Haguer says co-founders can increase the amount and quality of work through complementary skills and shared problem solving. They also provide peer support through startup stress, and many successful companies, including Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft, began with co-founders.
How to Find the Right Co-founder
Speaker
Haguer, a partner at Y Combinator, explains how to find, evaluate, and formalize a co-founder relationship.
Haguer recommends waiting for a co-founder by default, but says a solo founder can start if they have strong conviction in the idea and can make early progress independently. Drew Houston built a Dropbox prototype while looking for a co-founder, then reapplied to Y Combinator with Arash.
Haguer puts stress response, mutual support, and aligned motivations ahead of a perfect skills match. He suggests starting with friends and colleagues, trying projects together, asking trusted contacts for introductions, and meeting people through relevant events and communities.
Haguer recommends working together for a set period, aiming to build a prototype or pitch customers, then honestly discussing whether to continue. He says 50/50 equity is a good default for early co-founders, and the CEO should be the clear leader for investors; competing for the title is a warning sign.
After deciding to build together, Haguer advises incorporating and setting up vesting so shares are earned over time. He says the trigger is the mutual commitment to make a real attempt at building the company.
Takeaways
- Choose a co-founder whose response to stress you have seen firsthand.
- Discuss each person's goals and risk appetite before committing.
- Work on a project together to test the partnership before starting a company.
- Use 50/50 equity as the early-stage default, while prioritizing long-term commitment.
- Agree on a clear CEO and put incorporation and vesting in place once committed.
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What was claimed 11
- foundedPaul Graham founded
Y Combinator“Paul Graham, Founder of Y Combinator”
0:00inPaul Graham, Founder of Y Combinator, Live from StockholmYouTube Verified9 sources· Talk, Web· archived
- foundedArash Ferdowsi founded
DropboxCo-founder“He found Arash, who would later be Dropbox's CTO and his co-founder.”
YouTube Verified3 sources· Talk, Web· archived
- foundedMark Zuckerberg founded
MetaCo-founder“he actually co-founded it with Dustin Moskovitz”
2:03inHow To Find A Co-FounderYouTube Verified4 sources· Talk, Web· archived
- role atHaguer is partner atY Combinator
“I'm a partner at Y Combinator.”
YouTube Unverified1 source· Talk
- builtDrew Houston builtDropboxprototype
“He and Arash were working on something”
2:41inCofounder Disputes and Making Something People WantYouTube Verified2 sources· Talk
- role atArash Ferdowsi is CTO atDropbox
“Arash, who would later be Dropbox's CTO and his co-founder”
YouTube Unverified1 source· Talk
- invested inY Combinator invested in Dropbox
“Drew went away and continued building the Dropbox prototype while also looking for co-founders. He found Arash ... and applied again. They agreed to fund him.”
YouTube Unverified1 source· Talk
- foundedPhil Libin founded Evernote
“We merged the two teams in 2007 and recreated the company”
12:53inPhil Libin at Startup School 2013YouTube Verified3 sources· Talk
- featureProduct prototypes: A prototype or minimum viable product can help potential co-founders test working together.
“Set aside a chunk of time when you agree to work together, and set a deadline by which you ideally want to have an MVP or prototype built.”
YouTube Unverified1 source· Talk
- feature50/50 equity split: Suggested default when early co-founders are expected to contribute equally.
“The default equity allocation should really be 50/50.”
YouTube Unverified1 source· Talk
- featurevesting agreement: Founders' shares vest over a period of time.
“You don't all get the shares in the company at once; they vest over a period of time.”
YouTube Unverified1 source· Talk
