How to Find a Technical Cofounder - Michael Seibel

TL;DR

Michael Seibel advises starting a technical cofounder search with friends who code, making them a concrete offer (equity and salary terms) rather than an informal ask. If that fails, repeat with coworkers; if still no success, build an engineering network by working at a small tech startup.

Key insights

• Many people have friends who code but never ask because they assume the friend is too comfortable in their current job; the friend might be waiting for someone to ask.
• A serious offer to a potential cofounder must include specific equity (e.g., 40%) and a clear salary plan, not a vague request for weekend help.
• Working at a big tech company (Google, Facebook) often keeps non-technical employees isolated from engineers, making it harder to build close friendships.