Technical Cofounding 101

A talk given in Sydney to a group of eager non-technical entrepreneurs looking to find a technical cofounder for their businesses.

Transcript

1. Technical cofounding 101
   Finding and working with
   a technical cofounder.
   

   View Slide

2. Hi, I am
   Steve Ringo
   steven@dynamicclarity.com
   @stevenringo
   

   View Slide

3. What is a
   technical cofounder?
   

   View Slide

4. View Slide

5. I’ll let you in on a secret
   

   View Slide

6. You don’t need a
   technical cofounder
   

   View Slide

7. You don’t need a
   technical cofounder*
   

   View Slide

8. If not having a technical cofounder is
   preventing you from progressing,
   you’re doing it wrong.
   

   View Slide

9. What stage?
   Idea Launch OMG!
   

   View Slide

10. Minimum Viable Product
    

    View Slide

11. View Slide

12. Idea Launch OMG!
    Technical
    skill/capacity
    required
    

    View Slide

13. Technical
    Business
    • Business Model
    • Marketing
    • Sales
    • Acquisition
    • Customer development
    etc.
    • Feasibility
    • Basics
    

    View Slide

14. You are gambling
    

    View Slide

15. The dating game
    

    View Slide

16. Start manually
    

    View Slide

17. ‣
    Wireframes
    ‣
    Surveys
    ‣
    Interviews
    ‣
    Mockups
    ‣
    Simulations
    ‣
    etc.
    

    View Slide

18. ‣
    SaaS
    ‣
    Tumblr
    ‣
    Wordpress
    ‣
    Dropbox
    ‣
    Surveymonkey
    ‣
    Mailchimp
    ‣
    Analytics
    ‣
    Mechanical Turk
    

    View Slide

19. Learn some of the technical ropes
    

    View Slide

20. Understand
    the technical challenges
    a cofounder might face
    

    View Slide

21. You don’t need a
    technical cofounder
    necessarily
    ^
    

    View Slide

22. Outsource to get a head start
    

    View Slide

23. Don’t outsource your
    core competency
    

    View Slide

24. Do outsource before
    you’re competent
    

    View Slide

25. Don’t be ready to part with
    your equity too early
    

    View Slide

26. You can buy a solution
    

    View Slide

27. *not a real one, anyway :-)
    You can’t buy a cofounder*
    

    View Slide

28. Hangouts
    

    View Slide

29. Technical events
    

    View Slide

30. User groups
    

    View Slide

31. Speed dating events
    

    View Slide

32. ❧
    

    View Slide

33. Managing Software Projects
    

    View Slide

34. Thin slices
    

    View Slide

35. View Slide

36. Complete & deploy each one first before starting the next
    

    View Slide

37. Drawing interface
    Complete & deploy each one first before starting the next
    

    View Slide

38. Drawing interface
    Sharing & Inviting
    Complete & deploy each one first before starting the next
    

    View Slide

39. Drawing interface
    Sharing & Inviting
    Enhancements. Colours and undo
    Complete & deploy each one first before starting the next
    

    View Slide

40. Drawing interface
    Sharing & Inviting
    Enhancements. Colours and undo
    Publishing and replay
    Complete & deploy each one first before starting the next
    

    View Slide

41. Issue tracking system
    

    View Slide

42. Asset & source control
    

    View Slide

43. Finding Waldo
    

    View Slide

44. “clicking”
    

    View Slide

45. nous & passion
    

    View Slide

46. Good understanding of how
    technology impacts the business and
    vice versa
    

    View Slide

47. Broad understanding of all
    issues of software
    development, deployment and
    management
    

    View Slide

48. Expertise in your domain
    

    View Slide

49. Track record
    

    View Slide

50. Organised
    

    View Slide

51. Idea Launch OMG!
    Technology
    emphasis
    

    View Slide

52. Thank you
    

    View Slide