Build Your World-Class Engineering Team
Build Your
World-Class Engineering Team
Tessera connects venture-backed startups with exceptional software engineers.
We build both companies & careers, whilst always remembering what's most important — our relationships.
How We Work
Human-First
No hard pitch. Relationship-first.
Customer-Obsessed
Dedication to results + good outcomes.
Boutique
Deep specialism, focus and high touch.
Meet Our Team
Our Partners
What they say about us
Julien C.
Engineer
Stealth
Lewis is the hands down the best recruiter I’ve ever worked with. He was extremely responsive and attentive throughout the entire process. After understanding my goals, he connected me with a number of great startups in NYC and SF. From start to finish, Lewis was a great guide and sounding board, and provided insightful opinions without being pushy. What really struck me was how highly regarded he is by the companies themselves. More than once, a CEO or CTO would say, “Oh, you came from Lewis? He’s the best, isn’t he?” If you’re considering working with a recruiter, I can’t recommend him highly enough.
Kevin S.
Agents
Sierra
What impressed me about Lewis is his personal touch — he goes out of his way to care for what I wanted and where I could find it, sometimes even more than myself. It's hard to find people like Lewis that goes the extra mile. His experience and customer obsession shines through when at every step of the process, from initial conversation to offer discussions, his words of advice and probing questions helped me shape the best possible decision making framework. I'm grateful for Lewis' help along my journey and would strongly recommend him to my peers
Ben Posnick
Security Engineer
Cursor
Lewis is the best recruiter I've ever worked with. From our first intro call, he took the time to understand what I was looking for and connected me with startups that were a great fit. Throughout my search, he regularly checked in, shared relevant opportunities, and gave honest, thoughtful advice. It felt like working with someone who genuinely had my best interests in mind. I don't think I would have found my new role without Lewis' network and guidance. I'd highly recommend him to anyone considering a job switch, especially if you're interested in startups. Thanks again, Lewis!
Audrey K.
Talent
Modal
I'm picky about agencies, and Lewis is one of the few external recruiters I'd recommend without hesitation. He's been a key partner for our engineering hiring in NYC, consistently delivering high-quality candidates. He's taken the time to deeply understand our product and market, which shows in both the quality of his submissions and how well-prepared candidates are. At the offer stage, Lewis is a true collaborator: strategic, responsive, and genuinely aligned with our approach to candidate experience. For a lean talent team, that's invaluable. Above all, he's devoted to his craft. That's rare. Lewis is best in class.
Wesley Herts
Engineering
Outtake
Lewis is easily the best recruiter I've ever worked with. He isn’t just trying to fill roles; he genuinely focuses on finding the right fit. From the start, he took time to understand what I was looking for, helped refine my pitch, and tailored the search to my priorities. We stayed in close contact, and his insights always clarified my perspective. When it came time to decide, he helped me evaluate each offer with valuable context. He even reached out on my first day to wish me luck!
Jacob Wallenberg
Operations
Ramp
Lewis has been a huge help in building our Engineering organization and is the first recruiter I recommend startups work with. He stands out in three ways: 1/ Extremely easy to work with, adapting his pace and style to candidates, recruiters, and companies. 2/ Understands the type of candidate that thrives at Ramp, looking far beyond titles or logos. 3/ Builds deeper relationships than anyone I’ve met, placing several candidates at multiple great companies. Thanks to his skill and hard work, we’ve welcomed many outstanding engineers, several who’ve grown from ICs to key leaders. Thanks for everything, Lewis!
Jake Noble
Software Engineer
Tecton
Highly recommend working with Lewis if you're looking to join a start-up in NYC! Lewis helped me a ton throughout my recent job hunt. From sitting down with me to understand my career goals (which he helped me clarify), to putting me in contact with great companies that met my criteria, and finally coaching me through the interview and negotiation processes. On top of being connected to great early stage start-ups I wouldn't have found on my own, Lewis really advised me on what was best for me. He didn't rush or pressure me to join any company. I would definitely work with Lewis again in the future.
