the event include founders from Sirona, WTF Fitness, NU Republic, Beanly, Goat and WhatsUp Wellness, along with other participating founders.
The mix of companies is also important. These businesses come from different areas, which means the roles and challenges can vary widely.
For an ex-founder, that can create several career options in one place. Instead of applying to companies one at a time, participants can hear directly from several founders during the same event.
The closed-door format may also help create a more direct conversation. It can allow founders and ex-founders to speak openly about business goals, leadership needs and possible roles.
More Than a Regular Job Event
The event is different from a standard hiring fair. It is not based on a large public crowd or a long list of job openings. It is a focused effort that brings founders and ex-founders into the same room.
The value may come from the quality of the conversation rather than the number of people who attend.
Founders can talk about their real business needs. Ex-founders can ask direct questions and assess whether a company fits their next career step. Both sides can decide if there is a strong match.
This can save time for everyone involved.
For a startup, the wrong senior hire can cost months of work, money and team energy. For an ex-founder, the wrong role can feel limiting after years of running a company. A direct founder-to-founder conversation can help both sides make a better choice.
Gurgaon Will Host the Event
The closed-door #ReversePitch event will take place in Gurgaon on 4 September.
The event is aimed at ex-founders who may be open to a key role at a startup. Those who want to take part can register through the form shared by the organisers.
The registration form is available here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScokLTKEhyRI2odZO4uJEZF2AICgLeYsRs3WUhqTqQwErc8Dw/viewform
Deep Bajaj has also shared the event details through his LinkedIn post.
A Fresh Idea for Startup Hiring
The Reverse Pitch event shows how startup hiring can take a different path. Instead of asking only whether a candidate is good enough for a company, it also asks whether the company is strong enough for the candidate.
That small change can make the conversation more equal.
For founders, it is a chance to tell their story and attract people with first-hand company-building experience. For ex-founders, it is a chance to explore senior roles without going through the usual job search route.
The event also points to a wider change in the startup world. As more founders move from one company to another, their experience can remain valuable even after they leave their own ventures.
The Gurgaon event on 4 September will put that idea to the test. With 11 founders from startups such as Sirona, WTF Fitness, NU Republic, Beanly, Goat and WhatsUp Wellness, the #ReversePitch format could offer a fresh way for experienced entrepreneurs and young companies to find the right fit.
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