Hiring Timeline and Compensation Estimates

How Healthcare Startups Should Hire: Roles, Pay and Timeframes

Stage 1: Founding (0-12 Months)

• CEO (Founder) – Equity-heavy, minimal salary
  • Compensation: $0-$100K (often deferred, equity 10-40%)
  • Hired: By default, the founder
• Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) / Chief Medical Officer (CMO) – Early domain credibility
  • Compensation: $80K-$150K + 3-10% equity
  • Hired: As soon as research or clinical validation is needed
• Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Execution & operations lead
  • Compensation: $80K-$120K + 3-8% equity
  • Hired: If the founder needs an operational partner from the start
• Head of Regulatory Affairs – Ensuring compliance & approvals
  • Compensation: $60K-$120K + 2-6% equity
  • Hired: If working on FDA, HIPAA, or payer approvals early
• Chief Technology Officer (CTO) – If tech is central to product
  • Compensation: $100K-$180K + 3-8% equity
  • Hired: Once tech product development starts
• Head of Business Development / Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) – Early revenue & partnerships
  • Compensation: $90K-$150K + 2-6% equity
  • Hired: If licensing, B2B partnerships or early revenue strategy is critical

Stage 2: Building (12-36 Months)

• Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – Managing funds & investor relations
  • Compensation: $120K-$250K + 2-5% equity
  • Hired: Once capital strategy becomes complex
• Chief Regulatory & Compliance Officer (CRCO) – Clinical trial & compliance leadership
  • Compensation: $130K-$180K + 1-4% equity
  • Hired: When preparing for regulatory approvals or trials
• VP of Clinical Trials – Managing human studies
  • Compensation: $100K-$170K + 1-3% equity
  • Hired: Before initiating trials
• VP of Market Access & Reimbursement – Ensuring payer alignment
  • Compensation: $120K-$180K + 1-4% equity
  • Hired: If insurance reimbursement is a key revenue path
• Chief People Officer (CPO) – Handling scaling and culture
  • Compensation: $110K-$160K + 1-3% equity
  • Hired: Once employee count exceeds ~30-50

Stage 3: Go-to-Market (36+ Months)

• Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) – Driving branding & acquisition
  • Compensation: $140K-$250K + 1-3% equity
  • Hired: When launching product to market
• Chief Sales Officer (CSO) – Managing sales teams & revenue
  • Compensation: $150K-$250K + 1-3% equity
  • Hired: If sales are relationship-driven (B2B, hospitals, insurers, etc.)
• Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) – Overseeing all revenue functions
  • Compensation: $150K-$300K + 1-3% equity
  • Hired: If monetization requires multiple revenue streams
• Chief Customer Experience Officer (CXO) – Ensuring product adoption
  • Compensation: $120K-$180K + 1-3% equity
  • Hired: When scaling user adoption (DTC or provider-facing SaaS models)