"Just" a startup? Most technical and design talent are more attracted to startup opportunities than working for big companies. So the issue is not that you're a startup, the issues are around how you make yourself the most attractive startup to the talent you're trying to recruit.

The best way to do this is to be able to articulate why you're already on the path to being a very successful business. Selling top talent on your company is often the same as selling investors. The more that you can demonstrate that you already have the right ingredients for success, the higher a likelihood that you're going to close your recruiting pipeline.

Obviously, depending on the cash you have in the bank and expect to have in the bank will impact what kind of offer you make, and the more that you can mitigate the "going concern" risk, the more success you'll have in getting an offer accepted, but it's ultimately about convincing the talent that joining you and your team is better than any opportunity they can take, including starting their own company.

If you can't be competitive in your own backyard, I would look at hiring remote workers or look at relocating talent from less competitive markets to your own backyard and selling the lifestyle advantages of your particular city.

Recruiting top talent is a significant part of any startup CEO's job. I'd be happy to talk to you about what I've learned and share some of the tactics I've used and seen others use successfully.