Startmate seeks “exceptional” techies to act as trump cards

Mentor-driven seed fund Startmate is seeking “exceptional” developers and designers for its newly launched Trump Cards program, which offers insight into life as a start-up.

According to Startmate co-founder Niki Scevak, the program is designed to encourage more people to consider working in start-ups.

“Trump Cards is a short three-month paid internship for exceptional developers and designers who want to do start-ups but don’t know where to start,” Scevak told StartupSmart.

“They’re exposed not only to the daily ups and downs of a start-up but the whole Startmate experience as well.

“By the end, hopefully they will be a lot more likely to go out and strike it up on their own as a founder or to join another start-up as an early employee.”

Startmate says the program is aimed at developers and designers who are keen to start up but don’t yet have a co-founder, or anyone working in a “big boring company” who’d like to experience a start-up.

For the duration of the program, participants will work out of the Startmate space at Australian Technology Park, in Sydney, where they’ll be part of the “whole Startmate experience”.

“While you’ll be responsible for developing and designing, you’ll get a great picture into customer acquisition, raising money and the magical process of creating happy customers,” Startmate says on its website.

Participants will be matched with a Startmate team based on their preferences and the needs of the teams.

“You are in control and, if after a few weeks it’s not working out with the team you initially chose, you can change and work for another start-up,” Startmate says.

StartupSmart recently reported on the Startmate teams for 2013.

According to Scevak, the teams “can’t wait” for the program to get started.

“They all need help – the team sizes themselves are usually two to three people. This is the first time we’re running it. We’re running it in a small way so it runs very successfully,” he says.

“One out of two teams will have a trump card. We’ll play around with how to make the program work best.”

Each participant will receive a stipend of $6,000 to cover their basic living expenses. After the program, they’ll have three options.

They can go and start their own company, join one of the Startmate teams as an early employee after they raise money, or, with Startmate’s help, secure a job at another Sydney-based start-up.

“This is the first year of running the program and so we’re starting with 3-4 developers and designers,” Startmate says.

“If you don’t make the Trump Cards program and just miss out, we can help with referrals to other start-ups who are hiring and who you might want to explore options with.”

Applications close on February 22. Startmate will do a first-round interview online the following week, and then invite the final eight to 10 candidates to an interview day on March 5.

This interview will take place at Australian Technology Park.