Baseten
Small (~100)
Helsing
Mid (~660)
Best For
Baseten
Best for: Engineers who want high ownership building ML inference infrastructure
Helsing
Best for: AI/ML engineers motivated by national security and defense who want to apply frontier AI to high-stakes real-world problems in a mission-driven team
Ratings
BasetenHelsing
4.3
4.0
Overall
3.5
3.6
Work-Life Balance
4.3
4.1
Culture & Values
4.0
4.0
Comp & Benefits
4.2
3.8
Senior Mgmt
4.0
3.8
Career Opps
👍 80% Recommend
👤 84% CEO Approval (Gundbert Scherf)
Culture Values
Baseten only
🧩 Wears Many Hats🤝 Flat Hierarchy
Helsing only
💎 Strong Comp & Equity🌱 Learning & Growth
Shared
⚙️ Engineering-Driven🚀 Ship Fast & Iterate🎯 Direct Product Impact
Pros & Cons
Baseten
- Cutting-edge ML inference infrastructure — deploying models at scale for real production customers
- Small team means high ownership and direct impact on product direction and company strategy
- Limited resources compared to larger competitors — can feel stretched thin on multiple fronts
- Fast-moving product roadmap means priorities shift frequently as the market evolves
Helsing
- Highest talent density of any tech company — world-class AI and engineering leadership
- Extremely important mission with rewarding impact and competitive salary
- Ridiculous expectations of work hours — high salaries do not mean constant overtime
- Some management not experienced enough to lead; lacking in performance feedback
Bottom Line
Baseten
Choose Baseten if you want high ownership building ML inference infrastructure at an early-stage startup — but expect startup intensity and shifting priorities.
Helsing
Strong engineering culture with a clear mission — but that mission (AI for defense) is not for everyone. Research the ethics carefully before applying; those aligned will find unusually meaningful work.
Open Roles
Baseten — 52 jobs
💻 Engineering
24
💼 Sales / GTM
10
🧠 ML / AI
3
⚙️ Operations
3
📋 Product
3
📣 Marketing
2
📊 Data
1
👤 HR / People
1
Helsing — 103 jobs
💻 Engineering
51
🧠 ML / AI
8
⚙️ Operations
4
📋 Product
4
💰 Finance
3
🎨 Design
2
📣 Marketing
2
👤 HR / People
1
💼 Sales / GTM
1
🎧 Support
1
Summary
Baseten scores 4.3/5.0 on Glassdoor with a 3.5 work-life balance rating. Helsing scores 4.0/5.0 overall with a 3.6 WLB. That’s a 0.3-point gap on overall satisfaction.
Both companies share these culture values: Engineering-Driven, Ship Fast & Iterate, Direct Product Impact. Baseten also emphasizes Wears Many Hats, Flat Hierarchy. Helsing also emphasizes Strong Comp & Equity, Learning & Growth.
On the hiring front, Baseten has 52 open roles and Helsing has 103 open roles.