Abhishek Mahanti
Staff Software Engineer
Alchemy
Finding a new job (in this, and any market) can be a humbling, vulnerable and (hopefully) ultimately, a rewarding experience. In times like these, Lewis shines. He's positive, professional, enthusiastic, detail-oriented, smart, funny and puts you in your zone of excellence. He brings out the best - because he's one of the best. I was lucky enough to work with Lewis in finding my next role and consider him a friend. If you're reading this recommendation and thinking about what your next role could look like, get in touch!
Jiahui J.
Engineering
Outtake
Lewis is hands-down the best recruiter I’ve worked with. He takes the time to understand both candidates and the company, and only recommends people he truly believes are a strong match. Many are folks he’s worked with across multiple roles, showing the trust and long-term relationships he builds. He’s well-connected in the NYC startup world and knows what early-stage companies need. The candidate conversion rate from his pipeline has been the highest we’ve seen. Super responsive, professional, and a pleasure to work with!
Kim Win
Member of Technical Staff
Pace
Lewis was incredible throughout my search process. I appreciated how much thoughtfulness he brought to our interactions - he genuinely wanted to get to know me as an individual and invest in my professional success. He was a true advocate and made the process fun. I felt understood and supported in my journey, and I'm thrilled with my new team.
Ben Eggers
Technical Staff
OpenAI
Lewis is absolutely amazing. He listened attentively to what I was looking for, helped me flesh out my thoughts on what my next role could look like, got me in touch with several really cool companies, and supported me through the entire interview+offer process. Perhaps most importantly, he did _not_ pressure me to accept an offer I was feeling iffy about -- instead, he encouraged me to continue thinking hard about what I wanted and where I could find it. He was always available when I needed him and perhaps most importantly, he's just a good guy to talk to and work with. Cannot recommend enough.
Audrey K.
Ben Posnick
Kevin S.
Ben Eggers
Jake Noble
Jacob Wallenberg
Kim Win
Jiahui
Abhishek Mahanti
Wesley Herts
Talent
Agents
Technical Staff
Member of Technical Staff
Building
VP of Engineering
Software Engineer
Engineering
Operations
Staff Software Engineer
Sierra
Modal
Cursor
Stealth
Tecton
OpenAI
Pace
Ramp
Outtake
Citadel
Bilt
Storyboard
Highly recommend working with Lewis if you're looking to join a start-up in NYC! Lewis helped me a ton throughout my recent job hunt. From sitting down with me to understand my career goals (which he helped me clarify), to putting me in contact with great companies that met my criteria, and finally coaching me through the interview and negotiation processes. On top of being connected to great early stage start-ups I wouldn't have found on my own, Lewis really advised me on what was best for me. He didn't rush or pressure me to join any company. I would definitely work with Lewis again in the future.
Lewis was incredible throughout my search process. I appreciated how much thoughtfulness he brought to our interactions - he genuinely wanted to get to know me as an individual and invest in my professional success. He was a true advocate and made the process fun. I felt understood and supported in my journey, and I'm thrilled with my new team.
Lewis was incredible throughout my search process. I appreciated how much thoughtfulness he brought to our interactions - he genuinely wanted to get to know me as an individual and invest in my professional success. He was a true advocate and made the process fun. I felt understood and supported in my journey, and I'm thrilled with my new team.
Lewis is absolutely amazing. He listened attentively to what I was looking for, helped me flesh out my thoughts on what my next role could look like, got me in touch with several really cool companies, and supported me through the entire interview+offer process. Perhaps most importantly, he did _not_ pressure me to accept an offer I was feeling iffy about -- instead, he encouraged me to continue thinking hard about what I wanted and where I could find it. He was always available when I needed him and perhaps most importantly, he's just a good guy to talk to and work with. Cannot recommend enough.
