Ask HN: Never physically met your co-founder?

3 points by stevenjohns ↗ HN
Hi all,

I'm about to submit a YC application but after getting a couple of people to take a look, they both found it problematic that I've never physically met my co-founder.

My co-founder and I have a healthier relationship than probably most people we both know physically. We've spoken every other day for at least the last 3 years, his neighbor has (quite literally) fallen in love with me and his other neighbor contacts me for life advice. My co-founder and I have worked together on large projects (albeit not technical) and have exchanged money for services (that's actually how we got to know one another-- I hired him to tutor me over Skype). Our personalities don't clash at all-- we even both have the same obscure interests (Jamaican Patois anyone?). Even when I consider all of the people I know, physically or otherwise, I cannot think of a person who would be better suited to act as a co-founder.

But still: I'm in Sydney, Australia, and he's in Florida, USA. I emailed PG about this and he said it would be a problem.

Has anyone been in this situation for YC? What does HN suggest I do? Should we bring in a third co-founder that one of us has met physically (there are a few people who have contributed and we'd eventually hire but we don't expressly consider them founders)-- would it remedy things?

Advice on this would be extremely appreciated.

2 comments

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It is difficult to build a product when you and the co-founder have not met in person ever. That said, how would I know given that I have never worked in such a situation? I am willing to give you the benefit of doubt that this works well for you and your product.

IMO, if getting into YC is a very important goal, you simply need to workaround this and do whatever it takes to get into YC. Which includes getting another founder probably.

If YC is just a nice to have, I would say just go on and build your awesome product. Re-apply next season (if they reject) and show then what you have already accomplished with a remote co-founder.

I guess we'll be adding another founder then. Do you believe the problem will persist, however, considering one of the founders wouldn't have met the other two?