Meet Courtpals, Winner of Startups of The Year 2024 in Employer of Record Services

The special Startups of The Year 2024 Winners Interview series is a celebration of all this year’s Tech Champions.

Tell us about you.

Courtpals is a human-first Employer of Record redefining how global hiring works. We help U.S. companies onboard, pay, and care for remote talent across Latin America — legally, affordably, and with a deep respect for local culture and labor protections. In addition, we support Law Firms with Declaration-taking, Country Conditions Research, Expert Witnesses, Interpretation in over 80 languages and Mam Interpretation over the phone. Our mission is to make global hiring ethical, seamless, and sustainable. Our vision is a world where geography never limits opportunity, and employers access the best talent — not just the closest.

Tell us how your startup is changing the world.

We’re making remote employment truly accessible — not just for companies, but for the people hired. Most Employer of Record services were built for enterprise-level clients or lacked regional expertise. We changed that by focusing specifically on U.S.-LATAM employment, offering unmatched compliance support, local benefits, and culturally competent onboarding. Our ultimate goal? To close the opportunity gap for thousands of professionals in emerging markets and raise the standard of what remote employment should look like.

Likewise, we defend human rights by serving a variety of Immigration Law Firms with the most time-consuming and mental health challenging parts of the cases so they can focus on preparing their clients for Court.

What sets you apart from the competition?

We're not just an EOR platform — we’re advocates, educators, and partners. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all; our clients get tailored compliance guidance, curated hiring support, and an entire operations team that feels like an extension of their own. But what truly sets us apart is our heart: our team understands Latin America not just on paper, but from lived experience. That empathy shapes every policy we create, every benefit we offer, and every hire we support.

What does it mean for you to win this title?

It’s an honor — but more than that, it’s a signal that the future of remote work must be more human. Winning "Startups of the Year" in the Employer of Record space validates that our people-first approach isn’t just noble — it’s scalable. It reminds us that doing business ethically and affordably doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive.

What do you love about your team, and why are you the ones to set out for this mission?

Our team is fiercely empathetic, wildly creative, and deeply committed to raising the bar. Most of us are based in the same markets we serve — which means we’re not guessing what people need, we’re building what we wish we’d had. From our legal advisors to our client success team, every person here believes in the dignity of remote work done right. That belief fuels constant innovation, daily grit, and a culture where wins are shared and lessons are welcomed.

Looking back, what milestone was the biggest turning point for your startup?

The moment we helped one client hire their 100th employee remotely through our EOR model was a turning point. It showed us we weren’t just solving an HR problem — we were impacting livelihoods. That milestone helped us refine our pricing, build faster onboarding systems, and develop benefits packages that rivaled in-house teams. It also gave us the confidence to lean fully into this space.

What’s one valuable lesson you learned this year that you’d pass on to other startups?

Focus is everything. It’s tempting to chase every opportunity, especially when you're growing. But 2024 taught us that clarity — in audience, in offer, in impact — is what transforms traction into momentum. Say no more often. Say yes with intention.

How do you envision your industry evolving in the coming years, and how will your startup stay ahead?

The EOR industry will split in two: those who automate for scale, and those who humanize for retention. We're betting on the latter. As regulations tighten and remote expectations rise, trust and experience will matter more than speed alone. We’re doubling down on local partnerships, compliance intelligence, and proactive employee care to stay ahead.

How do you or your company intend to embrace the responsibility of this title in 2025?

We see this win as a platform — one we’ll use to elevate voices from the Global South, push for fairer labor practices in remote work, and collaborate with policymakers and clients to create standards that work for everyone, not just the top 1% of companies.

What goals are you looking forward to accomplishing in 2025?

• Launching our first equity and savings benefit for remote employees
• Publishing the first "State of Remote Work in LATAM" report with real employee data
• Hosting cross-border hiring webinars to help more startups hire well (and legally)

2024 has been crazy, with all the new techs, and all the geopolitics fluctuations. What are the impacts of these to your startup, and to your industry as a whole?

Regulatory volatility and AI shifts made 2024 unpredictable — but they also highlighted why human-led compliance and adaptability matter more than ever. While some EORs scrambled to update systems, we leaned on our regional experts to navigate changes in real time. We also integrated tech to empower people, not replace them. That balance kept our clients safe, compliant, and prepared for what’s next.

We would love your feedback on HackerNoon as a tech publication! How has your experience been with us?

Refreshing. HackerNoon stands out for its focus on real stories, honest innovation, and startups that are actually building things — not just hyping them. Thanks for spotlighting the underdogs.

Any words of wisdom you’d like to share with us?

Build for the people no one else is building for. That's where the real innovation lives.