How a $5,000 billboard helped this startup hire top engineers

The company needed to hire over 100 engineers but could not compete with the massive salary offers from tech giants. Instead of using traditional ads, the founder spent a small part of his budget on a mysterious billboard in San Francisco. It featured strings of code that acted as a difficult technical challenge.

The challenge asked applicants to build an algorithm that acted like a bouncer at a famous Berlin nightclub. Thousands of people tried to solve the puzzle, and hundreds succeeded. This creative approach helped the company identify skilled developers who were interested in more than just a high paycheck.

Following this viral success, the company secured $69 million in new funding. They plan to use the money to scale their technology for AI customer interviews. It shows that thinking outside the box can be just as effective as a big marketing budget.