Impact Search
Impact Search is a San Francisco-based executive search firm, founded in 2009, that places Design, Engineering, and Product leaders at venture-backed software companies. With four partners and 500+ cumulative placements, it serves hundreds of Bay Area and US startups.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Impact Search does
Impact Search is a San Francisco-based executive search firm founded in 2009 that specializes exclusively in placing Design, Engineering, and Product leaders at venture-backed software companies. The firm operates with a small team of six people — four partners (Tim Harwood, Phil Maxfield, Garrett McLaughlin, and GP Panawek) who personally handle each search engagement, supported by a dedicated research analyst (Michelle Hunter) and an operations lead (Rebecca Rinke). Over 15+ years, the firm has completed more than 500 leadership placements for hundreds of startups ranging from seed-stage companies to established category leaders.
The firm offers three core service lines — Design Leadership Search, Engineering Leadership Search, and Product Leadership Search — covering roles from Director through CTO level. There is no software product, digital platform, or technology offering; the entire value proposition is delivered through human-driven, partner-led consulting engagements. Notable client outcomes include leadership placements at companies later acquired by Snowflake (LeapYear) and Nvidia (Shoreline), and multi-year partnerships with founders spanning multiple portfolio companies (e.g., Freeflow.ai across six years and two companies).
The business model is professional services revenue: retained or hybrid search fees on a per-engagement basis, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Pricing is quote-based and contracts can span multiple years for repeat clients. Go-to-market is high-touch enterprise field sales supplemented by a website lead form (impactsearch.io) and LinkedIn, with strong bottom-of-funnel referral dynamics within the Bay Area venture community. Geographic focus is concentrated on the San Francisco Bay Area with extension to broader US-based venture-backed startups. The firm has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, no institutional investors, and operates as an independently owned partnership.
Impact Search firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Impact Search
- Legal name
- Impact Search
- Website
- https://impactsearch.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Impact Search is a San Francisco-based executive search firm, founded in 2009, that places Design, Engineering, and Product leaders at venture-backed software companies. With four partners and 500+ cumulative placements, it serves hundreds of Bay Area and US startups.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Impact Search industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Search Services
- NAICS
- Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB)
Keywords
Where Impact Search is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Impact Search business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Executive Search Services: The firm provides executive search services placing Design, Engineering, and Product leaders at venture-backed software companies. As a retained/executive search firm, they likely operate on a contingency or retained fee basis typical of the executive search industry, though specific pricing models are not publicly disclosed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom executive search engagements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Impact Search product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Impact Search is a retained executive search firm that places Design, Engineering, and Product leaders at venture-backed software companies. Each search is personally handled by one of four partners, supported by a dedicated research and operations team, with engagements focused on Director, VP, Head, and C-level leadership roles for startups from seed-stage through category leaders. The firm has completed 500+ placements since 2009 and serves a Bay Area client base with a relationship-driven, long-term partnership model.
Product overview
Impact Search is a professional executive search services firm, not a software platform. The company offers a unified suite of three specialized leadership search services: Design Leadership Search, Engineering Leadership Search, and Product Leadership Search. These services are delivered through high-touch, human-driven consulting engagements where four partner-level recruiters personally handle each search, supported by a dedicated research and operations team. There are no software products, modules, or digital offerings — the entire offering is a service-based model focused on placing senior leaders at venture-backed startups.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Design Leadership Search Executive search service that places Design leaders—including Directors, VPs, and Heads of Design—at venture-backed software companies.
- Engineering Leadership Search Executive search service that places Engineering leaders—including Directors, VPs, and CTOs—at venture-backed software companies.
- Product Leadership Search Executive search service that places Product leaders—including Directors, VPs, and Heads of Product—at venture-backed software companies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500+ Design, Engineering and Product placements completed since 2009
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Impact Search
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Impact Search technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Impact Search partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Impact Search competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Riviera Partners: Riviera Partners is a leading tech-focused executive search firm also based in the Bay Area, placing engineering, product, design, and data leaders at venture-backed and growth-stage software companies. Nearly identical service model, target customer, and geographic focus to Impact Search.
- True Search: True Search is a global executive search firm specializing in placing technology and go-to-market leaders at venture-backed and private equity-backed companies. Overlapping client base and similar focus on high-growth software companies, with comparable placement categories (engineering, product, design).
- Glint Talent Partners: Glint Talent Partners is a tech-focused executive search firm specializing in placing engineering, product, design, and data leaders at venture-backed software companies. Highly comparable boutique peer with similar service model, target customers, and functional specializations.
Broad incumbents
- Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a dedicated technology practice placing senior leaders across functions and industries. Much larger and broader than Impact Search, but competes for the same senior technology leadership placements at growth-stage companies.
- DHR Global: DHR Global is an executive search firm with a dedicated technology practice placing senior leaders at venture-backed, growth-stage, and enterprise software companies. Overlaps with Impact Search on senior technology and product leadership mandates but serves a broader range of client sizes and industries.
- Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm with strong technology sector coverage. Competes for CEO, CTO, and senior product leadership placements at venture-backed and growth-stage software companies as part of its broader executive search portfolio.
- Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm with a major executive search practice spanning all industries and functions. Competes with Impact Search for senior technology leadership mandates at large venture-backed and pre-IPO software companies, though typically at the very top of the market.
- Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is one of the world's largest executive search firms with a strong technology practice serving public and private companies. While broader in sector coverage, Spencer Stuart competes for the same CTO, VP Engineering, and senior product placements at venture-backed software companies.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Impact Search social profiles
Digital presenceImpact Search financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Impact Search leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Impact Search funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Impact Search M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Impact Search
What does Impact Search do?
Impact Search is a retained executive search firm that places Design, Engineering, and Product leaders at venture-backed software companies. Each search is personally handled by one of four partners, supported by a dedicated research and operations team, with engagements focused on Director, VP, Head, and C-level leadership roles for startups from seed-stage through category leaders. The firm has completed 500+ placements since 2009 and serves a Bay Area client base with a relationship-driven, long-term partnership model.
Is Impact Search a public or private company?
Impact Search is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Impact Search founded?
Impact Search was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Impact Search based?
Impact Search is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Impact Search make money?
One revenue line is on record: executive Search Services.
Who are Impact Search's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Riviera Partners, True Search and Glint Talent Partners. Broad incumbents are Heidrick & Struggles, DHR Global, Egon Zehnder, Korn Ferry and Spencer Stuart.
Does Impact Search have an API?
No public API is recorded for Impact Search.
What industry is Impact Search in?
Impact Search's product category is Executive Search Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAAAB, Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops). Its NAICS code is 561312 and its SIC code is 7361.