Ask HN:Who's Looking For a Cofounder? (October 2010 Edition)
I'm posting this because I'm working on a startup solo, and I think finding a good cofounder is harder than it needs to be.
I'll start:
I'm working on a SaaS product to automate buying advertising online, everything from keyword/competitor research to optimization, and I'm looking for a technical cofounder in San Francisco. Think easy to use enterprise-class PPC management for small businesses. I've built a prototype MVP which got very positive early feedback from potential customers. I can code if I have to, but my strengths are in marketing, optimizing, and the business side. I'm currently bootstrapping the startup, and plan to continue to do so until ramen profitability is reached. If you're excited about making sense of massive datasets using technology like MongoDB and node.js, designing the architecture and technical vision of the company, and building the startup from the ground up, I want to talk to you. Python hackers who are amazing with regular expressions preferred.
Email me at ilya [at] unviral.com.
47 comments
[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 109 ms ] threadYou should know Jquery, CSS, and have a great design sense.
devjones100 [at] gmail.com
The three startups:
1) Automated UI testing (can't say more) 2) HTML5 canvas to create a handful of small web products. (can't say more) 3) Beer oriented (can't say more).
#1 & #2 can be bootstrapped. #3 I want to develop a little further then pitch to a YC or a Techstars.
jeff.a.bail {at} gmail.com
Making a commercial version RepRap machine and selling it. There are numerous ideas and designs floating around for bootstrapped 3D printers, begging for a company to put them together in a nice retail package.
Running a coworking office for startups and freelancers.
Running a hackerspace with lots of cool tools such as 3D printers, open to both paid members and the public.
Running a small fab-lab for on-demand rapid prototyping and fabrication services.
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I'm still at the research phase, so I don't have much existing work to show you. I've started wikifying some of my research notes which you can find here: http://punkmanufacturing.com/ . I've also found two plastics companies that might be interested in supplying base printing materials for us to resell. There is also the possibility of developing new printing materials or tweaking existing ones.
I'm looking for someone who is passionate about any of the above subjects. Qualifications, background, etc don't matter as long as you have some skills applicable to this hypothetical startup. You must be able to work in the EU, so European citizens preferred. Personally, I'm willing, and able, to relocated almost anywhere in the EU to work on this.
Contact me at http://disattention.com/contact/ or point me to your contact info.
The idea is of a consumer app that leverages our social network and social graph. It's been validated by potential users and few senior executives. A basic initial version of the app is almost ready and will be launched privately in a month.
I have a business background. Have worked with startups. Besides, I started 2 small ventures during my teens. Doing whatever it takes to make things happen, is something I consider as my strength. I believe in a fair and open work culture - and communication is very imp. I am extremely passionate about consumer apps that are fun + useful. I am currently based in Bay Area - US, and plan to relocate to India in November (due to visa constraints). The startup is incorporated in US, and I do intend on coming back to bay area, once we raise some funding.
So, if solving challenging problems excites you, and you are entrepreneurial and have always wanted to build/start something of your own, but got busy with 9-to-5 and life in general.. and you've been looking for the right idea / opportunity / time... and you are super-duper hungry ( http://gapingvoid.com/2009/05/11/welcome-to-the-hunger/ ) ....then, drop me a note! Share a bit about your background, and why you are interested. Email: mnnmsemail at gmail dot com
I saw your linkedin profile, looks like you started your own venture early this year. Why are you looking at another one right now?
A common interest like programming, design, technology, some specific market will bring the two together, find a common problem and resolve to work toward solving that problem knowing _already_ what sort of working relationship there will be beforehand.
Co-founders will need a fantastic amount of trust and loyalty to work well together in the long term. This formula is difficult to satisfy with this method. Not trying to crap, but I'm currently fighting down this road myself and have resolved to let the process work organically rather than trying to find serendipitous luck (semi) anonymously on HN.
Alternatively, there are other online forums which add a nice structure to the process of finding a co-founder. Tristan Kromer has put together http://startupsquare.com which he has made promising progress in. I've also put in an application with the (fairly new) http://cofoundersnetwork.com. There's an entire section of questions based around this here: http://www.quora.com/Finding-Co-Founders/
And while the option isn't available for everyone, sometimes going to the mountain instead of waiting for the mountain to come to you feels more productive. I intend to move to Boulder, CO where these crowds are much more abundant than where I am and do some schmoozing there to grow my network. And if schmoozing is hard, I hear Toastmasters is a fantastic experience everyone should try.
Hope this helps.
I would like to meet anyone that is interested in one day starting a business or has already started on and is looking for a tech partner in crime.
I'm looking for someone to join me in the creation of small, indy games for any platform of interest. I am a programmer with a lot of experience writing games in C++, Java, Objective-C and C#. I am on the verge of releasing an iPad game (beta tests start next week).
http://ycombinator.com/rfs2.html
My email's in my profile for anyone interested working on this with me. I'd like to think I have a decent grasp of the business side whilst I know I need technical help.
