This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Alfredo Mercedes, the 27-year-old founder of VU Talent Partners based in Medellín, Colombia. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I’m the founder of VU Talent Partners, and I recently relocated from Orlando to Medellín, Colombia.
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. Now I run an AI-enabled modular recruiting platform inside a global VC firm.
A VC firm recruited me for my current role
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. VU Venture Partners came with a unique proposition: Instead of building another search firm, what if we built a talent platform born inside the fund, powered by the same data and signals on which startups rely?
I jumped at the opportunity
It helped that VU Venture Partners was also a perfect fit, as I was a graduate of the Venture University Accelerator, and VU Venture Partners is an early-stage global venture capital fund.
I’m the founder and CEO, which comes with a 50/50 split of ownership and profit. I run the VU Talent Partners platform on a day-to-day basis, while the VC provides capital, infrastructure, and network leverage.
3 things made me feel confident to leave a high-paying career and take this risk
First, I had a personal runway. I received rental income from my house in Orlando, which I own, and I lowered my living costs by relocating to Medellín, Colombia, and giving myself some breathing room.
Living in Medellín, Colombia, is more affordable in almost every aspect of cost of living, including rent, transportation, food, and entertainment. I live in a two-story penthouse in the main district area for $1,200 a month. Groceries delivered to my house in 30 minutes cost $40. Ubering anywhere in the city costs $10.
Second, I felt the market demand. Startups are scaling leaner, and venture firms are struggling with refreshed talent sourcing. As AI became a capacity multiplier, I felt recruiting infrastructure and speed to outcomes were missing pieces, especially.
Third, I knew I would be a unique fit. With my military experience, executive recruiting expertise, and startup operator skill set, I knew I could deliver results confidently.
From my front-row seat to the AI talent wars, these are the biggest challenges I’m seeing
- Overheated compensation: I’ve seen AI roles with total potential compensation north of $1M, squeezing startups out of the competition.
- Signal vs. noise: Thousands of people rebrand as “AI experts,” but few have shipped real systems. Filtering that talent is critical.
- Dual-use talent gap: Defense and frontier companies, in particular, need employees who can operate at the intersection of AI, government, and enterprise.
- Retention: Landing talent is one thing, but keeping them engaged when they’re constantly approached with offers is another.
My story is about building a life centered on ownership, resilience, and alignment. The Corps taught me grit. Recruiting taught me leverage. Venture taught me scale. AI is teaching me code.
At 27, I’m focused and still learning, all while creating a people-first infrastructure that outlasts me by helping teams scale talent, not overhead.
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