I built a recruiting platform for AI jobs. Here's the challenging reality of the AI talent wars.

"I started my career in the Marine Corps Reserve, where I trained as an infantry mortarman. I next worked as an executive recruiter at Daversa Partners, an executive retained search firm for VC portfolio companies, where I specialized in placing executives in cybersecurity and defense technology roles. I left Daversa in August 2024 for a six-figure role at Defense Unicorns, a Series A defense technology company that delivers AI and open-source capabilities to national security and DoD systems."

"Company pivots created uncertainty around my job. I could've moved into a leadership role, but it wasn't aligned with my personal vision. I wanted to build something of my own where people and venture intersect, helping innovative tech founders scale teams that advance democracy and security for real-world problems. I took a layoff with severance in December. After leaving Defense Unicorns, I was unsure of my next move."

"In January, I was recruited by VU Venture Partners after the GP reached out to reconnect since we had crossed paths years before to launch VU Talent Partners, where I lead today. Our goal is to eliminate the chaos of scaling by building talent infrastructure that scales with startups. I had built a reputation in defense and frontier tech recruiting."

Alfredo Mercedes built and runs VU Talent Partners, an AI-enabled modular recruiting platform inside VU Venture Partners, operating remotely from Medellín, Colombia. He began his career in the Marine Corps Reserve as an infantry mortarman and later worked as an executive recruiter at Daversa Partners, focusing on cybersecurity and defense technology placements. He joined Defense Unicorns in August 2024 but left after company pivots and took a severance layoff in December. He aims to build talent infrastructure that scales with startups and helps frontier tech founders grow teams addressing democracy and national security challenges. He observes AI companies facing overheated compensation and retention struggles.

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