If entrepreneurs want to increase the chances their startups succeed, they need a co-founder. In many ways finding a co-founder is the startup founder’s first pitch (and sale). Not being able to find a co-founder can be a sign that the idea or pitch, in it’s current form, needs work. So, where can startups in Lansing find co-founders?
Your Network
The first place to look is perhaps the most obvious: your network. Here, you’re not necessarily looking to bring on your best friend. Rather, you want to find a co-founder with a relevant skillset or area of expertise that you lack, but is necessary for the startup to thrive. Still, you want to make sure you get along with the person. Searching through your friends on Facebook or, better yet, your contacts on LinkedIn, could help you identify such a person.
Meetups
Local meetups are a great place to meet people with complementary skillsets. For instance, the Ruby, Javascript, or Web Development meetup could be a good place to meet a technical co-founder. More business-oriented meetups, like the Startup School Meetup could be a good place to find a business co-founder.
Local Incubators
Some of the incubators are better equipped for loose interactions than others. The Hatch and the Neo Center, for instance, have open space that make it easy to interact with other entrepreneurs. The 300 Room, which is adjacent to the Hatch and the Technology Innovation Center (TIC), however, is probably the best place to run into people in the ecosystem. There are often events held there and, since it’s next to both the Hatch and the TIC, it’s a great place to meet local tech enthusiasts.
Startup Weekends
Hosted periodically, weekend events like Startup Weekend and 3 Day Startup are great places to find a co-founder. During these events people come together, pitch ideas, and hope to lay the foundation for a new startup before the weekend is over. In fact, there’s a Startup Weekend coming up in February, so start prepping your pitch now!
Local Events
There are different events each week, which can be great places to find a co-founder. Organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Lansing Makers Network, MITN, Spartan Innovations, and LEAP sponsor events all year long. Many are open to the public, especially ones hosted at the Hatch or in the 300 Room. Fortunately, we keep a fairly comprehensive calendar of events, so you don’t necessarily have to follow all of these individual organizations. If you prefer us to push them to you, just sign up for our weekly newsletter, follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
OneVest
It would be an ironic oversight if there wasn’t a startup trying to help other people find co-founders. One such startup is Onevest (formerly Co-Founders Lab). This site, which is like a match.com for startups, helps people to find a co-founder with the skillset and in the industry they need.
Finding a co-founder is an important step in the lifecycle of a startup. In Lansing, there are a many different ways to find yours. Good luck!
