#founding

If you're looking for alternatives to hiring a dev team, the best fit depends on whether you need a long-term core product or a product shipped fast. This piece breaks down the real tradeoffs—speed, control, institutional memory—and shows how a product studio delivered an AI-powered screening platform in one engagement.

Carta says 1.5% for hire #1, dropping to 0.33% by hire #5. Pave median is 1%. AI talent pressure pushed the floor up since March 2026. Honest 2026 numbers — plus the $0-equity alternative most pre-see