Human Resource Management (HRM) has increasingly emerged as a strategic capability underpinning startup survival, scalability, innovation, and sustainable competitive advantage. Unlike established organizations, startups operate within environments characterized by resource constraints, heightened uncertainty, rapid technological change, and evolving business models, making the acquisition, development, and retention of human capital particularly challenging. This review paper critically synthesizes the evolving landscape of HRM in startups, with particular emphasis on talent acquisition and retention, workforce capability development, organizational culture, entrepreneurial leadership, employee engagement, performance management, and the transition from informal people-management practices to structured and strategically aligned HR systems. The review further examines how digital transformation is reshaping startup HRM through artificial intelligence-enabled recruitment, data-driven talent analytics, digital performance management, virtual collaboration, and technology-mediated employee engagement. Emerging practices such as employer branding, flexible and hybrid work arrangements, continuous learning, performance-linked rewards, inclusive work environments, and employee well-being are identified as critical mechanisms for attracting, developing, and sustaining high-potential talent. The analysis underscores the need for startups to transcend the traditional administrative orientation of HRM and develop an integrated, agile, and strategically embedded human capital architecture aligned with entrepreneurial objectives and organizational growth trajectories. The review also highlights critical research opportunities, particularly in understanding context-specific HRM practices within emerging-market startup ecosystems, where institutional constraints, digital disruption, talent scarcity, and entrepreneurial dynamics create distinctive human capital challenges. Overall, the paper positions strategic HRM as a pivotal organizational capability for building resilient, innovative, and growth-oriented startups..