Daniel Altenburg Is Building Zipdev for a World Where AI Can Write the Resume, but People Still Make the Hire

SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / October 21, 2026 /As artificial intelligence makes it easier than ever to create a polished resume and apply for hundreds of jobs, Daniel Altenburg, CEO and co-founder of Zipdev, believes businesses are facing a new challenge: figuring out who can actually do the work.

"These days, you post a job and get flooded with applications. Everyone looks qualified, every resume looks polished, and it 's becoming harder to tell who 's actually capable of doing the job, " said Altenburg. "AI is an incredible tool, but how do you use AI to evaluate a thousand AI-written resumes? At some point, you need real people having real conversations and assessing real skills. "

That philosophy is helping shape Zipdev 's next chapter. Founded in 2015, the San Diego-based nearshore staffing company connects U.S. and Canadian businesses with skilled professionals throughout Latin America. With more than 200 professionals on assignment, four consecutive appearances on the Inc. 5000, and three years of recognition by the Financial Times, Zipdev is now working toward 500 professionals on assignment, with ambitions to eventually reach 1,000 and 2,000.

A Business Built on Both Sides of the Border

For Altenburg, the connection to Latin America is personal. A first-generation American whose mother immigrated from Peru seeking greater opportunities, he grew up proud of both his American identity and his Peruvian heritage. After graduating from San Diego State University, he spent five years living and working in Peru, where he met his future business partner, Mike Lenny.

After returning to San Diego, Lenny asked Altenburg, who had a background in recruiting, to help find a software engineer for an early-stage project. Local engineering salaries were beyond the startup 's budget. Meanwhile, the two regularly visited Tijuana for startup events, where they met talented, English-speaking engineers just across the border.

"We kept meeting incredibly talented people who had the skills but weren 't getting the same opportunities, " Altenburg recalled. "At the time, companies still believed everyone needed to be sitting in the same office. We saw an opportunity to connect great businesses with great people, regardless of where they lived. "

Zipdev initially explored custom software and mobile app development before pivoting to remote staffing, a model better aligned with Altenburg 's recruiting experience. The company has since expanded into technical and nontechnical staffing, U.S. direct-hire recruiting, and Latin American payroll services.

Cutting Through the Noise in an AI-Driven Hiring Market

As AI reshapes hiring, Altenburg believes Zipdev 's value goes well beyond sourcing candidates or helping companies reduce costs.

The company uses a four-step vetting process that includes reading and writing assessments, conversational English evaluations, skills assessments, and in-depth interviews with experienced recruiters. Candidates are evaluated before their profiles ever reach a client.

"We don 't just send resumes. We send people we 've actually spoken to, assessed, and vetted, " Altenburg explained. "Our clients shouldn 't have to sort through hundreds of applications trying to figure out who 's real, who 's qualified, and who can actually do the

job. That 's our responsibility. "

Zipdev also supports professionals after placement through ongoing communication, mentorship, and talent management. The objective is to help businesses build productive, long-term teams rather than simply fill open positions.

Altenburg sees AI as an important part of that process, but not a replacement for human judgment.

"We 're absolutely embracing technology to become faster and more efficient. But recruiting is still a people business. Trust, communication, cultural fit, and relationships matter. Technology should help us strengthen those connections, not replace them. "

Learning to Lead, Not Just Manage

Building Zipdev has also transformed Altenburg 's understanding of leadership.

He recalls an early virtual meeting with four direct reports when frustration over missed performance targets affected how he communicated with the team.

"I got off that call and knew I 'd handled it wrong. I could feel the energy leave the room, " he said. "That was a turning point for me. I learned how important my tone was, how to hold people accountable without making them feel singled out, and that not everyone is going to do things the same way I would. Leadership is about understanding people, playing to their strengths, and helping them reach their potential. "

That lesson has influenced Zipdev 's approach to remote culture, emphasizing continuous learning, communication, mentorship, and genuine relationships across countries.

"I don 't think you ever perfect leadership or culture. You 're constantly learning. But when people tell us Zipdev is one of the best places they 've worked, that 's incredibly meaningful to me. "

Growth With a Bigger Purpose

Zipdev 's growth has earned the company four consecutive Inc. 5000 appearances, reaching as high as No. 862, three consecutive years on the Financial Times ' list of the fastest-growing companies in the Americas, and a No. 3 ranking among San Diego 's fastest-growing private companies.

But for Altenburg, the opportunity extends beyond business recognition.

At Zipdev 's 10-year anniversary celebration in Mexico, he found himself listening to salsa music that reminded him of childhood visits to his grandmother 's home in Peru. Surrounded by the team that helped build the company, he reflected on how far the business had come.

"My mom came to the United States looking for a better life and more opportunities for her family. Now we 've built a company that helps create opportunities for people throughout Latin America while helping American businesses grow. That 's pretty special to me. "

As Zipdev works toward its next growth milestones, Altenburg wants the company to become one of the first names businesses think of when considering nearshore staffing.

But he also sees a larger responsibility.

"I love representing the United States and building relationships with people across Latin America. We 're showing that great things happen when you connect people from different countries and cultures who want to help each other succeed. At the end of the day, we 're in the business of breaking down barriers. "

About Zipdev

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Diego, California, Zipdev helps U.S. and Canadian businesses build high-performing teams through nearshore staffing with Latin American talent, U.S. direct-hire recruiting, and LATAM payroll services. The company specializes in connecting businesses with vetted professionals across technology, finance, operations, marketing, customer support, and other business functions.

Learn more at www.zipdev.com or connect with Zipdev on LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Daniel Altenburg
CEO and Co-Founder, Zipdev
hello@zipdev.com
www.zipdev.com

SOURCE:Zipdev

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