Some actionable steps that worked for me on how to find a tech co-founder!
Finding a co-founder is insanely hard especially when you have a solid idea, proof of work, and some leverage. There will be more noise and less signal!
Here are some actionable steps that worked for me on how to find a co-founder and how to pick one ☝️
1/ Do the groundwork:
If you have an idea, launch a landing page using any no-code tool, do a soft launch, and validate it before going to the next level. You are also signaling that you're not waiting for someone to kick-start things.
More on this here: https://twitter.com/5harath/status/1301551641628487685
2/ Grow your waitlist:
Use Twitter or other distribution channels to soft-launch the LP and get as many people as you can on the waitlist. This way you are building credibility and helps your co-founder to make a decision as there is a community waiting to use your product.
3/ Ship a functional MVP:
Do not rely on anyone to ship an MVP. There are so many no-code tools that will help you take your idea from zero to one. By making this move you are showing that you are action-biased and at the same time showcasing the potential of an idea.
4/ Put a bat signal on Twitter:
If you think your MVP is not delivering the promised value to people and you can’t scale it then put a bat signal out by pitching why people should care about you or your idea.
I did this with Shoutout: https://twitter.com/5harath/status/1321171017822277634
5/ Pick people based on proof of work and leverage:
If you get enough leads, start choosing people on what they did in the past, how much leverage they bring to the table, and how aligned they are to your needs(design, #buildinpublic, ship-first mentality, long-term player, etc)
6/ Set expectations:
When you get a chance to meet 1-1, talk specifically about what you are expecting from them and what they are expecting from you. Is it equity, cash, no. of hours they can spend, ship rate, etc
This sets a tone for the long term play and brings transparency!
7/ Do a test run:
This is a game-changer move! Once you agree on everything else, do a test run. Give a module to build with a specific time target. This shows how action-biased they are, how fast they can get things done, how creative and pro-active they can get in delivery.
8/ Worry about mental stack more than tech stack:
Forget about what tech stack they use, focus on what mental stack they are carrying!
Dive deeper into their vision, work ethic, give-first mentality, value-driven attitude, community building, ship-first cadence, etc.
If anyone met the above criteria and then you have a winner 🏆
That’s it! Hope this helps and if you are like me who found a tech co-founder, add tips/hacks to this thread so that others can get value out of it 💯
Thanks for reading 🙏
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That's good post, Thanks @5harath
Thanks for sharing, much needed info!
This what I needed. Valuable information.
Glad to know that!
This is an interesting and useful starting point for some folks, and told from your perspective which is valuable. There are some parts that would change based on the type of startup - to the point made by @petrovn 👍 ... however, most folks here should be intelligent enough to extrapolate and refactor those parts, I'd hope.
Great work, keep going!
Step 3 is not that straightforward sometimes, after all you need a tech person because you are not one and MVP may be beyond the "no code" tools.
My advice will be to find someone with experience building software to discuss what and where and how can be done - it is very easy - just look around for a freelancers and approach them as potential customer that need something done and get a meeting to discuss in general the what, where and how of the project - that will give you some pointers about the scale, time and potential technologies that can be used - this will help you when you actually start talking with your potential CTO.
You have a point, but if you can't ship the first version of the product yourself (either you build it on your own or you hire a freelancer to do it), then your journey ends here (for now). We're not in the 2000s anymore. It's 2021 and people are shipping products left and right. If you can't ship a product with limited resources you're not gonna be successful in the long run.
I actually wrote about it here: https://www.indiehackers.com/post/long-post-the-definitive-guide-to-getting-a-technical-co-founder-if-you-absolutely-don-t-know-anyone-ea920b158d
Great post! Thanks!
Glad it helped.
I agree 100% on the mental stack. I have to say that I didn't have any luck in the YC founder matching program though others have had a lot of luck. I will continue looking for the person with the right mental stack :)
Or, just DM me! I am a web/ios/android developer looking for a new project. I need an ACTIONABLE co-founder. The last TWO apps I built, I was partnered with people who were not ready to put in the work. Let's do something!
Great advice, thank you! :)
Thank you, very useful!
Brilliant advice
Thank you ! We are currently looking for a tech cofounder. This is a tough task, I tell you!
From my experience, I can only add that the best cofounder should first of all be a fit to you and the team. If the fit is not there, Houston, we have a problem. You know what I mean, right?
Hi, are you still looking for one? I'd be happy to chat
This is good motivation for my search! Thank you.
Finding tech co-founders who are willing to work for free is already a challenge, sometimes they are successfully cofounder with previous good exit of saving.
Attracting such individuals requires a project that aligns with their interests and passions. Consider searching online or offline communities in your industry to increase your chances of finding potential co-founders
This is actually valuable and makes sense. Hope I come back and say thanks again after finding my technical co-founder.
A new avenue to find co-founders/tech talent:
Githired - https://bit.ly/githired_devs
You can search for projects similar to yours on Github, and reach out to the project's developers via Githired. These devs will bring their passion, failures, & successes to your partnership!
As someone who is in this exact stage and needed these qualities spelled out for them, I sufficiently appreciate this write-up. Especially focusing on the mental stack vs. This seems obvious but I think it's easier to get blinded by talent when what we're looking for is a true teammate. Thanks again!
Would like to piggyback, and also recommend MassLight as an option. They invest capital and software engineers in startups in exchange for equity. Great option for anyone seeking funding and a CTO alongside developers.
If someone is highly technical but not technical/proficient in the specific languages you are using for your development, what do you recommend I do? Is it still worth partnering with them? Thanks!!
Great post, thanks for this. Definitely have been using point 7/ and it's almost essential. Such a long journey finding the right tech co-founder but learning lots along the way.
Such great suggestions - I'm on the hunt for a technical co-founder who is mission-driven and wants to help disrupt the collegiate space for Gen Z. Check us out if it's of interest www.getintend.com
Good thoughts, thank you for sharing. Especially points 1-3 are very important, as they are the counterparts of 5 and 8: As a developer, I'm equally looking for someone with the right mindset and hands-on attitude.
What if you have a product already but need an extra to scale and optimize it while you focus on other aspects of running the business ?
Wish I could read this article sooner haha. Great post
Great post! This is what I need to get started.
This is a great checklist for first time founders
hi Sharath
Solid advice!
I've build this tool https://partnerz.vercel.app/ to help people browse for cofounders and ideas easily. It's very basic, just built it last week, but I'll try to integrate some of the things you mentioned people are looking out for.
Also, is it ok if I link to your post in a Resources section I'm currently implementing?
thanks
This is a neat took you are working on @SteLofo. Is it a figma mockup at the moment?
Thanks! The site is built in Next JS with an Airtable database.
Trying to figure out how to make individual pages for each listing, so that people can share more details about their idea.
Love the point about looking at leverage!
So insightful, thanks
Thanks for sharing @5harath, very useful!
Love this, Sharath! I'm giving a webinar presentation on this topic next week if anyone's interested: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/insight-for-non-technical-founders-from-a-technical-partner-tickets-135371996285
This is brilliant advice. Thanks Sharath 🚀