The Startup Talent Agency

Built by a CHRO. For the companies that can’t afford to get hiring wrong.
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The Founder's Story

Jared Lucas has spent 20 years inside the companies that define Silicon Valley. From LinkedIn’s IPO to MobileIron’s public offering, from Cresta’s Series C to AISera’s acquisition by Automation Anywhere, he has built and scaled the teams behind some of the most consequential moments in tech.

As a Chief People Officer responsible for hundreds of hires, Jared experienced a persistent gap: he could never find a recruiting partner who truly understood the business. Not just the role — the stage, the culture, the stakes. Most agencies filled requisitions. None solved organizational problems.

Before his career in People, Jared served as a Special Agent with the FBI. It’s a background that shapes how he works: with rigor, discretion, and an instinct for the details that matter. That combination of operator credibility and investigative discipline is the foundation of The Startup Talent Agency.

Our Founding Belief

“We believe the right hire at the right moment can change a company’s trajectory. We exist to make that happen — reliably, and with the depth of partnership the industry has long failed to deliver.”

Credentials & Experience

Operator Track Record

  • LinkedIn

    Director, People Operations · IPO May 2011 · Headcount from 600 to 4,000

  • The Climate Corporation

    VP People Operations · Acquisition by Monsanto for $930M

  • MobileIron

    Chief People Officer · IPO June 2014 · Led HR organization across 22 global offices

  • Cresta

    VP People Operations · Grew headcount 120% from employee #91 · Sequoia, A16Z, Greylock-backed

  • AISera

    Chief People Officer · Led global expansion and acquisition by Automation Anywhere (2025)

Advisory & Investment

Jared’s network spans founders, VCs, and executive leaders across the Bay Area ecosystem. He serves as an advisor and investor to:
  • Public Companies

    Spire Global (NYSE: SPIR)

  • Growth-Stage Companies

    Eightfold.ai, Sendoso, Blind

  • Portfolio Companies

    Knoetic, Compa, Simppler (acq. by Indeed)

Education & Credentials

  • Cornell University

    M.S. Industrial & Labor Relations

  • Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara

    Certified Executive Coach

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation

    Special Agent · Organized Crime & Public Corruption

  • Languages

    Fluent in Spanish

Why Now?

AI Disruption

The AI boom is creating a new wave of well-funded startups with urgent hiring needs and zero internal recruiting infrastructure.

Quality Vacuum

The pandemic-era hiring frenzy exposed just how shallow most recruiting firms are. Founders are actively searching for better partners.

Recruiter Talent Pool

Top-tier recruiters are disillusioned with large firms and ready to join a platform that rewards performance and autonomy.

Founder Experience

Two decades of operator credibility — including IPOs at LinkedIn and MobileIron and acquisitions at AISera and The Climate Corporation — create immediate trust and network access.
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