Bangladeshi brothers’ AI startup AgenticHire secures over $30,000 in non-dilutive funding

Two Bangladeshi brothers have co-founded an AI-powered recruitment startup that has secured more than $30,000 through accelerator programmes, competitions, grants and institutional support without giving up equity in the company.

AgenticHire was founded by Sabik Bin Sultan and Shafi Bin Sultan, with Sabik serving as chief executive officer and Shafi as chief operating officer. Sabik is a Class 11 student at BAF Shaheen College Kurmitola, while Shafi is a Class 12 student at St Joseph Higher Secondary School in Dhaka.

The startup operates as an online-first global venture. Singapore-based student Haoyang Wu, a Grade 11 student at River Valley High School, is the company's co-founder and chief technology officer. The wider founding team includes members from Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia. Wu joined the venture after meeting the Bangladeshi brothers at a startup accelerator bootcamp in Singapore.

AgenticHire is designed to address the time-consuming first stage of recruitment, particularly for early-stage technology companies that may not have dedicated HR or recruitment teams. Employers can create a role-specific assessment and send candidates a link to complete the interview at a convenient time.

The platform uses AI to conduct the initial screening and generates a structured hiring evidence brief outlining a candidate's strengths and weaknesses, along with an overall recommendation. The final recruitment decision, however, remains with the employer.

The startup currently operates on a tiered subscription model. Its free plan includes five interviews, while the starter plan costs $100 per month for up to 200 interviews and access to all features. Larger organisations can use a customised enterprise plan.

Unlike a conventional venture capital funding round, AgenticHire's early funding has come through non-dilutive sources. Sabik said the amount includes programme stipends and capital from accelerator programmes, including East Ventures' My First $1000, along with institutional and banking partnerships involving Prime Bank, Bank Asia, Guardian Life Insurance, Sportify, Wavesparks and Singapore's National Youth Council.

The company began in December 2025 after the founders developed the idea while participating in a founder-focused accelerator programme in Singapore. They identified a recruitment bottleneck faced by early-stage technology startups, where founders and senior engineers can spend significant time conducting initial screening calls before finding candidates suitable for technical interviews.

The founders initially tested the idea by speaking with technology startup founders they encountered through their networks and accelerator programmes. They subsequently developed a minimum viable product and refined it through mentorship before making the platform more widely available.

According to the team, the funding has primarily supported product development, operations and participation in international accelerator programmes and conferences. Part of the resources has also been allocated to the startup's global launch.

Sabik said AgenticHire has not held a formal investment round and no investor has taken equity in the company so far. The founders are now working to expand their customer base among early-stage technology startups while improving the platform based on user feedback.

Further fundraising is also being explored as the company plans to enter additional markets and expand its team.

The wider founding team includes Daniya Toxanova as head of marketing from Kazakhstan, Apiwit Pasuwat as outreach head from Thailand, Moka Sokhah as operations associate from Cambodia and Jessie Chu as product associate from Malaysia.