Startups Stack Exchange Archive

How do I find a useful co-founder?

I am a developer and I am close to done with my MVP. I have also established a relationship with a potential customer and agreement to run a pilot of my MVP.

But I don’t have a co-founder. Everyone I talk to says I should get a co-founder. Where do I find the right co-founder? Couple of options I’ve considered:

  1. Emailing developers on GitHub who actively contribute to projects I use heavily in my MVP.
  2. Contacting users in communities around similar services (I have been trying to find such communities but no luck, aside from the forums of my competitors…not sure if it’s a good idea to look for co-founders there).
  3. Finding someone who has been a co-founder in a successful startup before. Not sure where to look for such person.
  4. Going to meetups and talking about my startup to people there. I tried this, but it took too much time and I didn’t find anyone I would consider helpful for my startup.

I guess 3) will be the most helpful right now. Any ideas that can help me find a useful co-founder are very welcome. Thank you.

Answer 11697

Timmy hit the nail on the head. You need to address the areas where not only you see your greatest weaknesses but consider getting feedback from others on what they see your weaknesses to be. You suggested that a co-founder that has lead startups to success in the past would be a great asset to your company.

Check out F6s.com, its a community of founders, you can post your startup there with a quick pitch and connect with others in the entrepreneurship community to find a co-founder that is a mutual fit. Another option that I really suggest you look into is to find an accelerator fund that will give you some funds to work with as well as mentors

Answer 11692

That is a really great question. You’ll first want to determine what you want in a co-founder. There is no checklist for what to look for in a co-founder, it depends on your product, your skill gaps, whether you will be seeking capital, exit strategy, location, etc. With that in hand you can then narrow down where you could search. If you are looking for a business/finance co-founder then you can likely scratch github. It sounds like you are a tech founder, you will find it easier to find a business co-founder much easier than the reverse. I frequently see posts by an “idea guy” looking for a techie to join them, rarely the reverse.

Angel.co and cofounderslab.com are online platforms that include “match.com for founders” capability. I have used Angel.co to make some connections, so might be worth a look for you. I also attend some local meetups with a focus on startups. Another avenue could be co-working space that targets the startup community. Essentially just getting involved in your local startup scene is a great way to connect with like minded individuals.

Best of Luck!

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