Hatchways

Hatchways, based in Toronto, ON, Canada, provides a software platform designed to enhance engineering hiring by simulating real-world work through project-based assessments, GitHub integration, and ATS compatibility. The company operates on a SaaS model, offering both a free plan and paid subscriptions starting at $100 per month, enabling organizations to thoroughly evaluate candidates' practical skills in software development. Hatchways primarily serves companies in the software development and human resources sectors, focusing on improving the accuracy and efficiency of technical assessments for engineering roles. With a team of 8 employees, the platform aims to move beyond traditional hiring metrics by focusing on demonstrated ability. Notable early support includes investment from Y Combinator, which backed Hatchways in its S19 batch. The company was founded in 2018 by Jaclyn Ling, who serves as CEO, and Shums Kassam, the CTO.

High-Level Overview

Hatchways is a technology company that builds a platform to transform engineering interviews into realistic, work-like assessments. Their product enables companies to create customizable, GitHub-based technical assessments where candidates perform tasks such as code reviews, submitting pull requests, and system design improvements. This approach serves hiring teams scaling engineering recruitment by providing more accurate skill signals, saving engineering time, and improving candidate experience compared to traditional technical interviews. Hatchways addresses the inefficiency and bias of conventional interviews by focusing on practical skills rather than pedigree or interview performance, helping companies discover diverse talent more fairly and effectively[1][2][5][7].

Origin Story

Founded by Shums, a former engineering manager and co-founder with experience at Kik Interactive, Hatchways emerged from the founder’s personal struggles with traditional technical interviews and the recognition that many talented engineers are overlooked due to biased, unrealistic hiring processes. The company’s mission evolved to create a fairer, more efficient way to evaluate engineering skills by simulating real-world work scenarios. Early traction came from companies seeking to replace rushed live coding interviews with take-home, project-based assessments that better reflect actual job tasks and reduce wasted engineering hours[2][4].

Core Differentiators

• Realistic, Work-Like Assessments: Candidates complete tasks in familiar environments using their own tools, mirroring day-to-day engineering work rather than artificial coding tests[3][5].
• Customizable GitHub-Based Workflow: Assessments leverage GitHub repositories for tasks like pull requests and code reviews, integrating naturally into developer workflows[1][2][5].
• Accessibility and Inclusivity: The platform removes rigid time constraints, provides clear instructions and rubrics, and supports candidate questions during assessments, making the process more accessible to diverse applicants including those with disabilities[3].
• Integration and Automation: Seamless integration with applicant tracking systems (Lever, Greenhouse, Ashby) and automated grading/reporting reduce recruiter and engineer workload[1][5].
• Positive Candidate Experience: The approach reduces stress and bias, allowing candidates to demonstrate skills at their own pace, which improves engagement and fairness[1][3][5].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Hatchways rides the trend toward more equitable, skills-based hiring in tech, responding to growing criticism of traditional interviews that favor privileged backgrounds and superficial performance. The timing is critical as companies face intense competition for engineering talent and seek to optimize hiring efficiency while broadening candidate pools. Market forces such as remote work, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and the rise of practical coding assessments favor Hatchways’ approach. By improving hiring signal quality and reducing wasted engineering time, Hatchways influences the broader ecosystem toward fairer, more effective talent discovery and retention[2][3][5].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Looking ahead, Hatchways is well-positioned to expand its impact by continuing to refine its platform’s accessibility, automation, and integration capabilities. Trends like AI-assisted candidate evaluation, remote-first hiring, and increased emphasis on diversity will likely shape their evolution. As more companies move away from traditional whiteboard and timed coding tests, Hatchways’ realistic, candidate-friendly model could become a new standard in engineering recruitment. Their mission to make interviewing "look more like real work" aligns with a broader shift toward practical, inclusive hiring practices that benefit both employers and candidates[2][3][5].