Entry points into the job market are narrowing in sectors most exposed to automation, while demand for advanced AI skills is growing. Over the past three years, offers for entry-level positions have decreased by more than 10%, while requests for AI-related skills have increased by over 100% since 2020.
According to an analysis by Startup Geeks on over 400 startups, the share of junior roles in job postings for automation and AI-specialized positions dropped from 26% to 17% in two years. This indicates a more selective access in large companies, where many basic tasks—traditionally assigned to new hires—are now automated.
The Startup Ecosystem
The picture changes when looking at the startup ecosystem. In 2025, Startup Geeks incubated around 400 entrepreneurial projects and accelerated over 120 active startups in fintech, healthtech, climate & sustainability, foodtech, edtech, digital B2B services, and AI-based solutions. Direct observation reveals a different dynamic: AI does not reduce the number of young professionals involved, but expands their scope of responsibility.
“Early-stage companies integrate automation, AI copilots, no-code platforms, and analytics into daily processes from the start. This allows junior profiles to work on product validation, customer acquisition, and business metrics within the first few months,” explains Alessio Boceda, founder of Startup Geeks.
Internal data show that startups adopting AI tools in their first year achieve execution speed and market testing times up to 30% higher than those that don’t. In accelerated growth contexts, technology becomes a productivity multiplier rather than a replacement for human work.
“The problem is not that AI replaces young professionals. The problem arises when organizations don’t rethink how they onboard them. In startups, we see junior profiles creating impact within the first six months because they work on measurable outputs, not repetitive tasks.”
