How did you find your co-founder? [and where to look for?] 🙂
Once I asked What do you consider when choosing the right co-founder.
But I have never asked where to find them...
That's why I would like to hear your "How we met story."
Additional questions:
What are the best places/communities to find a co-founder(s)?
Is it good to co-found with relatives/long-term friends, or is it better to co-found with a completely new person in your life?
I searched for a few communities and found these:
CofoundersLab
Reddit/r/cofounder
YC Co-founder Matching/Feel free to share more if you know about some./
[This piece of Forum was inspired by the post of @james_hawkins3 from @PostHog published this week.]
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Replies
Toki: AI Reminder & Calendar
I'm so dropping an ear here. 👂🏻
Okay, both ears. 👂🏻👂🏻
@sophiaatdola Do you have co-founders too? :)
Haimeta
@sophiaatdola Dropping two ears, too. 👂🏻👂🏻
Artefact
I found my co-founders @royesegal and @marc__milberg on YC's cofounder match program.
In my opinion, it’s less about who and more about how you and your co-founder(s) work together. Friends or strangers, what matters is trust, aligned vision, and handling conflict well.
@royesegal @marc__milberg @russell_lowry Pretty cool. Have you seen each other in person before? Or at all?
Artefact
I haven't met either in person, but Marc and Roye met up in NYC a few months back. Some day soon we'll all get together in person! It's so easy to work together virtually these days, but it's hard to beat in-person collaboration.
@russell_lowry I hope that you will see each other soon. I saw the guy I collaborate with (a client) for the very first time in person after almost 3 years of our work. 😅 (Both in a totally different country where we are based normally.)
Artefact
@busmark_w_nika Wow that's impressive! That's a long time to go without meeting in person. Glad you were able to do that, considering you're in different countries.
@royesegal @marc__milberg @russell_lowry Thanks @russell_lowry ! I didn't know this website exist, this is really precious !
@royesegal @marc__milberg @russell_lowry @jean_willame Hopefully, you will find here a good match! :)
looking for a co-founder by the way, drop me dm
@nataliia_makota Hey Nataliia! :) can you specify what type of co-founder? Like dev, marketer or? :)
@aurelia_b Interesting to see a national level of this approach. I found something similar for the Netherlands, too: https://findyourcofounder.nl/
I would say I'm lucky to know my co-founder @titouan_de_dain from real life, but if it wasn't the case, I would definitely be close to startup communities in my city ! My take is that people working at startups are more likely to become entrepreneurs themselves and are mostly tech curious, especially in software development :)
@titouan_de_dain @jean_willame From which city are you? Because if you are from some metropolitan city, it will be easier for you than for me :D (My town is so small that we know each other very well here). If there would be a possible co-founder, I would probably have one from my town :D
@titouan_de_dain @busmark_w_nika Ah yes, we've been friends for 10 years, we also lived in a small town in France, I guess that's why I say it's mostly luck ahah. Even if your city is small you might find your best co-founder :)
It's funny how "Co-founder" has been finding it's way to my algorithm lately. I am launching in the next couple months and the internet-Gods have obviously been suggesting I find one.
@yakuraapp What type of co-founder are you looking for? 👀
@busmark_w_nika Our application is like Steam (no affiliation), but for Webapps and software. Online store, desktop SDK, library, the whole bit. A cofounder with a large network of SaaS companies to tap into would be hugely beneficial. Someone who could help fill up our store, as that's our blocker right now, holding us up for launch. Thanks for following up :)
@yakuraapp So are you looking for Sales, right? :)
Haimeta
In China, we primarily connect with potential partners through mutual introductions by friends or via platforms like Xiaohongshu.
@gin_6078 Don't you use WeChat for that as well?
Haimeta
@busmark_w_nika Yes, we also join many WeChat groups for developers, where there are quite a few co-founders as well.
@gin_6078 I downloaded the app only once and liked how I shook with the phone ,and it connected me with someone! :D That was a neat move.
Haimeta
@busmark_w_nika Haha, the "Shake" feature was indeed a standout function of WeChat at the time!
i feel like the NUMBER 1 barometers (tie) for a good co-founder are:
You trust them
They have a "gets it" mentality
By "gets it", I mean their eyes are wide open to the thankless work required to build a business. They are hyper results-focused and prioritize things that actually matter.
In my experience it's nearly impossible to find people who meet both of these criteria outside of your network, or quickly.
"Searching" for a co-founder is almost a poor use of time imo and should be an effort that runs in the background at a sustainable cadence.
@emikes919 In most cases, where did you find those right people? Any IRL meetups, conferences, internet?
@busmark_w_nika I think just keeping an ear to the ground and being open to the opportunity of partnering with something if it arises. In my experience, the meetups/conferences angle doesn't yield good results. Or it may, but it will take a lot of relationship nurturing after you meet the person at the conference to know whether a partnership is a good idea.
And internet... idk I just feel it's such an ocean of garbage, so your odds aren't good there. Can't hurt to keep your eyes and ears open of course, but a great partner is most likely going to be someone you know or have worked with already.
@emikes919 True, anyway, I am trying to reach out to more people so I can have more possibilities :)
Pokecut
Great question! 🤔 Finding the right co-founder is just as important as choosing one. Here’s my “how we met” story: we actually met at a local startup meetup—sometimes the best connections happen when you least expect them! 🚀
As for the best places to find co-founders, I’d recommend:
Startup events and hackathons 🎉
Online communities like Indie Hackers, Product Hunt, and LinkedIn 💻
University entrepreneurship programs 🎓
Niche forums related to your industry or tech stack 🔍
Regarding co-founding with relatives or long-term friends vs. new people, both have pros and cons. Working with someone you trust deeply can be great for communication and commitment 🤝, but mixing business and personal relationships can sometimes lead to challenges. On the other hand, teaming up with someone new brings fresh perspectives and professional boundaries, which can be healthy too! Ultimately, it’s about shared vision, complementary skills, and mutual respect. 🙌
Would love to hear others’ stories too! How did you meet your co-founder? 😊
Pokecut
Great questions, Nika! Finding the right co-founder is such a crucial step, and the “how we met” stories are always inspiring. In my experience, I met my co-founder through a local startup meetup focused on product design and entrepreneurship — those in-person connections can really build trust early on.
As for where to look, your list is solid! I’d also recommend checking out:
- Indie Hackers community
- FounderDating (now part of CoFoundersLab)
- LinkedIn groups related to your industry or startup interests
- Startup weekend events or hackathons
Regarding co-founding with relatives or long-term friends, it really depends on your relationship dynamics. While the trust is there, mixing business with close personal ties can sometimes complicate decision-making or conflict resolution. On the other hand, a completely new co-founder can bring fresh perspectives but may require more time to build rapport. I think clear communication and aligned vision are the keys, regardless of who you choose.
Looking forward to hearing others’ stories too! Thanks for starting this conversation.