How Codebridge Attracts and Retains Top Tech Talent Without a Big-Name Brand

In the competitive tech industry, attracting and retaining top talent without a prominent brand can be a major challenge.

However, Codebridge has managed to defy the odds. Founded by former KPMG partner Konstantin Karpushin, the company has built a strong reputation for recruiting and retaining the best engineers, designers, and product experts—without relying on the prestige of a large corporate name. Instead, Codebridge’s success lies in its distinctive hiring strategies, collaborative work culture, and a focus on high-impact projects, creating an environment where top talent can truly thrive.

The Codebridge Story: From KPMG to a Tech Powerhouse

Codebridge’s origins go back to Karpushin’s tenure at KPMG, where he led transfer pricing and tax law initiatives. In 2013, he hired a programmer, not to build a product but to create an internal CRM system. This small decision laid the foundation for what would later become Codebridge. Over the years, the internal software team within KPMG evolved into a full-fledged Product Development Center (PDC), attracting smart, ambitious engineers who thrived in a challenging and high-stakes environment.

By 2020, the limitations of operating within a corporate structure became apparent, and Karpushin and his team decided to spin out and create Codebridge. But launching a new tech company without an established brand meant competing for talent against giants like Google, Amazon, and Facebook. To overcome this, Codebridge developed three core strategies:

1. A Rigorous but Scalable Hiring Funnel
2. A Strong Focus on UX and Design-Driven Development
3. An Engineering-Centric Culture with Complex, High-Impact Projects

1. A Hiring Process Designed Like a Sales Funnel

One of the most effective ways Codebridge attracts top talent is by treating hiring like a marketing and sales process. Instead of relying solely on inbound applications, the company actively searches for candidates using an automated hiring funnel.

Key Features of the Codebridge Hiring System:

• Referral & Virality Strategy: Leveraging LinkedIn and other platforms, Codebridge encourages employees and candidates to share job opportunities, leading to viral growth in applications.
• Massive Applicant Pool: Over three years, more than 24,000 people applied to Codebridge, and over 1,000 completed the test assignment.
• Data-Driven Selection: The hiring process includes a structured test assignment that assesses problem-solving skills, not just coding ability.

Hiring Funnel Breakdown

This system allows Codebridge to continuously attract highly skilled professionals without needing the appeal of a famous brand name.

2. UX & Design as a Competitive Advantage

Another major differentiator for Codebridge is its focus on UX/UI design as a foundation for product development. Most software companies start with engineering and then layer design on top, but Codebridge flips this model.

Why UX Matters for Hiring:

• Engineers prefer working on well-structured, thoughtfully designed systems rather than chaotic, rushed projects.
• A strong UX foundation ensures that developers spend more time building features and less time fixing usability issues.
• Clients value high-quality design, leading to higher retention rates and long-term contracts.

Codebridge’s UX-First Approach in Action

• The company grew its design team to 40+ designers, making UX a core function of every project.
• It dominated Upwork in the design category, earning over $1 million in revenue from UI/UX projects alone.
• Every engineering project starts with a strong design phase, reducing iteration cycles and improving user adoption.

By positioning itself as a design-driven development firm, Codebridge attracts engineers who want to build beautiful, functional, and scalable products.

3. Engineering Culture: Challenging Work Over Perks

Attracting top-tier engineers isn’t just about offering high salaries or fancy perks. What truly retains talent is the quality of work and intellectual challenge. Codebridge specializes in solving complex, high-stakes problems, making it a magnet for ambitious developers.

What Makes Codebridge a Tech Talent Magnet?

• Deeply Technical Projects:
  • The team has built AI-driven analytics tools for transfer pricing and benchmarking.
  • Developed custom CRMs and knowledge management systems used across multiple industries.
• Autonomy & Responsibility:
  • Engineers are given full ownership of their projects, from architecture to deployment.
  • Decision-making is decentralized, reducing bureaucratic slowdowns.
• Fast Career Growth:
  • The company’s structure allows developers to move up quickly, unlike large corporations where promotions take years.
  • Engineers regularly interact with high-level executives and clients, gaining business acumen alongside technical skills.

A Comparison: Codebridge vs. Big Tech

Lessons for Entrepreneurs: How to Build a Strong Tech Team Without a Big Brand

For startups looking to attract and retain top talent, Codebridge offers a repeatable blueprint:

1. Build a Scalable Hiring System

• Treat hiring like marketing, with automated outreach and data-driven selection.

2. Invest in UX from Day One

• Prioritize UX design to differentiate from competitors and attract engineers who care about product quality.

3. Offer Challenging, High-Impact Work

• Engineers stay for complex problems, autonomy, and career growth, not just compensation.

By focusing on hiring, design, and engineering culture, startups can compete for talent against the biggest names in tech—just like Codebridge has done.