Startups Stack Exchange Archive

How much equity to a passionate co-founder with limited skills?

I have a startup idea. I have developed all the code. I found some investors for pre-seed level (they put the money we have now). I don’t get any salary. I have networking, and connections. I’m going to be the CEO. I already success in my previous products I have developed. I had been CTO in my previous companies.

I thought to join a co-founder to my startup. He really want to be part of it. I thought to give him 10%-30% (We didn’t talk about it yet). But slowly slowly I found that he have absolutly no skills that nessecsery for startup.

I’m developing the product for long time, but we are part-time thinking and talking about the project for 4 month.

I very like to do brain-storming with him. He is very smart. He have no exprienece. He is very good with people. He is really believe in the idea. I’m sure that he will put all his energy on this startup. We are very good friends.

He can make the website, and one-pager (he is not copyrighter or designer, but he can found others to do it).

He can learn very fast. And I beleve that in half a year he will do much more. He have not technical skills (he have CS degree, but no realy world exprienece, but I believe the he can be VP something. It is going to be after the launch.

The question is: How much worth someone that believe in your idea, someone who learn fast, someone who agree to put all his efforts to the idea? someone who have not technical skills (he is afraid from google sheets, and google docs). How much is worth someone that I need, so I can tell that I’m no the only founder?

What do you think?

Answer 11748

Ask yourself this: Can I do this without him? Can I find somebody with similar motivation?

Then talk to him, see what he thinks and wants.

Because if you need him, he’s worth basically everything he asks for as long as you can afford it ;).


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