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Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

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Re: Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

#31

Post by mgkimsal »

soneca wrote: post #12

That is a tough question, as startup advice out there is "look between your friends". This is the same as saying "sorry if you didn't go to a top CS college to have smart developers friends. There is nothing you can do". Sam Altman in his last startup class went as far as to say that non-tech people have no business founding a tech business, quoting "software people should found software companies, media eople should…

" But the secret is to find a developer who is not a freelancer. Freelancers already made their mind, they don't want to be a CTO, they will treat your contract as any other job, probably not even prioritize yours."

That is so not true. Many of the freelancers I know are definitely interested in committing to something - many have built moderate war-chests of their own to give themselves some runway to burn when they find the right opportunity.

"Maybe a guy with a dayjob who needs the paycheck and can't afford to quit it,"

What? You want to put more stress on someone who can't afford to give your project as much attention as you want it to get?

Of the dozens of approaches I've had to 'be the tech guy in my startup' over the last couple years, exactly 0 have actually brought enough money to pay me even a moderate rate, let alone anything close to a market rate.

All of them were caught (rightly or wrongly) in this cycle of "once we have something built, then we can sell it or get investment to grow and then we can get paid". This idea of "pay someone for an MVP" - I've no doubt it happens in some cases, but my experiences - at least outside of SV (Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina) are that it's extremely rare.

Re: Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

#33

Post by soneca »

mgkimsal wrote: post #31
soneca wrote: post #12

That is a tough question, as startup advice out there is "look between your friends". This is the same as saying "sorry if you didn't go to a top CS college to have smart developers friends. There is nothing you can do". Sam Altman in his last startup class went as far as to say that non-tech people have no business founding a tech business, quoting "software people should found software companies, media eople should…

" But the secret is to find a developer who is not a freelancer. Freelancers already made their mind, they don't want to be a CTO, they will treat your contract as any other job, probably not even prioritize yours." That is so not true. Many of the freelancers I know are definitely interested in committing to something - many have built moderate war-chests of their own to give themselves some runway to burn when they…

I, as a non-tech founder, would never aproach a developer with a "pay you later" proposal. I do exactly what I advised. I pay the developer about 70% of market rate. And he is actually learning a lot with the experience.

About the guy with a day job, it does not work if it is a huge project. I imagine work load of about 10h a week for a couple of months just to test the idea. If there is validation and you work well together, then hire him fulltime. That is my current agreement. No additional stress in his life, i assure you.

Re: Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

#35

Post by zzzzz_ »

thegenius wrote: post #24

TLDR; Show you are willing to put in effort and labor aside from generating ideas/spending/raising capital Hi Nick - I can speak for myself. I am a primarily technical, sole founder of a 3+ years profitable company who had to develop the business know-how along the way. With the ability to see both sides, what I've found is the business-side components are equally as important as the technical components; that is, ne…

He said he's bringing this to the table:

"I don't need work done for free - I am happy to employ someone to de-risk their time investment and I already have 2 investors who will fund us. However, I will self fund for as long as possible."

Re: Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

#36

Post by Codhisattva »

shaded2 wrote: post #22
Codhisattva wrote: post #9

Flat out hire a technical advisor. Don't bother dangling equity, just pay their rate like you would an attorney - retainer + hourly. Ask them to create a technical roadmap and architecture. With that in hand you can then find a first employee to implement it. In this way, you can leverage the expensive expertise of a very senior level person where it's most needed and then hire a less experienced and less expensive i…

I would recommend this as well. but i see no reason why this person cannot be your cofounder. If you are building a software based company it would help to have a technical cofounder with a vested interest. You don't sound like a traditional start-up, so most of the advice form startup school may not apply to you. You probably don't need someone who actually writes code day to day. I would get someone with high level…

Co-founder usually means "compensated with more equity than cash". And there's also the implicit massive time commitment.

Part of the point is that an advisor is typically someone so experienced you can't afford all of their time. But they can turn enough of the problem into routine bits and pieces that it becomes easier for a person with less experience to implement correctly.

I believe all too many startups suffer from inexperienced developers throwing up the first thing that comes to mind. A little guidance goes a long way to taming youthful exuberance.

Re: Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

#37

Post by thegenius »

zzzzz_ wrote: post #35
thegenius wrote: post #24

TLDR; Show you are willing to put in effort and labor aside from generating ideas/spending/raising capital Hi Nick - I can speak for myself. I am a primarily technical, sole founder of a 3+ years profitable company who had to develop the business know-how along the way. With the ability to see both sides, what I've found is the business-side components are equally as important as the technical components; that is, ne…

He said he's bringing this to the table: "I don't need work done for free - I am happy to employ someone to de-risk their time investment and I already have 2 investors who will fund us. However, I will self fund for as long as possible."

I saw that. What is your point?

Re: Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

#38

Post by mgkimsal »

soneca wrote: post #33
mgkimsal wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

" But the secret is to find a developer who is not a freelancer. Freelancers already made their mind, they don't want to be a CTO, they will treat your contract as any other job, probably not even prioritize yours." That is so not true. Many of the freelancers I know are definitely interested in committing to something - many have built moderate war-chests of their own to give themselves some runway to burn when they…

I, as a non-tech founder, would never aproach a developer with a "pay you later" proposal. I do exactly what I advised. I pay the developer about 70% of market rate. And he is actually learning a lot with the experience. About the guy with a day job, it does not work if it is a huge project. I imagine work load of about 10h a week for a couple of months just to test the idea. If there is validation and you work well…

"I, as a non-tech founder, would never aproach a developer with a "pay you later" proposal. I do exactly what I advised. I pay the developer about 70% of market rate. And he is actually learning a lot with the experience."

You're in a minority if you never approach people with "pay you later". And... 70% of market rate... and people are learning a lot with the experience.... you are hiring very junior people, it sounds like.

Re: Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

#39

Post by nick_bristol »

thegenius wrote: post #24

TLDR; Show you are willing to put in effort and labor aside from generating ideas/spending/raising capital Hi Nick - I can speak for myself. I am a primarily technical, sole founder of a 3+ years profitable company who had to develop the business know-how along the way. With the ability to see both sides, what I've found is the business-side components are equally as important as the technical components; that is, ne…

Thanks for your advice. I can see the rub for a technical person being asked for the moon and then left to deliver it whilst non-tech waits around for something to happen. I am trending towards employing a technical advisor to structure what needs to be done and then to bring people in to do the work. Your comment really underlines how the technical side are going to feel about the non-tech; and that is something I hadn't appreciated.

Re: Ask HN: Where can I find technical co-founders?

#40

Post by nick_bristol »

Codhisattva wrote: post #9

Flat out hire a technical advisor. Don't bother dangling equity, just pay their rate like you would an attorney - retainer + hourly. Ask them to create a technical roadmap and architecture. With that in hand you can then find a first employee to implement it. In this way, you can leverage the expensive expertise of a very senior level person where it's most needed and then hire a less experienced and less expensive i…

Excellent advice - thank you. This has changed my approach from zero-sum technical co-founder/no technical co-founder!

My brother in law has successfully exited a small UK based tech start-up but I hadn't wanted to involve him in a new high risk start up due to family commitments etc. BUT he would be an excellent guy to take on an advisory role and to PM the development.

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