Ask HN: How to find a co-founder?

I genuinely say this because I want to be helpful and not because I am trying to be snarky:

Search past HN posts and even Google the topic. People have written a lot about this, and nothing that will be said here will be any more useful without more context on your situation...

If you really want feedback to YOUR post on HN, I’d say to rewrite it with more context on your idea, background, and what you are looking for in a co-founder (skillset, money?, location, commitment, etc.).

Well, the answer depends to some degree on the kind of co-founder you're looking for, but I'd strongly suggest starting with LinkedIn and looking for people with previous startup experience, particularly in your area. Previous startup experience is the best predictor of success, even if their previous ventures failed (though it's always good to know why.) Also, make sure you get people who can think and communicate clearly - this is important even (or as often, especially) for the tech leaders. I get a few people a year approaching me for IoT startups - I'll almost always meet with them and point them to someone who might be able to help them if I'm not the guy. (I'm not interested in raw startups anymore - I've got plenty of great product ideas of my own if I've got to go flog funding...)

Read the Founder's Dilemma[1].

Don't "look for a cofounder".

Collaborate with friends and loose connections on projects ("date") and escalate from there. (Don't undershoot "loose".)

You need to be friends[2].

Get hitched when you're sure.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Founders-Dilemmas-Anticipating-Founda...

[2] http://www.paulgraham.com/really.html

I also have the same question, but I'm specifically interested in a non-technical co-founder. Someone smart who has innate business acumen and is a shameless salesperson.

I think finding a co-founder is harder than creating a successful company. So, either I'd go solo (not recommended at all), or I'd simply use time as the only helpful way to find the right person. It doesn't have to be tomorrow, could happen anytime. "Simply" force yourself to meet new people over and over. Time will make it happen for you.

In addition to what others have said, one other avenue is to go to local startup/entrepreneurial/tech events and meetups in your area. I've met my co-founder at a local startup-related meetup. And I know some people that were introduced to their current co-founders through people that they met during such events/meetups.

It's possible you could just be looking for someone to motivate you. If that's the case, I'm in a similar boat, got a project, but I get lazy sometimes, I could use feedback to help me go forward but I can't find anyone to even look at my work.

What kind of business are you building ? What would the cofounder's role be ?

It's like asking how to find a wife because that's what a co-founder is :)