Team
Do You Need a Co-founder?
Based on Jason Calacanis's startup checklist.
The short answer: yes, if you're a first-time founder
Starting a company is stressful and lonely. A co-founder gives you someone to divide and conquer with — which matters most during fundraising, when that effort alone is a full-time job.
Investors also want to see a co-founding team. The logic: if you quit, someone else is still there working on the idea. Placing a bet on a solo founder adds risk to an already risky situation. Experienced founders with a track record can get away with going solo, but first-timers generally cannot.
What investors like to see: complementary founding teams — for example, a technical founder paired with a sales-oriented founder.
The signal you shouldn't ignore: if you genuinely can't find one person willing to join you, that's an early warning sign about the idea. Finding a co-founder is essentially your first sell.
How to pick a co-founder
Start by identifying the skills you have and the skills the company needs. You want someone with a complementary set:
- Sales background → find a builder
- Builder background → find a marketer or someone who can sell
Beyond skills, ask yourself:
- Have you worked with them before? Do you know how they operate day to day?
- How do they handle stress when things go wrong?
- Do you trust them?
See Finding a Co-founder for a deeper framework on evaluating trust, work style, and the work trial before committing.
Where to find a co-founder
- Start with your network. Have you worked with anyone on projects that went well? Do you know people with the skills you're looking for?
- Attend events and conferences. Get out and meet people actively building things.
- Ask for introductions. If someone in your network says no, ask who they'd recommend.