Lewis is hands-down the best recruiter I’ve worked with. He takes the time to truly understand both the candidates and the company. He’s thoughtful about culture fit and only recommends people he genuinely believes will be a strong match. Many of the candidates he brings in are people he’s worked with across multiple roles, which speaks to the trust and long-term relationships he builds. He’s incredibly well-connected in the NYC startup world and really understands what early-stage companies need. The candidate conversion rate from Lewis’s pipeline has been the highest we’ve seen. On top of that, he’s super responsive, professional, and a real pleasure to work with!
Lewis has been a huge help in building our Engineering organization. He is the first recruiter I recommend startups work with to build their engineering organizations. He stands out in three ways: 1/ He's extremely easy to work with, quickly adapting his pace, communication style, and mediums to the candidate, recruiter, and company he works with. 2/ He understands the type of candidate that will do well at Ramp very well, and looks far beyond the surface-level traits like titles, years of experience, or logos. 3/ He develops deeper relationships with candidates than anyone I've met, and has placed several of them at multiple great companies. Thanks to Lewis's skill and hard work, we've been fortunate to welcome many outstanding engineers to the team, several of whom have grown from strong ICs to key leaders. Thanks for everything you've done for us, Lewis!
Lewis stands out from nearly every recruiter I’ve worked with. He genuinely has your best interests at heart and takes the time to deeply understand what you’re looking for in your career. He only represents top-tier companies that he truly believes in, which means that no matter what you’re seeking, he’s likely to have an exciting opportunity that will interest you. Whether you’re actively searching for your next role or simply looking to build your network, Lewis is someone you need to know.
Finding a new job (in this, and any market) can be a humbling, vulnerable and (hopefully) ultimately, a rewarding experience. In times like these, Lewis shines. He's positive, professional, enthusiastic, detail-oriented, smart, funny and puts you in your zone of excellence. He brings out the best - because he's one of the best. I was lucky enough to work with Lewis in finding my next role and consider him a friend. If you're reading this recommendation and thinking about what your next role could look like, get in touch!
Lewis is easily the best recruiter I've ever worked with. He isn’t just trying to fill roles; he genuinely focuses on finding the right fit. From the start, he took time to understand what I was looking for, helped refine my pitch, and tailored the search to my priorities. We stayed in close contact, and his insights always clarified my perspective. When it came time to decide, he helped me evaluate each offer with valuable context. He even reached out on my first day to wish me luck!
Audrey K.
Ben Posnick
Kevin S.
Ben Eggers
Jake Noble
Jacob Wallenberg
Kim Win
Jiahui
Abhishek Mahanti
Wesley Herts
Talent
Agents
Technical Staff
Member of Technical Staff
Building
VP of Engineering
Software Engineer
Engineering
Operations
Staff Software Engineer
Sierra
Modal
Cursor
Stealth
Tecton
OpenAI
Pace
Ramp
Outtake
Citadel
Bilt
Storyboard
Highly recommend working with Lewis if you're looking to join a start-up in NYC! Lewis helped me a ton throughout my recent job hunt. From sitting down with me to understand my career goals (which he helped me clarify), to putting me in contact with great companies that met my criteria, and finally coaching me through the interview and negotiation processes. On top of being connected to great early stage start-ups I wouldn't have found on my own, Lewis really advised me on what was best for me. He didn't rush or pressure me to join any company. I would definitely work with Lewis again in the future.
Lewis is the best recruiter I've ever worked with. From our first intro call, he took the time to understand what I was looking for and connected me with startups that were a great fit. Throughout my search, he regularly checked in, shared relevant opportunities, and gave honest, thoughtful advice. It felt like working with someone who genuinely had my best interests in mind. I don't think I would have found my new role without Lewis' network and guidance. I'd highly recommend him to anyone considering a job switch, especially if you're interested in startups. Thanks again, Lewis!