Completely agree.
I remember these couple of guys from Stanford working on this project called Backrub. I think it was for search or something.
I can't think of anything more boring or repetitive than search, and making money is definitely not in the cards there.
Wonder how many investors they had to pitch before they gave up and went back to school.
Suckers.
Not every startup has the potential to be the next Google, that's just a fact of life.
My point, though, is that the list of people genuinely qualified to make those assessments is extraordinarily short, and even they get it wrong sometimes. The spectrum between stupid and crazy enough to work is an especially muddy one. It's easy to snipe at people, but in the end someone with their nuts on the line pushing a crazy idea has, at least, stepped up.
So if such a person wants to pitch a co-founder and hopefully make some magic happen, I'm not of the mind to criticize. No one has to listen to them, or join them, but let 'em pitch.
At some point a company just gets large enough to buy or edge out the competition.
It's geared toward social learning. Where we learn by observing and talking to fellow-learners.
My partner and I founded Scriblink.com (the number one online whiteboard) and Groupie (a social network currently on the iPhone).
We are looking for a long-term technical partner who shares our ambition, discipline, ability to execute and work ethic (you dont have to be as intense as us). In essence, we're two projects into what will be a life time of serial entrepreneurship.
Hit me up if you want to talk more or meet for coffee.
leo at groupie dot mobi
What we are trying to solve:
- Given relevant experience, find and apply for a job in a field that's soon (within a few months to a year) going to be "hot."
- Given somewhat relevant experience, find and apply for a job in a field that will act as an intermediary to a future "hot" field.
.
LinkedIn, Indeed/SimplyHired etc. haven't concentrated on this problem space yet.
We (one tech, one design co-founder + advisor) are working on solving many such hard problems that involve everything from trending, forecasting to decision analysis. Email me if you're interested in being a tech co-founder: aha.kalopsia@gmail.com
Short term, I've got a profitable iPhone app that has over half a million downloads and will be working on converting free users to paid subscriptions.
Long term, I am looking to disrupt the Dell/HP model of selling physical computers by selling virtual computers.
Disrupt the web by freeing developers to use any technology to develop applications that can be accessed instantly.
Disrupt the social by making users control their own content and run services on their virtual computers to manage their social graph.
Stack: jquery/codeigniter/mongodb/nodejs
Location: Denver CO & Ventura CA (remote ok)
Based in Cambridge, MA. Web: www.statsia.com Email: info@statsia.com
I'm building Quirk ( http://www.getaquirk.com/ ) and I've got a related side project, a QR/URL-shortener - http://qrk.co/
Quirk is Rails on Heroku. qrk.co is Sinatra on Heroku.
Cofounders could come in a few forms. I'm a developer, but somewhat new to web dev. So someone with a deep technical background for web development with prior startup experience would work. Alternatively, someone with a really strong UX/design vision and some skills to drive the frontend would be great, too. I've been learning the necessary skills as I go.
There's contact info in my profile.
We're building mobile technology for universities and colleges in North America. The company is completely bootstrapped and consists of a group of close friends. We are motivated, have a working demo we're pitching already, and looking for a talented Java/PHP/browser programmer to join us!
Contact: karan.bhangui@cyphontech.com
GeekStack is an online trading card game where players become the heroes of science and technology. It's also a platform that can host any trading card game.
I've been working on it nights and weekends for a year and change. I have a working game engine and I'm coding the web server and front end now. Bootstrapped, incorporated, etc. Looking to launch this fall.
My ideal cofounder would be someone with illustration, graphic design, and creative direction skills. A web programmer (I'm using Ruby on Rails/Heroku/EventMachine/PubNub) with some sysadmin skills would also be great. Love gaming and education, of course.
If interested, email peter@geekstack.com
http://geekstack.com
Right now I am working on some exciting stuff for UCSF and Harvard.
I have a few ideas around augmented reality, vr, music, games, social calendars, openid and a language learning app i am working on.
I would like to pick a cofounder before settling on something, until then. I am just hacking around and writing code that is fun.
you can find me on twitter @jdavid
So I created http://www.TonightsOutfit.com - a website that attempts to answer that question using peer review.
I've got a business plan/financial statement, I'm incorporated, the design is complete, the front end code is complete. I have money for marketing/hosting and any other expense that may occur. I've got beta testers too.
I have everything needed for a v1 launch except the backend.
I am interested in someone who can build the backend, bonus points if you are able to do design/front end.
I could talk forever and ever about the project, if you are interested in knowing more I'm available @ Nick [at] tonightsoutfit.com
I'm located in Seattle.
References available on request.
http://www.tonightsoutfit.com
Place: Washington, DC (but virtual may be possible at first)
More details available to anyone who wants them.
bryan.t.burke [at] gmail.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanburke1
The tech stack is Pylons/Python, SQLAlchemy, Redis, and a very small piece of node.js.
Feel free to check my HN profile for my e-mail (or just chat me up on gchat if you are interested). I am in San Francisco.