HR The Next Leap
Hyro: “Technical skills can be taught but passion and motivation cannot”
Maya Agmon, VP HR at Hyro, discusses rejecting the idea of "winning" salary negotiations and how the company manages the demands of a "wartime routine" in Israel, as part of CTech’s HR: The Next Leap series.
“My core belief has always been that technical skills can be taught, but passion and motivation cannot and that’s why we prioritize them above everything else in our hiring process,” says Maya Agmon Cohen. As the VP HR at agentic AI platform Hyro, which develops plug-and-play assistants and chatbots for the healthcare industry, she explains that the company has recently opened up student roles focused on building internal AI tools. “In my view, mindset and curiosity are the strongest predictors of long-term impact, growth and success.”
From active and looming war threats, to AI rapidly and constantly redefining what it means to be productive, running a company in Startup Nation brings with it its own category of challenges and rewards. HR: The Next Leap takes a glimpse into the heart of Startup Nation via the HR professionals shaping its culture. We survey the executives whose jobs are more demanding and more vital than ever, as they heed the future-proofing of their workforce, while simultaneously ensuring business continuity and employee wellbeing during relentlessly unprecedented times.
Despite on and off emergency states that have triggered industry-wide concerns of a brain drain, Agmon says Hyro has largely seen the opposite. In particular, she notes “team members who are immigrants that chose to move to Israel in recent years, even in the midst of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.” As for the company's approach to its workforce management over the past few years, Agmon adds, “we focused on flexibility and human support rather than performative perks.”
You can read the entire interview below.
Company Name: Hyro
Sector: HealthTech
Founders: Israel Krush and Rom Cohen
Year of Founding: 2018
Investment stage: Series B
Total investment to date: $95M
Investors: Healthier Capital, Norwest, Define Ventures, Bon Secours Mercy Health, ServiceNow Ventures, Macquarie Capital, Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, Black Opal Ventures, K20, Spero Ventures, Mindset Ventures, Twilio, Hanaco Ventures, Spider Capital, Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator
Current number of employees: 170
Open positions: 21
Website: https://www.hyro.ai/
Social Media: LinkedIn
As of March 2026, the market officially shifted into an 'employer's market'. How have your screening criteria changed, and do candidates - including senior-level ones - still hold any leverage in negotiating salaries and terms?
It’s true that the market has gone through significant shifts recently, from multiple directions but honestly, I don’t think our mindset toward candidates has fundamentally changed because of the market dynamics. At Hyro, we always say we’re here to run a marathon, not a sprint, and we approach hiring with that same long-term mindset.
We’re not trying to “win” negotiations. We want people to join feeling excited, valued, and aligned with the mission. One of the things we’re most proud of is that many of our employees have been with the company for 5 plus years (which is relatively rare in startups).
Exceptional candidates, especially at the senior level, will always have leverage. Compensation is one part. When top talent is choosing between companies, especially at the senior level, the real decision is driven by bigger questions: are they joining a rocket ship they truly believe can succeed? Will they enjoy the culture and learn from the people they work with every day? And will their work create real good in the world?
How have/are you managing operational continuity and recruitment while the economy navigates the emergency state triggered by the conflict with Iran? With the threat of escalation looming at any moment, how are you and have you been handling everything from interviews interrupted by sirens to managing teams thinned by massive, ongoing reserve duty?
We manage operational continuity on two levels: our people and our candidates. As a global company with over 40% of our team based in the US, we are unfortunately very used to operating in what we call a “wartime routine” in Israel. The safety and wellbeing of our employees always come first, and we remain highly flexible and responsive as the situation evolves on a daily basis.
On the people-side, we stay closely connected to understand where each employee is physically and emotionally, and whether they need support (whether that’s personal, operational, or simply flexibility in their workday). The HR team and our managers have been in close ongoing contact with all employees throughout the conflict. At the core of it, we believe the key is clear, open, and human communication.
On the hiring-side, we didn’t stop hiring during the recent escalation with Iran, but we did slow down where needed. The key is staying human and adaptive. Being mindful that interviews may need to move due to sirens, childcare, or other constraints, and keeping communication open and flexible for both candidates and interviewers.
Beyond the role of empowering employees, which roles has AI eliminated over the past year, what percentage of your workforce was reskilled to avoid being phased out, and how has this impacted entry-level hiring?
While we’re seeing more and more companies announce layoffs, Hyro has continued to grow, increasing headcount by roughly 40% in 2025.
AI is now embedded across every function in the company, not just engineering, but also finance, customer success, and go-to-market teams. Every employee today uses multiple AI tools, not to replace roles, but to significantly reduce time spent on manual work and streamline processes that previously took hours into minutes.
We’ve also opened student roles focused on building internal AI tools. My core belief has always been that technical skills can be taught, but passion and motivation cannot and that’s why we prioritize them above everything else in our hiring process. In my view, mindset and curiosity are the strongest predictors of long-term impact, growth and success.
Against the backdrop of the unstable security and political climate, are you seeing an increase in relocation requests or 'quiet quitting' by top-tier talent moving abroad, and what is the most proactive step you are taking to retain them in Israel?
We haven’t really seen a significant “brain drain” effect within Hyro. While relocation and uncertainty are definitely part of the broader conversation in Israel, and the stress levels vary from person to person, it hasn’t translated into meaningful movement of top talent leaving the company.
In fact, in many ways we’re seeing the opposite. We also have team members who are immigrants that chose to move to Israel in recent years, even in the midst of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
In an era where stability has replaced flashy perks, how are you addressing the deep mental burnout of employees torn between the professional and security fronts, and what is the most critical benefit you offer today in place of the bonuses that have vanished?
Every employee experiences this period differently, and we understood early on that there could not be a one-size-fits-all approach. Some people needed time away from work, while others preferred staying busy and connected as a way to cope. Our priority was making sure employees felt supported in whatever they needed emotionally and personally during the war.
Beyond the immediate support we provided to employees and their families, one of the most meaningful initiatives was helping parents remain close to their children while still being able to work when needed. Employees who wanted to come to the office were able to bring their children with them, and we organized dedicated activities and childcare support at the office, including entertainers and supervised activities for kids. At the same time, employees who felt more comfortable staying home received full flexibility and support to work remotely in whatever way worked best for their families.
Most importantly, we focused on flexibility and human support rather than performative perks. Our HR team worked closely with managers to understand the individual situation of every employee and adapt accordingly. In periods like these, the most valuable benefit is knowing your workplace sees you as a person first.
