How to get coders for non-technical founders?

We are two entrepreneurs developing a new web service. We are having trouble finding a techincal founder for equity to build out the service and manage our programming division in the future. How can we vet any possible candidates when it’s beyond our technical knowledge, and what’s the best way to go about finding reputable coders who would be interested in starting the company?


  • It’s hard enough to find a good developer for an enormous salary and options, let alone for equity.

    Here are a few options though:

    1. Figure out a way to develop a tech-less product to start. Use existing products to build an initial version. WordPress is magical for this.

    2. Bring your idea to Startup Weekend. Find a team and build it out over the weekend.

    3. Find/pay a contractor to do an initial version. Then, build some interest, afterwards approach reputable developers after there is some initial traction.

    4. Apply to an accelerator. If you get in, it’s much easier to find a developer to get on board.

    5. More than likely, there are local tech groups in your market. Find the organizers and ask them if you can post your search.

    6. Put an ad on Craigslist. (Last resort)

    I’ve used all of the above with mixed results. Good luck.

  • Really appreciate the quick answer, although i know this is part of the process that will take its time in sorting out.

    We have thought of many of the options you covered and are in the process of addressing them in the NYC area.

    Our hopes is to find and assimilate one of the coders found through these means to grow with us in the long run.

    Question still stands – How can we go about vetting a candidate when the technical capabilities go above our level of understanding?

    • Find someone you can trust who is reasonably tech savvy and ask him/her to vet for you. If you come across as earnest many tech guys will take pity on you and help you for free or beer.

      Another strategy is to pay someone to vet and select a developer from Elance. Elance has a lot of cheap competent programmers (esp from Eastern Europe) but they also have crap programmers. The trick is to give them a small project to gauge their skills. (Ie. pick a small part of your software and scope it to around $300 to limit your downside). Even if you cannot find a developer to do the vetting, you can do this yourself. Just be VERY clear on what the end result is. The more verbose and precise with sketches, the better.

      I’ve gone this route and it has worked for me. You may not get the most elegant code but if you do it right you get what you need.

  • You get your developer friends (or pay a consulting fee to one if you have no coder friends) to screen them for you.

  • Don’t you have former colleagues who are technical that you’ve built relationships with? If not, you are probably way too naive or too much of an asshole to be running a tech company. Otherwise be prepared to either code yourself or pay someone well.

    • Looking at Zuck, Spiegel, the Google bros, Mayer the office hag, and pretty much everyone else who made it in the Valley, I thought being an asshole is a pre-req to lead a tech startup?

  • You can always learn to code yourself. I’ve found codeacademy to be really helpful. Once you have your MVP, even if it’s not super tidy from the technical point of view, you have a little more leverage to get someone and to be taken more seriously. Besides, what you learn will always be useful in this industry, even if you don’t ever code again.

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