What impressed me about Lewis is his personal touch — he goes out of his way to care for what I wanted and where I could find it, sometimes even more than myself. It's hard to find people like Lewis that goes the extra mile. His experience and customer obsession shines through when at every step of the process, from initial conversation to offer discussions, his words of advice and probing questions helped me shape the best possible decision making framework. I'm grateful for Lewis' help along my journey and would strongly recommend him to my peers
Highly recommend working with Lewis if you're looking to join a start-up in NYC! Lewis helped me a ton throughout my recent job hunt. From sitting down with me to understand my career goals (which he helped me clarify), to putting me in contact with great companies that met my criteria, and finally coaching me through the interview and negotiation processes. On top of being connected to great early stage start-ups I wouldn't have found on my own, Lewis really advised me on what was best for me. He didn't rush or pressure me to join any company. I would definitely work with Lewis again in the future.
Lewis is easily the best recruiter I've ever worked with. He isn’t just trying to fill roles; he genuinely focuses on finding the right fit. From the start, he took time to understand what I was looking for, helped refine my pitch, and tailored the search to my priorities. We stayed in close contact, and his insights always clarified my perspective. When it came time to decide, he helped me evaluate each offer with valuable context. He even reached out on my first day to wish me luck!
Lewis was incredible throughout my search process. I appreciated how much thoughtfulness he brought to our interactions - he genuinely wanted to get to know me as an individual and invest in my professional success. He was a true advocate and made the process fun. I felt understood and supported in my journey, and I'm thrilled with my new team.
Lewis is absolutely amazing. He listened attentively to what I was looking for, helped me flesh out my thoughts on what my next role could look like, got me in touch with several really cool companies, and supported me through the entire interview+offer process. Perhaps most importantly, he did _not_ pressure me to accept an offer I was feeling iffy about -- instead, he encouraged me to continue thinking hard about what I wanted and where I could find it. He was always available when I needed him and perhaps most importantly, he's just a good guy to talk to and work with. Cannot recommend enough.
Lewis is hands-down the best recruiter I’ve worked with. He takes the time to understand both candidates and the company, and only recommends people he truly believes are a strong match. Many are folks he’s worked with across multiple roles, showing the trust and long-term relationships he builds. He’s well-connected in the NYC startup world and knows what early-stage companies need. The candidate conversion rate from his pipeline has been the highest we’ve seen. Super responsive, professional, and a pleasure to work with!
Lewis has been a huge help in building our Engineering organization and is the first recruiter I recommend startups work with. He stands out in three ways: 1/ Extremely easy to work with, adapting his pace and style to candidates, recruiters, and companies. 2/ Understands the type of candidate that thrives at Ramp, looking far beyond titles or logos. 3/ Builds deeper relationships than anyone I’ve met, placing several candidates at multiple great companies. Thanks to his skill and hard work, we’ve welcomed many outstanding engineers, several who’ve grown from ICs to key leaders. Thanks for everything, Lewis!
Lewis stands out from nearly every recruiter I’ve worked with. He genuinely has your best interests at heart and takes the time to deeply understand what you’re looking for in your career. He only represents top-tier companies that he truly believes in, which means that no matter what you’re seeking, he’s likely to have an exciting opportunity that will interest you. Whether you’re actively searching for your next role or simply looking to build your network, Lewis is someone you need to know.
Finding a new job (in this, and any market) can be a humbling, vulnerable and (hopefully) ultimately, a rewarding experience. In times like these, Lewis shines. He's positive, professional, enthusiastic, detail-oriented, smart, funny and puts you in your zone of excellence. He brings out the best - because he's one of the best. I was lucky enough to work with Lewis in finding my next role and consider him a friend. If you're reading this recommendation and thinking about what your next role could look like, get in touch!
I rarely give recommendations and this is an easy exception because Lewis is exceptional in tech recruiting. I found my role as VP of Eng at Storyboard with a team and culture that are a perfect match for me. I wasn't interested at first, but Lewis convinced me to meet the CEO as he knew we’d click. When building half of Engineering at Socure, I hired Lewis and he brought some of the best engineers I’ve worked with, both technically and personally. I’m still in touch with them and would work with them anywhere.
Let's Talk
Need help building your engineering team? We'd love to hear from you.