In this edition of Luminar’s Founder Series, we sat down with brothers Jakob and Alexander Dubois, the founders behind Fika Jobs - an AI-powered hiring platform rethinking how companies and candidates connect.

From selling bread by boat along the Swedish west coast to building one of the most talked-about early-stage recruitment platforms, their journey is anything but conventional. We spoke about early entrepreneurial instincts, lessons from Silicon Valley, and why they believe the CV is broken.

You’ve both been building companies since a very young age. What did that journey look like leading up to Fika Jobs?

Jakob: It actually started very early. We were selling Christmas magazines when we were kids and ended up being among the top sellers in Sweden in our age group. After that, we started selling bread and buns to boaters along the west coast - we’d buy them cheaply in the harbor and sell them at a premium out on the islands.

Alexander: We were probably around 10 or 11 at that point. Then in our early teens, we started building apps and websites. We launched a game on the App Store and just kept going - launching, learning, failing, repeating.

Jakob: Most things didn’t work. But a few did. We built one of the first SAT prep apps in the Nordics and grew it to around 20,000 downloads while still in high school. But the main thing is we just kept trying for a long time.

What ultimately led you to build Fika Jobs?

Alexander: The idea really came from experiencing recruitment from both sides. As students, we applied to tons of jobs and often got no response - you’re just a CV in a pile.

Jakob: Then when we started hiring ourselves, we realized the other side is just as broken. You get flooded with applications, but it’s very hard to actually understand who someone is. You don’t have time to interview everyone.

Alexander: We had one case where we hired someone who had one of the weakest CVs on paper - but when we finally met him, he completely stood out. That was a turning point. The CV didn’t capture what actually mattered.

What made Fika Jobs different from your previous projects?

Jakob: With previous startups, we often had to force things - pivoting, trying to make something work. With Fika, it just clicked immediately.

Alexander: We didn’t have to push it. Candidates liked it, companies liked it, and distribution started happening organically. That was a very different feeling.

You’ve both spent time in the US. How has that influenced how you build companies in Sweden?

Jakob: A big part is just believing you can build something truly large. That mindset was much more present in the US.

Alexander: And thinking globally from day one. In Sweden, a few years ago, it would almost sound strange to say you’re building a global company immediately. But that’s how we approach it.

Jakob: It’s also about ambition - setting a very high bar for what you’re building.

Jakob, you also spent time working closely around Travis Kalanick. What impact did that have on you?

Jakob: It was a very formative experience. We were a small team, around 20 people, so you really got to observe how he thinks and operates.

Alexander: One thing that stood out is the scale of thinking. With Uber, the idea was “you won’t need a car anymore.” That level of ambition really sticks with you.

Jakob: And the speed of execution. Moving fast, solving problems aggressively - that mindset definitely influenced how I think.

Let’s talk about Fika Jobs. What’s the core idea behind the product?

Alexander: At its core, it’s about making hiring more human again. Today, everything is optimized for efficiency - but that often removes the actual understanding of people.

Jakob: We use AI to enable video-based conversations at scale. Instead of a CV, you get to actually see and hear the person.

Why the name “Fika”?

Alexander: It comes from the Swedish concept of a relaxed, informal conversation. That’s exactly what we want to replicate.

Jakob: It shouldn’t feel like a stiff interview. It should feel like a natural conversation where you get to know someone.

How do you make that experience feel less “corporate”?

Jakob: A big part is the product design and brand. We’ve intentionally made it feel more like TikTok or Instagram than a traditional hiring platform.

Alexander: Instead of one long, formal interview, we break it into shorter, more dynamic video segments. That makes it feel more natural and less intimidating.

The current hiring landscape is increasingly AI-driven, often in a very impersonal way. How do you view that trend?

Alexander: We think the system is fundamentally broken. You have AI-generated applications being reviewed by AI systems. It becomes very detached from reality.

Jakob: Our approach is the opposite. We use AI to make the process more human, not less. Video is the most natural way to understand someone.

What’s your “secret sauce” in getting candidates to open up?

Alexander: The interviews are highly personalized and feel more like a conversation than a script.

Jakob: Interestingly, many people feel more comfortable talking to an AI interviewer than a human. It’s less judgmental, more encouraging.

What have been your biggest learnings building startups so far?

Jakob: Build something people actually want - and be honest about whether it works or not.

Alexander: Distribution is also critical. It’s not enough to build something good - you need to get it in front of the right people.

Jakob: And get paying customers early. That validates everything.

You’re building the company together as brothers. How does that dynamic work?

Alexander: For us, it’s very natural. We’ve been working together our whole lives.

Jakob: We trust each other completely, but we’re also very different - which helps. We complement each other well.

What are you most excited about right now?

Jakob: Launching the product and announcing the round. We’ve been building quietly for a while, so it’s exciting to finally show what we’ve been working on.

What’s your ambition for Fika long term?

Alexander: We want this to become the default way people apply for jobs.

Jakob: Just like you go to Uber to get a ride or Airbnb to find a place to stay - we want Fika to be the obvious place for hiring.

Any advice for founders operating in intense, high-pressure environments?

Jakob: Think long-term. It’s easy to rush, but building a company takes a long game.

Alexander: Stay consistent, keep going, and focus on improving every day. Over time, the progress compounds.

Thanks to Jakob and Alexander for the insightful conversation. Fika Jobs is reimagining how people connect in the hiring process, bringing a more human approach to recruitment through AI. Follow their journey as they build the future of hiring at www.fikajobs.ai.