top of page
Search

Hiring a VP of Sales for an Early-Stage HealthTech Startup

An early-stage startup working in the cancer diagnosis space had just raised over $2M and was looking for a VP - Sales to drive revenue growth with their upcoming product launch.


They partnered with Zifcare to get them the right candidate with the right industry experience as well as background/qualifications to give investors the confidence that the company would be able to scale quickly - Zifcare helped them close the role with a shortlist of just 3 candidates in a month well within their budget.

⏰ Time to hire

1 month (approx.)

💰 Salary offered to hired candidate

INR 45 LPA + ESOPs

👥 Funds raised

$2M (at time of hiring)

👨 Candidate profiles shared by Zifcare

3

💻 Candidates interviewed by Client

2

Client Overview


Company: Stealth Mode HealthTech: An early-stage AI-driven diagnostics company focused on early cancer detection.

Challenge: Needed a VP/Head of Sales to establish commercial partnerships, build the sales function from scratch, and drive adoption in a complex healthcare ecosystem.


Hiring Process Overview


1. Defining the Role & Ideal Candidate Profile


  • Role: VP/Head of Sales (Full-time, Remote)

  • Key Responsibilities:

    • Develop GTM strategy for hospital systems, diagnostic networks, and payers

    • Build and lead a high-performance sales organization

    • Navigate regulatory requirements while driving revenue growth

  • Ideal Candidate Profile:

    • 10+ years in HealthTech/MedTech/diagnostics sales

    • Proven track record selling to healthcare enterprises

    • Blend of strategic vision and operational execution


2. Candidate Sourcing & Shortlisting


  • Sourcing Channels:

    • Specialized healthcare executive search firms

    • LinkedIn targeted outreach

    • Investor network referrals

  • Top Candidates:

Candidate

Current Role

Key Qualifications

Notice Period

Candidate X

Sales Head at leading emergency care platform

Scaled to ₹40CR annual revenue; 120+ hospital partnerships

30 days

Candidate Y

Growth Head at healthcare IT solutions provider

Managed $10M portfolio; led 34-member commercial team

Negotiable (30-60 days)

Candidate Z*

Key Accounts at digital health unicorn

Managed ₹60CR P&L; founder experience in healthtech

60 days

*Selected candidate


3. Rigorous Evaluation Process


ree

4. Selection & Onboarding


  • Chose Candidate Z for:

    • Deep healthcare ecosystem relationships (hospitals, labs, insurers)

    • Founder mentality with prior startup experience

    • Proven P&L management in complex sales environments

  • Structured Offer: Base salary + performance equity + sales milestone bonuses


Key Hiring Takeaways


✔ Domain expertise + founder mindset proved critical

✔ Investor involvement ensured alignment with growth trajectory

✔ Flexible compensation structure attracted top talent while preserving runway

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page