How to Find a Technical Co-Founder: A Step-by-Step Guide

I have spent over ten years leading engineering teams in the Bay Area and ran a recruitment agency for engineers for three years. I understand how important it is to find the right co-founder for your startup, so I’m excited to share some steps to help you on this journey.

Step 1: Build a Candidate Profile

a) Define Your Tech Stack

To find the right technical co-founder, you first need to determine your tech stack and have a general idea of what programming languages you will use. Engineering specialties are similar to medical specialties; each engineer has a specific area of expertise. Choosing the wrong specialty can lead to suboptimal results for your product.

Start by deciding what you will build for your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and the engineering role you need to hire for:

Web App

A web app is an application that can be accessed through a web browser.

• Popular Languages:

  • JavaScript (React, Vue.js, Next.js): Used for building interactive user interfaces.

  • Python (Django, Flask): Common for backend development due to its simplicity and effectiveness.

• Engineering Role: Full-Stack Engineers can help you build this.

Mobile Web App

A mobile web app is a web application that can be viewed on a phone’s browser. You can reuse the same codebase as the web application but with different styling for mobile.

• Engineering Role: Full-Stack Engineers can help you build this.

AI Tooling

AI tooling refers to applications that use artificial intelligence for data analysis, machine learning, or automation. Founders often use these tools for chatbots or recommendation systems.

• Popular Languages:

  • Python: The primary language for AI development due to its rich libraries like TensorFlow and PyTorch.

  • R: Often used for statistical analysis and machine learning.

• Engineering Role: ML/AI Engineer.

Mobile App (Native)

These are applications built specifically for iOS or Android platforms, taking full advantage of device features.

• Popular Languages:

  • Java: Used for Android app development.

  • Swift: The primary language for building iOS applications.

• Engineering Role: iOS Engineer or Android Engineer.

Mobile App (React Native)

This type of application is built using React Native, allowing you to maintain a single codebase for both iOS and Android.

• Popular Languages:

  • JavaScript: Used with React Native for building cross-platform apps.

  • Dart: Used with Flutter for creating natively compiled applications.

• Engineering Role: React Native or Flutter Engineer.

b) Choose a Seniority Level

Assess the level of experience and expertise required for the role:

• 1-3 Years:

  • Title: Founding Engineer (5-10% equity)

  • Details: Suitable for early-stage startups; they can help build prototypes and experiment with ideas.

• 4-7 Years:

  • Title: Technical Co-Founder or Lead Engineer (10-20% equity)

  • Details: Ideal for managing product development and integrating AI features.

• 8+ Years:

  • Title: CTO or Chief Architect (20-30% equity)

  • Details: Expert in scaling products and strategic planning; well-connected in the industry.

Once you have defined the engineering role and experience level, you can create a specific candidate profile. For example:

• Example Profile: A Full-Stack Engineer with 3+ years of experience in React and Node.js, a background in healthcare, and experience at an early-stage startup.

Step 2: Set a Compensation Package

Baseline Structure

When setting compensation for your co-founder, consider the following options:

• Equity Only: 20% (post-MVP) to 40% (pre-MVP) with a 2-4 year vesting period and a 1-year cliff.

• Equity + Salary: 15%-30% equity plus a salary range of $50k-$100k, with the same vesting terms.

• Equity + Deferred Salary: 15%-20% equity plus a salary based on experience, for example:

  • $100k for candidates with less than 2 years of experience.

  • $150k for candidates with more than 2 years of experience.

Key Notes

• Compensation is more than just salary; consider the total value offered, including equity and other benefits.

• Be clear about what you expect from candidates and the support you can provide.

Step 3: Create an Enticing Job Description

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