Choosing a Co-founder in a startup can be decisive for the success or failure of a project. In a context as changeable and uncertain as startups, the Co-founder plays a key role, influencing not only the strategic direction but also the day-to-day operations and the company culture, even more so for a startup born in a startup studio.
But how do you identify the right Co-founder, and how can this figure affect a startup’s fate?
Startup Bakery: the “startup inside the startup studio” model
Before going into the importance of the Co-founder, it is useful to contextualise Startup Bakery’s organisational model, which follows a specific approach to creating startups. We build SaaS solutions, following a structured process that involves the gradual entry of a central figure like the Co-founder, who will then take on the role of CEO of the new company.
The selection and integration of the Co-founder happens progressively. In the startup’s first six months, the Co-founder is asked to dedicate only 20% of their time to the project, while Startup Bakery’s core team works actively to get the idea off the ground. This gradual entry phase lets the Co-founder adapt to the context without haste, wrap up any previous work commitments and absorb the internal dynamics of the Bakery.
This gradual approach not only makes the transition smooth for the Co-founder, but also allows a solid foundation to be built for the future collaboration, without immediate pressure and with the time needed to assimilate the key processes.
The “Bake” phase: the Co-founder gets to the heart of it
After the first six months, the startup enters the so-called “Bake” phase, in which the Co-founder becomes fully operational, dedicating 100% of their time to the project. This is when the work gets real, with the Co-founder actively contributing to every aspect of the business. Working closely with the team and the Co-founders of Startup Bakery, the new CEO is supported continuously, both strategically and operationally.
This model allows the Co-founder to take part in every crucial decision, but also to receive constant feedback and support, reducing the risk of fatal mistakes in the early phases of the project. The Co-founder is thus never left alone, and can count on a network of experts and entrepreneurs to confront ideas with.
The perfect Co-founder does not exist
A question we often ask ourselves is: does the perfect Co-founder exist? Absolutely not! Every startup is unique and, as a consequence, the ideal Co-founder profile varies with the type of project and the context.
Flexibility, orientation to innovation, proactivity, the ability to collaborate and perseverance are some of the qualities we consider fundamental.
Beyond these soft skills, we value deep knowledge of the digital world and, naturally, familiarity with SaaS logic, since our startups operate mainly in this space. But above all, we hold past entrepreneurial experiences that failed in high regard.
We don’t see failure as a mark against you, but as a strength. Those who tried and failed have often developed strong resilience and a great capacity to adapt, fundamental traits for handling the difficulties and surprises every startup inevitably faces. We believe, in fact, that candidates who have learned from their mistakes have a more realistic and mature view of risk and success.
However, the human component is the hardest to predict and assess with precision. The ability to trust the people you work with is essential, especially in a context as full of challenges as startups. And this holds both for the startup studio about to “entrust” its solution to an entrepreneur and for the Co-founder, who necessarily has to trust the people around them, with whom they will collaborate to reach success.
For this reason, we never stop at a “simple” selection process. We organise less formal occasions to talk, which allow both sides to deepen their mutual knowledge and explore the more complex questions that come with the role of an entrepreneur. These moments are useful both to assess compatibility and to build that relationship of trust which is indispensable for facing the entrepreneurial journey together.
Going far, together
At Startup Bakery, we firmly believe that collaboration is the key to success. The first principle of our Charter of Values reads: “Alone you go faster, together you go further”. This philosophy guides all our choices, including the Co-founder selection process. We are convinced that a close-knit team, sharing common values and goals, can face any challenge and take the startup to success. On the contrary, a lack of collaboration and alignment of vision can lead where no startup would want to end up.
In conclusion, selecting the Co-founder is one of the most important and complex decisions a startup studio has to face. We don’t have an infallible recipe for finding the perfect candidate, but we firmly believe that a structured process, a gradual entry and a solid relationship of trust between the parties are the starting point for the startup’s success.
Startup Bakery is the Italian startup studio specialised in creating B2B SaaS companies with Artificial Intelligence. We offer aspiring Co-Founders the opportunity to develop a business idea. We create investment opportunities for Professional Investors. We help companies in their innovation process.