How should I approach a friend about being a technical co-founder?

You should make a real offer, specifying salary (if any) and equity percentage. Avoid informal conversations; a concrete proposition shows seriousness and helps your friend assess the opportunity.

Where is the best place to build a network with software engineers?

Counterintuitively, the best way is often to work at a small technology startup (50 people or less). This environment fosters close interaction and makes it easier to build relationships with engineers and their networks.

Is it worth it to learn to code if I want to start a company?

Yes, learning to code is a viable option, especially with the abundance of online resources like Codecademy and Lambda School. It can make you a more attractive co-founder or team member.

Why is college a good place to find co-founders?

College offers a unique opportunity to meet peers who are learning to code and are open to entrepreneurial endeavors. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about finding co-founders from college connections.

What kind of offer should I make to a potential technical co-founder?

A real offer should include details on equity. For instance, offering 40% equity is presented as an example. You should also be transparent about salary limitations and future plans.

Key Moments

How to Find a Technical Cofounder - Michael Seibel

Y Combinator

Science & Technology3 min read6 min video

Apr 12, 2019|98,342 views|2,667|161

YC Y Combinator Michael Seibel Technical Cofounder Cofounder How to Find a Technical Cofounder CTO Technical

Save to Pod

Key Moments

TL;DR

Finding a technical co-founder requires making concrete offers, not just informal chats, and working at a small tech startup is surprisingly more effective for networking than a large company.

Key Insights

Start by making specific, concrete offers including equity percentages (e.g., 40%) to friends who can code, rather than vague inquiries.

If friends don't pan out, consider coworkers, again by making real offers, but acknowledging this is a secondary option.

Working at a small tech startup (50 people or less) is more effective for building a network with software engineers than a large tech company.

Learning to code yourself is a viable alternative, with numerous online resources like Code Academy and Lambda School available.

College is a prime environment for finding future co-founders, as demonstrated by Michael Seibel's own experience finding co-founders from his college network.

The co-founder matching platform at Y Combinator is now available to help facilitate these connections.

Make concrete offers to friends first

The primary strategy for finding a technical co-founder begins with your existing network, specifically friends. The crucial step is not to have informal conversations but to make genuine, concrete offers. This means clearly stating how much salary you can offer (if any) and, importantly, how much equity you are willing to give. For instance, an offer might be: 'I'd like you to be my co-founder, I'd like to give you 40% of the company. I can't pay you much salary right now, but as soon as we raise more, I'm happy to pay you X amount.' This clarifies commitment and expectations, differentiating it from casual requests for weekend help or side projects, which are often ineffective for recruitment.

Leverage your professional network

If your friends don't yield a technical co-founder, the next logical step is to approach people within your current or past professional circles. Apply the same rigorous approach: identify individuals you enjoy working with and respect, compile a ranked list, and extend formal offers. This extends the search to colleagues who may be more readily available for serious discussions about co-founding a venture, though the core principle of making a tangible offer remains paramount.

Build a network by working at a tech startup

When friends and colleagues don't provide a solution, the strategy shifts to actively building a network within the engineering community. Counterintuitively, Seibel suggests that the most effective way to do this is often not by joining a large, established tech company like Google or Facebook, but by working at a smaller technology startup. In companies with 50 or fewer employees, engineers are typically more integrated, accessible, and collaborative. This environment fosters closer relationships through shared work, lunches, and daily interactions, allowing you to build genuine friendships and identify potential co-founders more organically. While this may take a year or two, it's presented as a worthwhile investment for a long-term venture, considering a startup can be a life's work.

Consider learning to code yourself

An alternative path is to acquire technical skills yourself. With the proliferation of online learning resources, programs like Code Academy and Lambda School, among others, make it more accessible than ever for individuals to learn how to code. This approach not only equips you with the ability to build the product but also deepens your understanding and credibility within the tech community.

College as a co-founder incubator

For college students, the university environment is highlighted as a particularly potent breeding ground for future co-founders. Seibel emphasizes the importance of making friends with individuals who are actively learning to code. His personal experience is a testament to this: he was friends with Justin Kan and Emmett Shear in college. Kan was learning to code and working at a startup, while Shear was a strong software engineer. When they decided to launch Justin.tv, Seibel was recruited by his college friends, securing two exceptional co-founders directly from his academic network. This underscores the long-term value of cultivating relationships with technically inclined peers during college years.

Utilize Y Combinator's co-founder matching

Recognizing the challenge of finding suitable co-founders, Y Combinator now offers a dedicated platform for co-founder matching. This resource aims to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with potential partners, streamlining the search process and providing a curated environment for initial connections.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●People Referenced

Finding a Technical Co-founder: The Dos and Don'ts

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Make a list of friends who enjoy talking to you and know how to write code.

Rank your top five friends and make them real offers for co-founding a company.

Clearly define salary and equity if you make an offer.

Consider working at a technology startup (50 people or less) to build your network with engineers.

Make friends with coworkers and their friends within a startup environment.

Explore online resources like Codecademy or Lambda School to learn how to code.

In college, befriend peers who are learning to code.

Always make a real offer, not just casual inquiries.

Think of co-founder search as a long-term investment (if doing a startup for 10+ years).

Avoid This

Don't shy away from asking friends if they want to start a company with you.

Don't make informal conversation; make a real, concrete offer.

Don't ask friends to simply help with projects on weekends or code on the side.

Don't assume engineers at big companies like Google or Facebook are easily accessible.

Don't forget the opportunity college provides to find future co-founders.

Common Questions

The video suggests starting with friends, then coworkers, and then intentionally building a network within technology startups. College is also highlighted as a prime environment for finding potential co-founders.

Topics

Business & Entrepreneurship Startup Founding Early Stage Startups Career & Skills Networking Strategies College Entrepreneurship Co-founder Recruitment Technical Talent

Mentioned in this video

People

Emil Cheer

A friend of Justin Kan, described as a great software engineer, who became a co-founder of Justin TV.

Justin Kan

The speaker's college friend who was learning to code and working in a startup, later becoming a co-founder of Justin TV.

Companies

Facebook

Mentioned as a large tech company where non-technical individuals might be kept away from engineering roles, making it harder to build an engineering network.

Google

Mentioned as a large tech company where friends might work, potentially making them less likely to join a startup, but also a place where engineers are kept far from non-technical individuals.

Organizations

Lambda School

A school mentioned as a resource for learning how to code.

Software & Apps

Codecademy

An online platform mentioned as a resource for learning how to code.