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Where to Find a Technical Co-Founder in Toronto?

Startup Talk · October 15, 2024

Where to Find a Technical Co-Founder in Toronto: Expert Tips from the Startup Ecosystem In this episode of the Startup Talk Podcast, we delve deep into the burning question for many aspiring entrepreneurs: “Where can I find a technical co-founder in Toronto?” We explore strategies that range from in-person networking at events like Startup Investor […]

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Where to Find a Technical Co-Founder in Toronto?

Where to Find a Technical Co-Founder in Toronto: Expert Tips from the Startup Ecosystem

In this episode of the Startup Talk Podcast, we delve deep into the burning question for many aspiring entrepreneurs: “Where can I find a technical co-founder in Toronto?” We explore strategies that range from in-person networking at events like Startup Investor Drinks to leveraging online communities such as Founders Beta and Co-Founders Lab. The episode features insights from startup experts, offering practical advice on finding the right technical partner to help bring your vision to life.

Speaker List and Contact Information

• John Irwin

Preferred Contact: LinkedIn

Canadian companies can also book a free assessment for Government Funding through John.

• Jeff Hoedeman

Preferred Contact: LinkedIn

• Alex Morsink

Preferred Contact: LinkedIn

More resources available at the Equivesto Learning Center.

• Graeme Barlow

Social Platforms: @Graemebarlow on all social platforms, Instagram, X

Website: GraemeBarlow.com

Where to find a technical co-founder in Toronto: In-Person Networking in Toronto’s Thriving Startup Community

According to John Irwin, one of the best places to start is attending Startup Investor Drinks. This event brings together Toronto’s startup ecosystem, providing a perfect opportunity to meet potential technical co-founders. Irwin emphasizes the importance of building relationships with like-minded individuals at these events. Another excellent resource is the online community Founders Beta, and more specifically, Co-Founders Beta, a platform dedicated to matching entrepreneurs with technical co-founders. If you’re in Toronto, John highly recommends exploring these avenues to find the right technical partner.

Graeme Barlow also highlights the value of in-person meetups, including tech meetups where developers and entrepreneurs can connect. Bodan Zabwaski’s CTO group in Toronto is another excellent option for finding skilled tech talent. He points out that tech layoffs have created an influx of highly qualified developers looking for new opportunities, so now might be the perfect time to meet potential co-founders at these events.

Barlow also mentions Antler, an in-person program that matches founders and technical talent. Though challenging to get into, Antler is a renowned incubator that helps you connect with potential partners while benefiting from structured guidance and mentorship.

Online Resources for Finding a Technical Co-Founder in Toronto

For those who prefer online networking, platforms like Co-Founders Lab offer an extensive database of individuals seeking partners for their startups. Irwin suggests tapping into these platforms to meet a wider pool of candidates, including those outside Toronto who may be open to relocation or remote collaboration.

Alex Morsink, an experienced investor and founder, agrees that online platforms are an invaluable resource but emphasizes that finding a co-founder requires more than just technical skills. Building a startup is like entering a marriage; it’s crucial to find someone whose vision aligns with yours, and reverse vesting arrangements can help protect both parties.

Sales First, Co-Founder Later

Interestingly, Graeme Barlow advises a different approach for some founders. He suggests that if your startup is already built and you’re looking for someone to help finalize development, it might be better to focus on sales first. Building traction through sales can help attract a stronger technical co-founder down the line, rather than rushing to bring someone on board solely to complete your project. This approach allows you to prove your ability to generate revenue and demonstrates the viability of your product, which is often more appealing to potential co-founders.

Barlow reminds us that finding a co-founder is much more than a business transaction. Bringing someone on board after much of the project is complete can be tricky, so taking steps like reverse vesting can help ensure that equity is distributed fairly and incentivizes long-term commitment.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

The conversation also touches on common challenges when bringing in a technical co-founder later in the game. According to Morsink, most of his portfolio companies had co-founders from the outset, and adding one afterward is rare. If you’re trying to bring in a co-founder after significant progress has been made, be prepared for potential complications, especially around equity splits and ensuring a shared long-term vision.

John Irwin suggests the importance of finding someone who shares your commitment to the project, highlighting that it’s not just about finding someone with technical skills but also someone who is aligned with your mission and goals.

Final Thoughts and Resources

This episode offers a blend of practical advice, personal experiences, and tried-and-true strategies for finding a technical co-founder in Toronto. Whether you’re networking in person or online, the key is to focus on relationship-building and ensuring that your co-founder shares your passion and vision for the business.

For more insights and resources, visit the Equivesto Learning Center for startup education, or check out the TorontoStarts community for regular events and networking opportunities.

Additional Resources and Links:

Ontario Startup Ecosystem Links

Follow Us on Social Media:

• Twitter: @TorontoStarts

• Startup Coach on LinkedIn: Craig Major

• Jon Irwin on LinkedIn: Jon Irwin

• Instagram: @TorontoStarts

• YouTube: TorontoStarts YouTube

Episode transcript

Read the full transcript

The next question, they said they're, they're looking for a technical founder in Toronto, Canada, co-founder to join them. Equity splits, not hires for wage. Where's the best place to go find that in Toronto? Anyone? Two answers. First, in person, go to startup drinks, attend and talk to other people. And there will potentially be people there looking for startups. There's also an online community called Founders Beta, but they have a sub portion of that called Co-Founders Beta. And that's for helping people find startups. co-founders there's also like co-founders lab and a few other things that sort of are online resources to help people meet um you know they're yeah you usually there's tech co-founders looking for business people or business people looking for tech so uh it sounds like you're the business person looking for tech so you can go go and and look there and that's sort of where i would start try tech to as well it's probably a good place to find people Yeah, Bodan, I can't remember his last name, Zabwaski, he runs a CTO group in Toronto. Look him up and see if you can go join that group for once in a while because you're really meeting some great technical people at these things. And there's more and more tech layoffs you need to start thinking about outside the box on where to meet these tech people. Go out to any sort of tech meetups and start looking. The other one to think about, too, is Antler. They put together founders. That's a great in-person program, too, if you can get into it. So it's tough to get into, though, but yeah. I'm going to counterpunch a little bit here. Perfect. Because your comment is non-technical founder with a startup that's already built but needs some more dev. What's the best way? I don't know that you need a technical co-founder yet. Sounds like you need to go get some sales, which will get you a little bit of traction, which will let you attract a better founder than if you just run around saying, I need somebody to help me finish my project. So I would not be looking for a founder. I would be looking for customers, get someone to pre-buy into what you're almost done building. And maybe along that journey, you're going to find a technical founder in the industry you're chasing. But just running out to the street saying my project's eighty percent of the way there and I need someone to help me finish it. I don't think you're going to find the caliber you want to make yourself successful. And you need to prove you're good at sales by getting customers to attract a good co-founder. And remember, uh, getting involved with a co-founder is like getting married. We can talk a little bit about that too. It's a lot more than a business transaction and, uh, having, having, um, a co-founder, uh, join your team late and getting equity and then make sure you do a reverse vesting or something to protect you. Yeah. Yeah. It can get very messy. It's challenging. It's challenging to find co-founders after the fact. I don't know, Alex, if you have much experience with any of your founders. No, they all had co-founders before the fact. It's definitely hard to get them afterwards. So I feel like John and I answered the question you asked and Graham gave you the answer you wanted or the answer you needed, I guess. Yeah.

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